Korean Numbers: 하나 vs 일, Native vs Sino-Korean Made Easy

Two number systems sounds scary, but each one has its own jobs, and those jobs rarely overlap. Once you know which job you are doing, the right number follows. Tap any number in the examples below to see what it is.

1. One to ten in both systems

Here are the first ten numbers. The last column shows the short form native numbers take right before a counter word. Only the first four (and 20) change.

Zero is 영 in math and 공 when reading out phone numbers.

2. Tens and bigger numbers

Sino-Korean numbers are built like a calculator: 이십 is “two ten” (20), and 이십오 is “two ten five” (25). Native numbers have their own word for each ten, and you add the ones after it: 스물다섯 (25).

Native numbers stop at 99. For anything bigger, Korean switches to Sino-Korean. Also notice that you say 백, 천 and 만 on their own, not “one hundred” with an 일 in front.

3. Counting things: number + counter

In English you can say “three apples.” Korean usually adds a counter, a small word for the kind of thing you are counting. The order is: thing, number, counter. Most counters take native numbers, in their short form.

Here are the counters you will use most. Tap Save to add any of them to your flashcards.

1. 개gaeSave

   things, items (general)

   Native numbers: 사과 한 개 (one apple). The safe choice when you forget the right counter.

2. 명myeongSave

   people

   Native numbers: 두 명 (two people). For respect, use 분: 세 분 (three people, polite).

3. 살salSave

   years of age

   Native numbers: 스무 살 (20 years old).

4. 시siSave

   o'clock (hour)

   Native numbers: 한 시 (1:00), 열두 시 (12:00).

5. 분bunSave

   minutes

   Sino-Korean numbers: 십 분 (ten minutes).

6. 원wonSave

   won (Korean money)

   Sino-Korean numbers: 천 원 (1,000 won).

7. 잔janSave

   cups, glasses (drinks)

   Native numbers: 커피 두 잔 (two coffees).

8. 권gwonSave

   books, volumes

   Native numbers: 책 세 권 (three books).

9. 층cheungSave

   floor (of a building)

   Sino-Korean numbers: 오 층 (5th floor).

4. Saying your age

Age uses native numbers and the counter 살. Watch for 20: 스물 becomes 스무 before 살, but 스물한 살 (21) keeps its full form.

On forms and in the news you may see the Sino-Korean 세 instead: 오십 세 (50 years old). In conversation, stick with 살.

5. Telling time: a mix of both

This is where the two systems meet. Hours are native, minutes are Sino-Korean. For half past, you can say 반 (half).

6. Money, dates and floors: Sino-Korean

Prices use Sino-Korean numbers with 원. The big unit to know is 만 (10,000). Korean groups big numbers by ten-thousands, not thousands, so 50,000 won is 오만 원 (“five ten-thousands”) and 100,000 won is 십만 원.

Dates are Sino-Korean too: the month is the number plus 월, the day is the number plus 일. Two months are a little irregular: June is 유월 and October is 시월.

Phone numbers are read digit by digit in Sino-Korean, with 공 for zero: 010-1234-5678 is 공일공, 일이삼사, 오육칠팔.

Quick cheat sheet

• Native (하나, 둘, 셋): counting things and people, age, hours, cups and glasses, how many times.
• Sino-Korean (일, 이, 삼): money, dates, minutes, phone numbers, floors, numbers over 99.
• Before a counter, use the short native forms: 한, 두, 세, 네, 스무.
• Big money: think in 만 (10,000).

Try it on a sentence you saw today

Paste a line from a song, a drama or a text message. Hanbok marks every particle and explains each word.

Break it down

Hear it in songs

Numbers pop up in K-pop all the time, from 하나, 둘, 셋 count-ins to lines about being 스무 살. Open a song in Hanbok Lyrics and tap a line to see each number explained. To keep building, read Korean sentence structure and the present tense with 아요/어요.