List of counter words in Korean (e.g. 명, 개, 마리.. etc)
Feb 02, 2023
- Author: Niya (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Editor: Good Job Korean team
A counter word is something that you put with a number so that you can indicate the category of the object. There is also a similar concept in English.
A piece of cake
A cup of water
A loaf of beard.
However, the Korean language has a lot more counter words than English. Plus, the word order is also completely different.
Ex)
In English, you may use this order.
Number + Counter + Name of an object
One cup of water
But in Korean, you need to say the name of an object first.
Name of an object + Number + Counter
물 한 잔
*물: water *한(하나): one *잔: cup (counter)
Counter words using each Sino-Korean and Native Korean number system
-Counter words that uses Native Numbers:
개[gae]: Items, Units
책상 한 개를 샀어요.
I bought a table.
*책상: table *사다: to buy
마리[mari]: Animals
고양이 두 마리를 키워요.
I have two cats.
*고양이: cat *키우다: to raise, to have
명[myeong]: People / 사람[saram]: People
교실에 다섯 명이 있어요.
There are five people in the classroom.
*교실: classroom *있다: to exist
식당에 다섯 사람 정도 있어요.
There are about five people in the restaurant.
*식다: restaurant *정도: about, around
분[bun]: Formal speech of people
선생님 두 분이 같이 수업을 할 거예요.
Two teachers will teach a class together.
*선생님: teacher *같이: together *수업을 하다: to teach a class
살[sal]: Age
저는 서른 살이에요.
I am thirty years old.
켤레[kyeolle]: Pair of Shoes/Socks
현관에 신발이 세 켤레 있었어요.
There are three pairs of shoes at the entrance.
*현관: entrance *신발: shoes
벌[beol]: Clothes
어제 친구하고 옷 한 벌 샀어요.
Yesterday I bought a set of clothes with my friend.
*어제: yesterday *친구: friend
채[chae]: Buildings
요즘 집 한 채가 너무 비싸요.
A house is too expensive these days.
*요즘: these days *집: house *너무: too *비싸다: to be expensive
대[dae]: Machines
친구가 차 한 대를 샀어요.
My friend bought a car.
*차: car
상자[sangja]: Boxes
이 도넛 네 상자 주세요.
Please give me four boxes of this donut.
*이: this *도넛: donut *주세요: please give
쌍[ssang]: Couples people and animals
참새 한 쌍이 노래를 하고 있어요.
A pair of sparrows are singing.
*참새: sparrow *노래(를) 하다: to sing
송이[song i]: Flowers
여자친구한테 꽃 한 송이를 선물했어요.
I gave a flower to my girlfriend.
*여자친구: girlfriend *꽃: flower *선물하다: to give as a present
그루[geuru]: Trees
저 산에는 나무가 천 그루 있어요.
There are a thousand trees in that mountain.
*저: that *산: mountain *나무: tree
조각[jogak]: Slices
왜 피자 한 조각이 없어요?
Why isn’t there a slice of pizza?
*왜: why *피자: pizza *없다: to not exist
시간[sigan]: Hours [duration]
다섯 시간 후에 전화해 주세요.
Please call me five hours later.
*시간: hour *후: later *-해 주세요: please do something
달[dal]: Month [duration]
열 달 전에 대학교에서 졸업했어요.
I graduated from university 10 months ago.
*전: before *대학교: university *졸업하다: to graduate
잔[jan]: Cup
오늘 친구하고 소주 한 잔 마실 거예요.
I’m going to drink soju with my friend today.
*오늘: today *소주: soju(Korean alcohol
-Counter words that uses Sino Numbers:
Age
세[se]: Formal speech of Age
저희 할아버지는 올해에 팔십 세가 되셨어요.
My grandfather turned eighty this year.
*저희: our(polite speech) *할아버지: grandfather *올해: this year
*되시다: to become(‘시’suffix)
Weight [kilograms, pounds, etc.]
킬로그램: Kilogram
저는 다이어트로 십 킬로그램을 뺐어요.
I lost ten kilograms on a diet.
*저: I(polite speech) *다이어트: diet *빼다: to subtract, to loose
파운드: Pound
고기 일 파운드에 얼마예요?
How much is a pound of meat?
*고기: meat *얼마: how much
Distance [kilometers, meters, etc.]
킬로미터: Kilometers
저는 매일 삼 킬로미터를 달려요.
I run three kilometers every day.
*매일: every day *달리다: to run
미터: Meters
저희 오빠는 키가 이 미터예요.
My older brother is two meters tall.
*오빠: older brother(for female) *키: height
Time [year, month, day, etc.]
일[il]: Days
월[woal]: Month[e.g January -1월]
십이 월 이십 일은 제 생일이에요.
My birthday is December 20th.
*제: my(polite speech) *생일: birthday
개 월[gae woal]: Month [duration]
이 프로젝트는 5 개월 정도 걸릴 거예요.
This project will take about five months.
*프로젝트: project *정도: about *걸리다: to take(time)
분[bun]: Minutes
내일 세 시 삼십 분에 만나요.
Let’s meet at 3:30 tomorrow.
*내일: tomorrow *만나다: to meet
십오 분 후에 버스가 올 거예요.
The bus will come in 15 minutes.
*버스: bus *오다: to come
초[cho]: Seconds
김밥을 삼십 초만 데워주세요.
Please heat the kimbap for 30 seconds.
*김밥: kimbap *데우다: to heat
Currency[won, dollar, etc.]
원: won (Korean currency)
이 가방은 만오천 원입니다.
This bag is 15,000 won.
가방: bag
달러: dollar (U.S. currency)
일 달러는 약 천이백 원이에요.
1 dollar is about 1,200 won.
*약: about
Plus
층[Cheung]: Floors of building
저는 아파트 칠 층에서 살아요.
I live on the seventh floor of the apartment.
*아파트: apartment *살다: to live
년[nyeon]: Year
2023년에는 미국에 놀러 가고 싶어요.
I want to go on a trip to America in 2023.
*미국: America, U.S.A. *놀러 가다: go on a trip
학년[haknyeon]: Grade [1st grade, etc.]
저는 이 학년 학생이에요.
I am second grade student.
*학생: student
- Author: Niya (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Editor: Good Job Korean team
