Korean numbers: the two systems and when to use each
Korean uses two sets of numbers. Sino-Korean numbers (il, i, sam …) come from Chinese and count money, dates, minutes and phone numbers. Native Korean numbers (hana, dul, set …) count things, people, hours and age. You cannot pick one and ignore the other — 3:30 uses both in the same phrase.
This page gives both systems with romanization, the counters that decide which system to use, and worked examples for the situations you meet first: telling the time, paying, saying your age and reading a phone number.
Two systems, one rule
The counter word after the number decides the system. Memorize the counter with its system and the choice becomes automatic. Above 99, everyone switches to Sino-Korean.
Sino-Korean numbers
Money, dates, months, years, minutes and seconds, phone numbers, floors, bus and room numbers, and all mathematics. Build bigger numbers by stacking: 2026 is 이천이십육 (two-thousand two-ten six). Note that Korean groups by 10,000 (만), not by 1,000.
| Number | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 영 / 공 | yeong / gong |
| 1 | 일 | il |
| 2 | 이 | i |
| 3 | 삼 | sam |
| 4 | 사 | sa |
| 5 | 오 | o |
| 6 | 육 | yuk |
| 7 | 칠 | chil |
| 8 | 팔 | pal |
| 9 | 구 | gu |
| 10 | 십 | sip |
| 11 | 십일 | sibil |
| 20 | 이십 | isip |
| 100 | 백 | baek |
| 1,000 | 천 | cheon |
| 10,000 | 만 | man |
| 100,000,000 | 억 | eok |
Native Korean numbers
Counting objects, people and animals, hours on the clock, age, and how many times. Native numbers only go up to 99; beyond that Sino-Korean takes over.
| Number | Korean | Romanization | Before a counter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 하나 | hana | 한 |
| 2 | 둘 | dul | 두 |
| 3 | 셋 | set | 세 |
| 4 | 넷 | net | 네 |
| 5 | 다섯 | daseot | |
| 6 | 여섯 | yeoseot | |
| 7 | 일곱 | ilgop | |
| 8 | 여덟 | yeodeol | |
| 9 | 아홉 | ahop | |
| 10 | 열 | yeol | |
| 11 | 열하나 | yeolhana | 열한 |
| 20 | 스물 | seumul | 스무 |
| 30 | 서른 | seoreun | |
| 40 | 마흔 | maheun | |
| 50 | 쉰 | swin | |
| 60 | 예순 | yesun | |
| 70 | 일흔 | ilheun | |
| 80 | 여든 | yeodeun | |
| 90 | 아흔 | aheun |
Five native numbers change shape in front of a counter: 하나 → 한, 둘 → 두, 셋 → 세, 넷 → 네, 스물 → 스무. So it is 한 개 (one item), never 하나 개.
Counters and which system they take
Korean does not say “three apples” but “apples three items”. The counter word is required, and it decides the number system.
| Counter | System | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 개gaeitems, thingsThe general counter when nothing more specific fits. | Native | 사과 세 개sagwa se gae |
| 명myeongpeople분 (bun) is the honorific version for guests and seniors. | Native | 학생 두 명haksaeng du myeong |
| 마리marianimalsFish, birds and insects included. | Native | 고양이 한 마리goyangi han mari |
| 살salyears of ageAsk 몇 살이에요? (how old are you?). Korea now uses international age officially. | Native | 스물다섯 살seumuldaseot sal |
| 시sio'clockHours take native numbers; minutes take Sino-Korean. | Native | 세 시se si |
| 잔jancups, glassesCoffee, tea, beer. | Native | 커피 두 잔keopi du jan |
| 분bunminutesAlso the honorific counter for people — context makes it clear. | Sino-Korean | 삼십 분samsip bun |
| 원wonwon (currency)Prices are read in Sino-Korean, grouped by 10,000: 만 원 is 10,000 won. | Sino-Korean | 만 원man won |
| 월wolmonthMonth number plus 월: 구월 is September. Two months are irregular — see below. | Sino-Korean | 구월guwol |
| 일ilday of the monthAlso the counter for how many days. | Sino-Korean | 십이 일sibi il |
| 층cheungfloorGround floor is 1층 in Korea. | Sino-Korean | 삼 층sam cheung |
| 번beonnumber (bus, exit, size)With Sino-Korean it labels things; with native numbers (한 번, 두 번) it means “times”. | Sino-Korean | 이 번 출구i beon chulgu |
Worked examples
- 세 시 삼십 분se si samsip bun3:30 — hours are native (세), minutes are Sino-Korean (삼십).
- 이천이십육 년 구 월 십이 일icheon-isimnyuk nyeon gu wol sibi il12 September 2026 — years, months and days are all Sino-Korean.
- 스물다섯 살이에요seumuldaseot sarieyoI am 25 years old — age takes native numbers and the counter 살.
- 만 오천 원이에요man ocheon wonieyoIt is 15,000 won — read as one 만 plus five 천.
- 공일공-일이삼사-오육칠팔gong-il-gong il-i-sam-sa o-yuk-chil-pal010-1234-5678 — read digit by digit; 0 is 공 in phone numbers.
- 삼 층에 있어요sam cheunge isseoyoIt is on the 3rd floor — floors are Sino-Korean.
- 커피 두 잔 주세요keopi du jan juseyoTwo coffees, please — cups take native numbers.
Irregular months
- June is 유월 (yuwol), not 육월 — the final consonant drops.
- October is 시월 (siwol), not 십월.
- All other months are simply the Sino-Korean number plus 월.
6월 → 유월 · 10월 → 시월
Korean numbers FAQ
- Why does Korean have two number systems?
- Native Korean numbers are the original counting words; Sino-Korean numbers were borrowed from Chinese along with the writing system and took over money, dates and mathematics. Both survived with different jobs.
- Which system should I learn first?
- Sino-Korean, because it covers prices, dates and phone numbers and goes to any size. Then learn native 1–10 for counting things and telling the hour.
- How do I say my age in Korean?
- Native number plus 살: 스물다섯 살 for 25. Since 2023 Korea officially uses international age, so give the age you use at home.
- Is 4 unlucky in Korea?
- Sino-Korean 사 (4) sounds like the word for death, so some buildings label the fourth floor F instead of 4. It does not change how you count.
- How do Koreans read large numbers?
- In groups of 10,000. 100,000 is 십만 (ten ten-thousands), and 1,000,000 is 백만 (a hundred ten-thousands).
Practice with native audio and quizzes on WeBring Korean — free.
Romanization follows the official Revised Romanization of Korean. Content reviewed on 2026-09-12.