The Two Number Systems in Detail
Sino-Korean numbers (한자어 수, hanjaeo su) are based on Chinese characters and follow a logical base-10 pattern: 십 (sip, 10), 백 (baek, 100), 천 (cheon, 1000), 만 (man, 10000). Native Korean numbers (고유어 수, goyueo su) have unique words for 1-99 and are used with most physical counters. The key to mastering Korean numbers is memorizing which counters pair with which system. In everyday life, you will encounter both systems constantly. Prices at shops use Sino-Korean numbers, while ordering two cups of coffee requires native Korean numbers. Even telling time mixes both systems — hours use native Korean and minutes use Sino-Korean. Understanding this dual system is one of the essential building blocks of Korean fluency. One important detail that confuses many learners is the Korean grouping system for large numbers. While English groups digits by thousands (thousand, million, billion), Korean groups by ten-thousands (만, man). So 100,000 is not 'one hundred thousand' but 십만 (simman, ten 만). One million is 백만 (baengman, one hundred 만), and ten million is 천만 (cheonman, one thousand 만). The next major unit, 억 (eok), represents 100,000,000 (one hundred million). This grouping difference is one of the most persistent challenges for English-speaking learners, especially when discussing prices, salaries, or population figures. Practicing mental conversion between the two grouping systems is highly recommended for anyone planning to live or work in Korea.
Large Sino-Korean Numbers
| Number | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 십 (十) | sip |
| 100 | 백 (百) | baek |
| 1,000 | 천 (千) | cheon |
| 10,000 | 만 (萬) | man |
| 100,000 | 십만 | simman |
| 1,000,000 | 백만 | baengman |
| 100,000,000 | 억 | eok |
Common Counters and Their Number System
| Counter | Meaning | System | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 개 (gae) | General items | Native | 세 개 (se gae, 3 items) |
| 명 (myeong) | People | Native | 두 명 (du myeong, 2 people) |
| 잔 (jan) | Cups/glasses | Native | 한 잔 (han jan, 1 cup) |
| 병 (byeong) | Bottles | Native | 네 병 (ne byeong, 4 bottles) |
| 원 (won) | Korean currency | Sino | 오천 원 (ocheon won, 5000 won) |
| 년 (nyeon) | Year | Sino | 이천이십육 년 (2026 year) |
| 월 (wol) | Month | Sino | 삼월 (samwol, March) |
| 일 (il) | Day | Sino | 십오일 (siboil, the 15th) |
How to Tell Time in Korean
- 1
Hours use native Korean
한 시 (han si, 1 o'clock), 두 시 (du si, 2 o'clock), 세 시 (se si, 3 o'clock), up to 열두 시 (yeoldu si, 12 o'clock)
- 2
Minutes use Sino-Korean
십 분 (sip bun, 10 minutes), 이십오 분 (isibo bun, 25 minutes), 삼십 분 (samsip bun, 30 minutes)
- 3
Combine both
세 시 사십오 분 (se si sasibo bun) means 3:45. Notice hours are native Korean and minutes are Sino-Korean.
- 4
Add AM/PM
오전 (ojeon, AM) or 오후 (ohu, PM) comes before the time: 오후 두 시 (ohu du si, 2 PM)
Numbers in Real Life
저는 스물다섯 살이에요. 생일은 구월 십팔일이에요. 전화번호는 010-1234-5678이에요.
Jeoneun seumuldaseot sal-ieyo. Saengireun guwol sipparil-ieyo. Jeonhwabeonhoneun gong-il-gong il-i-sam-sa o-yuk-chil-pal-ieyo.
I am 25 years old. My birthday is September 18th. My phone number is 010-1234-5678.
Counter Form Changes to Remember
When native Korean numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 20 appear before a counter word, they change form. 하나 becomes 한 (han), 둘 becomes 두 (du), 셋 becomes 세 (se), 넷 becomes 네 (ne), and 스물 becomes 스무 (sumu). For example, you say 한 개 (han gae, one item) not 하나 개, and 두 명 (du myeong, two people) not 둘 명. This form change is one of the most common sources of mistakes for Korean learners. The good news is that numbers 5 through 19 do not change form, so 다섯 개 (daseot gae, five items) and 열두 명 (yeoldu myeong, twelve people) keep their standard forms. Another potential confusion point is that 네 (ne, the contracted form of 넷, four) sounds identical to the common response word 네 (ne, yes). In spoken Korean, to avoid ambiguity, many people pronounce the number four as 네 with a slightly different intonation, or in some regions people say 니 (ni) instead. When you hear someone ordering 네 개 (ne gae), context makes it clear they mean four items, but this homophone is worth knowing about. Practice these form changes with common counters like 개 (gae, items), 명 (myeong, people), 잔 (jan, cups), 병 (byeong, bottles), and 살 (sal, years of age) until the shortened forms feel automatic.
Money and Prices: Numbers in Shopping
Handling money in Korean requires comfort with Sino-Korean numbers and the Korean won (원, won). Since there is no decimal subdivision of the won (no cents equivalent), all prices are whole numbers — and they tend to be large. A cup of coffee costs around 오천 원 (ocheon won, 5,000 won), lunch might be 만 원 (man won, 10,000 won), and monthly rent could be 오십만 원 (osimman won, 500,000 won) or more. Reading prices aloud follows a straightforward pattern: build the number from the largest unit down. For 23,500 won, say 이만 삼천 오백 원 (iman samcheon obaek won). For 168,000 won, say 십육만 팔천 원 (simnyungman palcheon won). When shopping, the question 얼마예요? (eolmayeyo?, how much is it?) is your most essential phrase. The response will be a Sino-Korean number followed by 원. At convenience stores and department stores, prices are displayed digitally, but at traditional markets, knowing how to understand spoken prices is valuable. A useful shortcut is that Koreans often drop 원 in casual speech and just say the number. They may also say the price in units of 만: 이만 삼 (iman sam) as shorthand for 23,000 won. Getting comfortable with these spoken shortcuts comes with exposure and practice.