Day 10: Counting with Sino-Korean Numbers – Learn Numbers for Dates, Money, and More

Welcome to Day 10 of your Korean language journey! Today, we’re going to learn how to count using Sino-Korean numbers.

While you’ve already learned native Korean numbers (for counting people, things, and ages), Sino-Korean numbers are used in a variety of other contexts. These include counting money, telling time, and expressing dates. Understanding both systems is essential for mastering the Korean language, as each number system is used in different situations.

What Are Sino-Korean Numbers? (한자 숫자란 무엇인가요?)

Sino-Korean numbers are numbers that are derived from Chinese characters (한자, Hanja) and are used in Korean for a variety of practical purposes. They are more commonly used for things like:

Counting money

Dates

Times

Telephone numbers

Street addresses

Mathematical terms

Unlike native Korean numbers, which are used for everyday counting, Sino-Korean numbers are used in formal and academic contexts, as well as in some common situations like telling time and talking about dates.

Sino-Korean Numbers (한자 숫자) from 1 to 10

Here are the Sino-Korean numbers for 1 to 10:

일 (il) – 1

이 (i) – 2

삼 (sam) – 3

사 (sa) – 4

오 (o) – 5

육 (yuk) – 6

칠 (chil) – 7

팔 (pal) – 8

구 (gu) – 9

십 (sip) – 10

These numbers are based on the Chinese characters for the numbers, and you will encounter them frequently when dealing with dates, money, and other formal situations.

How to Use Sino-Korean Numbers

Unlike native Korean numbers, which are used for counting things and people, Sino-Korean numbers are used for:

Counting money:

만원 (man-won) – 10,000 won

천원 (cheon-won) – 1,000 won

백원 (baek-won) – 100 won

Expressing time:

시 (si) – hour

분 (bun) – minute

For example: 3시 30분 (sam-si sam-sip-bun) – 3:30 (3 o’clock and 30 minutes).

Expressing dates:

일 (il) – day

월 (wol) – month

년 (nyeon) – year

For example: 2023년 5월 10일 (i-cheon-i-sam-nyeon o-wol sip-il) – May 10, 2023.

Using Sino-Korean Numbers in Real-Life Situations

Here are some examples of how to use Sino-Korean numbers in real-life situations:

1. Counting money:

10,000 won = 일만원 (il-man-won)

1,000 won = 천원 (cheon-won)

Example sentence:

이거는 1,000원이에요. (Igeoneun cheon-won-ieyo.) – This is 1,000 won.

2. Telling the time:

7 o'clock = 7시 (chil-si)

5 minutes = 5분 (o-bun)

Example sentence:

지금 7시 15분이에요. (Jigeum chil-si sip-o-bun-ieyo.) – It’s 7:15 right now.

3. Talking about dates:

May 10, 2023 = 2023년 5월 10일 (i-cheon-i-sam-nyeon o-wol sip-il)

Example sentence:

오늘은 2023년 5월 10일이에요. (Oneureun i-cheon-i-sam-nyeon o-wol sip-il-ieyo.) – Today is May 10, 2023.

Practice: Using Sino-Korean Numbers

Let’s practice using Sino-Korean numbers in some basic sentences:

5시 30분 – 5:30
Pronunciation: o-si sam-sip-bun
Example: 5시 30분에 만나요. (O-si sam-sip-bune mannayo.) – Let’s meet at 5:30.

10,000원 – 10,000 won
Pronunciation: il-man-won
Example: 이 옷은 10,000원이네요. (I oseun il-man-won-ieyo.) – This shirt is 10,000 won.

2023년 6월 1일 – June 1, 2023
Pronunciation: i-cheon-i-sam-nyeon yuk-wol il-il
Example: 2023년 6월 1일에 여행을 갈 거예요. (I-cheon-i-sam-nyeon yuk-wol il-il-e yeohaengeul gal geoyeyo.) – I will go on a trip on June 1, 2023.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Confusing Sino-Korean with Native Korean Numbers:

Remember, Sino-Korean numbers are used for things like money, dates, and time, while native Korean numbers are used for counting people, objects, and age.

Mispronouncing Sino-Korean Numbers:

육 (yuk) is pronounced differently from 육 (yook), and 칠 (chil) should not be confused with 칠 (chill). Practice these sounds until they feel natural.

Using Native Numbers for Things That Require Sino-Korean Numbers:

Don’t use native Korean numbers when talking about things like time, dates, or money. These require Sino-Korean numbers.

What’s Next? (다음은 무엇인가요?)

Tomorrow, in Day 11, we’ll dive into basic sentence structures and start making simple Korean sentences. You’ll learn how to introduce yourself in more detail and begin forming simple questions and answers.