Tools & Guides
Korean Numbers Guide
Sino-Korean or Native Korean? Use this guide to know exactly which system to use in every situation.
Sino-Korean
Counting Money
💡 Use Sino-Korean for all currency.
천 원 (1,000 won)
만 원 (10,000 won)
삼만 오천 원 (35,000 won)
Native Korean
Age
💡 Native is used for counting age. (Sino is sometimes used for very formal/official age).
한 살 (1 year old)
스무 살 (20 years old)
서른 살 (30 years old)
Sino-Korean
Phone Numbers
💡 Read each digit individually using Sino-Korean numbers.
010 (공일공)
1234 (일이삼사)
Native Korean
Direct Counting (1-99)
💡 Used when just counting items or objects (generically).
하나 (1)
둘 (2)
셋 (3)
Sino-Korean
Minutes & Seconds
💡 Minutes and Seconds use Sino. Hours use Native.
삼십 분 (30 mins)
오십 초 (50 seconds)
Native Korean
Hours
💡 Hours are the exception in time telling. They use Native numbers.
한 시 (1 o'clock)
두 시간 (2 hours duration)
Sino-Korean
Dates (Year/Month/Day)
💡 All calendar dates use Sino-Korean numbers.
이천이십육년 (2026)
이월 (February)
칠일 (7th)
Sino-Korean
Floors
일 층 (1st Floor)
십 층 (10th Floor)
Sino-Korean
Temperature
삼십 도 (30 degrees)
영하 십 도 (Minus 10 degrees)