"라" is a Korean character from the Hangul writing system, representing the sound "r" or "l." It is the 13th letter in the Korean alphabet and is pronounced as "ra" when combined with a vowel. Hangul was created in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great to promote literacy among the Korean people. In terms of its shape, "라" consists of two components: the consonant "ㄹ" and the vowel "ㅏ." The character is used in various words and phrases in the Korean language, contributing to its phonetic structure. Understanding "라" is essential for reading and writing in Korean.