Tools · Numbers
Korean Numbers 1-100: Sino and Native Korean
Korean has two sets of numbers. Here they are side by side from 1 to 100, and below that, which set to use in each situation.
Korean numbers 1 to 10
11 to 20
Ten, then the one: 십일 (sibil) is ten-one, and 열하나 (yeolhana) is the native way to say it.
| Number | Sino-Korean | Native Korean |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | 십일sibil | 열하나yeolhana |
| 12 | 십이sibi | 열둘yeoldul |
| 13 | 십삼sipsam | 열셋yeolset |
| 14 | 십사sipsa | 열넷yeollet |
| 15 | 십오sibo | 열다섯yeoldaseot |
| 16 | 십육simnyuk | 열여섯yeollyeoseot |
| 17 | 십칠sipchil | 열일곱yeorilgop |
| 18 | 십팔sippal | 열여덟yeoryeodeol |
| 19 | 십구sipgu | 열아홉yeorahop |
| 20 | 이십isip | 스물seumul |
The tens, up to 100
Any number up to 99 is the ten plus the one: 34 is 삼십사 (samsipsa) in Sino-Korean and 서른넷 (seoreunnet) in native Korean. Native numbers stop at 99, so 100 is only 백 (baek).
| Number | Sino-Korean | Native Korean |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 십sip | 열yeol |
| 20 | 이십isip | 스물seumul |
| 30 | 삼십samsip | 서른seoreun |
| 40 | 사십sasip | 마흔maheun |
| 50 | 오십osip | 쉰swin |
| 60 | 육십yuksip | 예순yesun |
| 70 | 칠십chilsip | 일흔ilheun |
| 80 | 팔십palsip | 여든yeodeun |
| 90 | 구십gusip | 아흔aheun |
| 100 | 백baek | not used |
Why Korean has two number systems
Sino-Korean numbers came into Korean from Chinese, along with the characters they're written with: 일 (il) is 一, 이 (i) is 二, 삼 (sam) is 三. Native Korean numbers are Korean's own words. Both stayed, and each settled into its own jobs: Sino-Korean for dates, money, minutes, phone numbers and measurements, and native Korean for counting things and people, your age and the hour.
Native numbers change before a counter
Five native numbers get shorter when a counter follows them. Nobody says 하나 개; it's 한 개 (han gae), "one thing".
- 하나 → 한 han
- 둘 → 두 du
- 셋 → 세 se
- 넷 → 네 ne
- 스물 → 스무 seumu
Only a bare twenty changes: 스무 살 (seumu sal) is "twenty years old", but twenty-one is 스물한 살 (seumulhan sal). The counters page lets you try any number with any counter.
Native vs Sino-Korean numbers: when to use which
Sino-Korean
Counting Money
- 천 원cheon won · 1,000 won
- 만 원man won · 10,000 won
- 삼만 오천 원samman ocheon won · 35,000 won
Use Sino-Korean for all currency.
Native Korean
Age
- 한 살han sal · 1 year old
- 스무 살seumu sal · 20 years old
- 서른 살seoreun sal · 30 years old
Native is used for counting age. (Sino is sometimes used for very formal/official age).
Work out your Korean ageSino-Korean
Phone Numbers
- 공일공gong-il-gong · 010
- 일이삼사il-i-sam-sa · 1234
Read each digit individually using Sino-Korean numbers.
Native Korean
Direct Counting (1-99)
- 하나hana · 1
- 둘dul · 2
- 셋set · 3
Used when just counting items or objects (generically).
Sino-Korean
Minutes & Seconds
- 삼십 분samsip bun · 30 mins
- 오십 초osip cho · 50 seconds
Minutes and Seconds use Sino. Hours use Native.
Native Korean
Hours
- 한 시han si · 1 o'clock
- 두 시간du sigan · 2 hours duration
Hours are the exception in time telling. They use Native numbers.
Sino-Korean
Dates (Year/Month/Day)
- 이천이십육년icheon isimnyungnyeon · 2026
- 이월iwol · February
- 칠일chiril · 7th
All calendar dates use Sino-Korean numbers.
Sino-Korean
Floors
- 일 층il cheung · 1st Floor
- 십 층sip cheung · 10th Floor
Sino-Korean
Temperature
- 삼십 도samsip do · 30 degrees
- 영하 십 도yeongha sip do · Minus 10 degrees