Korean Dictionary
How to say "Fifty" in Korean
“Fifty” in Korean is 쉰 (pronounced "swin").
쉰
swin
Usage & Context
The native Korean number for fifty, used in casual counting and age expressions. The Sino-Korean 오십 (osip) is used in formal contexts.
Example Sentence
할아버지가 쉰 살이에요.
Grandfather is fifty years old.
How to use 쉰 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Fifty” is 쉰, romanized as swin.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 쉰.
Pronunciation Guide
The pronunciation of "쉰" (swin) is like the English word "swing" but without the 'g' sound at the end. The 's' is a soft 's' as in "sun," and the 'wi' vowel combination sounds like "wee" in "week." Combine them quickly.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
오십
osip
The Sino-Korean number for fifty, used in more formal contexts, for prices, or when counting objects with certain counters.
More Example Sentences
Talking about a parent's age in a personal conversation.
우리 엄마는 쉰 살이 넘었어요.
My mom is over fifty years old.
Asking for a specific quantity of items in a casual setting.
이거 쉰 개만 주세요.
Please give me just fifty of these.
Planning a significant milestone birthday celebration.
쉰 번째 생일 파티를 준비하고 있어요.
I'm preparing for my fiftieth birthday party.
Cultural Context
Native Korean numbers like '쉰' are primarily used for counting items up to 99, and most notably for expressing age. When Koreans talk about someone's age, especially in a personal or casual context, they almost always use native Korean numbers. For example, '쉰 살' (fifty years old) is common. Using the Sino-Korean '오십 세' (osip se) for age sounds very formal, almost like a written document or a historical record.
Editorial note
We review entries like 쉰 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
쉰 살이에요.
I am fifty years old. (Polite)
쉰이 넘었어요.
I'm over fifty.
쉰 번.
Fifty times.
Related Expressions
오십
osip
Fifty (Sino-Korean)
마흔
maheun
Forty (Native Korean)
예순
yesun
Sixty (Native Korean)
쉰 살
swin sal
Fifty years old
More Numbers and Time Words
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