Korean Dictionary
How to say "Seven" in Korean
“Seven” in Korean is 일곱 (pronounced "ilgop").
일곱
ilgop
Usage & Context
The native Korean number for seven, used in everyday counting. The Sino-Korean 칠 (chil) is used in formal contexts and with certain counters.
Example Sentence
별이 일곱 개 있어요.
There are seven stars.
How to use 일곱 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Seven” is 일곱, romanized as ilgop.
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 일곱.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'il-gop' — 'il' like 'eel' cut short and 'gop' rhymes with 'gope' but with the final 'p' unreleased (no puff of air). Say the two syllables smoothly.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
칠
chil
Sino-Korean number for 7, used for dates, phone numbers, money, and minutes.
Casual (반말)
일곱
ilgop
Native Korean number, used for counting objects, hours, and people; does not shorten before counters.
More Example Sentences
Confirming airport departure time
일곱 시 비행기예요.
It's the seven o'clock flight.
Explaining basic time to a child
일주일은 일곱 일이에요.
A week has seven days.
Sharing class results
반 친구 일곱 명이 시험에 합격했어요.
Seven classmates passed the exam.
Cultural Context
일곱 is used for counting people, things, and hours but keeps its full form before counters (일곱 개, 일곱 명). Seven has positive associations in Korea partly through Western influence (lucky number 7) and also through K-pop — groups like BTS famously have seven members, which fans call '일곱 명'. For minutes, dates, and money, always use Sino-Korean 칠.
Editorial note
We review entries like 일곱 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
일곱 시에 일어나요.
I wake up at seven.
일곱 살이에요.
I'm seven years old.
칠 월에 만나요.
Let's meet in July.
Related Expressions
일곱 개
ilgop gae
seven (items)
일곱 명
ilgop myeong
seven people
일곱째
ilgopjjae
the seventh (in order)
칠
chil
seven (Sino-Korean)
More Numbers and Time Words
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