Korean has two full counting systems β sino-Korean (Chinese-origin) and native Korean β and learners constantly mix them up. This overview gives you the one rule that decides which to use, plus a side-by-side table.
Korean TokTok
Korean sino numbers β the system borrowed from Chinese β are used for dates, money, phone numbers, and anything above 99. This guide walks 1-100 with Hangul, romanization, and the combination rules that let you form every number in between.
Korean TokTok
Korean native numbers β also called "pure Korean" numbers β are used for counting people, objects, ages, and hours. This guide covers 1-100 with the special forms that change shape before counters, so you sound natural when counting.
Korean TokTok
If you're just starting Korean, these 30 example words unlock daily life β greetings, family, food, transportation, time. Each is given in Hangul with romanization, English meaning, and a short usage note.
Korean TokTok
K-dramas recycle a core vocabulary of emotional and relational words β love, wait, feelings, promise, believe. This list covers the 20 Korean words you'll hear in almost every series, with examples of how they appear in dialogue.
Korean has two complete number systems that run in parallel: sino-Korean (νμμ΄ μ«μ), borrowed from Classical Chinese, and native Korean (μμ°λ¦¬λ§ μ«μ). Every Korean learner has to use both. The good news: there's one simple rule β sino for "abstract" quantities (money, dates, phone numbers, anything above 99), native for "things you can point at" (people, objects, age, hours).
| Number | Sino | Native |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | μΌ (il) | νλ (hana) |
| 2 | μ΄ (i) | λ (dul) |
| 3 | μΌ (sam) | μ (set) |
| 4 | μ¬ (sa) | λ· (net) |
| 5 | μ€ (o) | λ€μ― (daseot) |
| 6 | μ‘ (yuk) | μ¬μ― (yeoseot) |
| 7 | μΉ (chil) | μΌκ³± (ilgop) |
| 8 | ν (pal) | μ¬λ (yeodeol) |
| 9 | ꡬ (gu) | μν (ahop) |
| 10 | μ (sip) | μ΄ (yeol) |
Ask yourself: am I counting something I could physically point at?
"Three apples" is point-at-able β native (μ¬κ³Ό μΈ κ°). "March 3rd" is a date, not a pile of things β sino (μΌμ μΌμΌ).
Always sino:
Always native:
Time is the signature "mixed" case every beginner trips on:
So "3:15" is μΈ μ μμ€ λΆ (se si sipo bun). That single phrase uses both systems. If you can say this correctly, you've internalized the two-system split.
Translate into Korean:
