만큼 (mankeum) means "as much as".
Indicates a similar degree or extent.
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- Attaches straight to the noun, after a consonant or a vowel.
Build it
When to use it
Equal degree
Two things match.
Not as … as
In a negative sentence.
With a verb
Verb modifier + 만큼 mankeum, with a space.
Watch out
After a noun, no space.
After a verb, a space: here 만큼 mankeum works as a noun meaning "amount".
In context
8 examples- 1
나만큼 한국말 잘해요?
Namankeum hangungmal jalhaeyo?
Do you speak Korean as well as me?
- 2
어제만큼 추워요.
Eojemankeum chuwoyo.
It is as cold as yesterday.
- 3
형만큼 키가 크지 않아요.
Hyeongmankeum kiga keuji anayo.
I'm not as tall as my older brother.
- 4
이 가방은 저 가방만큼 비싸요.
I gabangeun jeo gabangmankeum bissayo.
This bag is as expensive as that one.
- 5
서울은 생각만큼 복잡하지 않았어요.
Seoureun saenggangmankeum bokjapaji anasseoyo.
Seoul wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be.
- 6
먹을 만큼만 가져가세요.
Meogeul mankeumman gajyeogaseyo.
Only take as much as you'll eat.
- 7
노력한 만큼 결과가 나와요.
Noryeokan mankeum gyeolgwaga nawayo.
You get out what you put in.
- 8
부모님만큼 나를 아끼는 사람은 없어요.
Bumonimmankeum nareul akkineun sarameun eopseoyo.
Nobody cares about me as much as my parents do.
Practice
8 questions동생이 나 만큼 키가 커요.
Dongsaengi na mankeum kiga keoyo.
My younger sibling is as tall as me.
만큼 vs 처럼: how much vs how
These two both get translated as "like" or "as", but they answer different questions. 만큼 mankeum is about degree, how much. 처럼 cheoreom is about manner, the way something is done.
- 가수처럼 노래해요. gasucheoreom noraehaeyo "She sings like a singer." Her style is like a singer's.
- 가수만큼 노래를 잘해요. gasumankeum noraereul jalhaeyo "She sings as well as a singer." Her level is the same as a singer's.
If you can swap in "as much as" or "as well as" in English, you want 만큼.
만큼 vs 보다: equal vs more
보다 boda says one side wins. 만큼 says it's a tie.
- 오늘이 어제보다 추워요. oneuri eojeboda chuwoyo "Today is colder than yesterday."
- 오늘이 어제만큼 추워요. oneuri eojemankeum chuwoyo "Today is as cold as yesterday."
A more formal use: "since"
In writing and speeches, a verb or adjective + 는/(으)ㄴ 만큼 can mean "since" or "given that":
- 중요한 일인 만큼 신경 써야 해요. jungyohan irin mankeum singyeong sseoya haeyo "Since it's an important job, we need to be careful."
You won't need this one in everyday conversation, but you'll see it in news and formal writing.
Hanja in this lesson
Words from the examples that are written with Chinese characters. Tap a character to see its page.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 만큼 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
