Korean numerals

The Korean language has two regularly used sets of numerals, a Sino-Korean system and a native Korean system.

Construction

For both native and Sino-Korean numerals, the teens (11 through 19) are represented by a combination of tens and the ones places. For instance, 15 would be "sib-o" (십오), but not usually "il-sib-o" in the Sino-Korean system, and "yeol-daseot" (열다섯) in native Korean. Twenty through ninety are likewise represented in this place-holding manner in the Sino-Korean system, while Native Korean has its own unique set of words, as can be seen in the chart below. The grouping of large numbers in Korean follow the Chinese tradition of myriads (10000) rather than thousands (1000). The Sino-Korean system is nearly entirely based on the Chinese numerals.

The distinction between the two numeral systems is very important. Everything that can be counted will use one of the two systems, but seldom both. Sino-Korean words are sometimes used to mark ordinal usage: "yeol beon" (열 번) means "ten times" while "sip beon" (십(十) 번(番)) means "number ten."

When denoting the age of a person, one will usually use "sal" (살) for the native Korean numerals, and "se" (세) for Sino-Korean. For example, "seu-mul da-seot sal" (스물다섯 살) and "i-sib-o se" (이십오 세) both mean 'twenty-five-year-old'. See also East Asian age reckoning.

The Sino-Korean numerals are used to denote the minute of time. For example, "sam-sib-o bun" (삼십오 분) means "__:35" or "thirty-five minutes."The native Korean numerals are used for the hours in the 12-hour system and for the hours 0:00 to 12:00 in the 24-hour system. The hours 13:00 to 24:00 in the 24-hour system are only denoted using the Sino-Korean numerals. For example, "se si" (세 시) means '03:00' or '3:00 a.m./p.m.' and "sip-chil si" (십칠 시) means '17:00'.

For counting above 100, Sino-Korean words are used, sometimes in combination: 101 can be "baek-hana" or "baeg-il".

Some of the native numbers take a different form in front of measure words:

Notes

*fnb|1 These names are considered archaic, and are not used.
*fnb|2 The numbers higher than 10²⁰ ("hae") are not usually used and are considered to be only conceptual by many people.
*fnb|3 The names for these numbers are from Buddhist texts; they are not usually used and are considered to be only conceptual by many people. Dictionaries sometimes disagree on which numbers the names represent.

ee also

*Korean language
*Korean count words
*List of Korea-related topics