Korean NumbersSino & Native — a free 1–100 list with romanization
Korean has two number systems. Sino-Korean (일, 이, 삼…) is used for dates, money, minutes and phone numbers; Native Korean (하나, 둘, 셋…) is used for counting things, age and the hour. Start with the converter below — type any number and it gives you the Korean reading with romanization — then work through the free 1–100 lists, the counters and the time rule that trip up most beginners. Written by a certified Korean teacher (한국어교원 2급).
1. Korean number converter — type any number
Pick a mode, type a number, and get the Korean reading with romanization. Counting, dates, time, age and prices each follow different rules.
2. Korean numbers 1–20 side by side
Both systems in one table — this is the range you will use every day.
| # | Sino-Korean (한자어) | Native Korean (고유어) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 일 il | 하나 hana |
| 2 | 이 i | 둘 dul |
| 3 | 삼 sam | 셋 set |
| 4 | 사 sa | 넷 net |
| 5 | 오 o | 다섯 daseot |
| 6 | 육 yuk | 여섯 yeoseot |
| 7 | 칠 chil | 일곱 ilgop |
| 8 | 팔 pal | 여덟 yeodeol |
| 9 | 구 gu | 아홉 ahop |
| 10 | 십 sip | 열 yeol |
| 11 | 십일 sip-il | 열하나 yeol-hana |
| 12 | 십이 sip-i | 열둘 yeol-dul |
| 13 | 십삼 sip-sam | 열셋 yeol-set |
| 14 | 십사 sip-sa | 열넷 yeol-net |
| 15 | 십오 sip-o | 열다섯 yeol-daseot |
| 16 | 십육 sip-yuk | 열여섯 yeol-yeoseot |
| 17 | 십칠 sip-chil | 열일곱 yeol-ilgop |
| 18 | 십팔 sip-pal | 열여덟 yeol-yeodeol |
| 19 | 십구 sip-gu | 열아홉 yeol-ahop |
| 20 | 이십 i-sip | 스물 seumul |
3. Sino-Korean numbers (한자어 수)
Dates · money · minutes · phone numbers · counting above 99.
| # | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 영 / 공 | yeong / gong |
| 1 | 일 | il |
| 2 | 이 | i |
| 3 | 삼 | sam |
| 4 | 사 | sa |
| 5 | 오 | o |
| 6 | 육 | yuk |
| 7 | 칠 | chil |
| 8 | 팔 | pal |
| 9 | 구 | gu |
| 10 | 십 | sip |
| 100 | 백 | baek |
| 1,000 | 천 | cheon |
| 10,000 | 만 | man |
| 100,000,000 | 억 | eok |
| 1,000,000,000,000 | 조 | jo |
Build bigger numbers by stacking: 23 = 이십삼 (i-sip-sam), 100 = 백 (baek), 1,000 = 천 (cheon), 10,000 = 만 (man).
4. Native Korean numbers (고유어 수)
Counting things · age · the hour. Tops out at 99 — above that, use Sino.
| 1 | 하나 | hana |
| 2 | 둘 | dul |
| 3 | 셋 | set |
| 4 | 넷 | net |
| 5 | 다섯 | daseot |
| 6 | 여섯 | yeoseot |
| 7 | 일곱 | ilgop |
| 8 | 여덟 | yeodeol |
| 9 | 아홉 | ahop |
| 10 | 열 | yeol |
| 20 | 스물 | seumul |
| 30 | 서른 | seoreun |
| 40 | 마흔 | maheun |
| 50 | 쉰 | swin |
| 60 | 예순 | yesun |
| 70 | 일흔 | ilheun |
| 80 | 여든 | yeodeun |
| 90 | 아흔 | aheun |
⚠️ Before a counter, five numbers change shape
하나 → 한 · 둘 → 두 · 셋 → 세 · 넷 → 네 · 스물 → 스무
e.g. 한 개 (one item), 두 시 (two o’clock), 세 명 (three people), 스무 살 (twenty years old).
5. Common counters (단위 명사)
Korean counts with a counter word, like "two cups of coffee". Each counter takes either native or Sino numbers.
| Counter | Rom. | Used for | Number type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 개 | gae | general items / things | Native |
| 명 | myeong | people (plain) | Native |
| 분 | bun | people (honorific) | Native |
| 마리 | mari | animals | Native |
| 살 | sal | years of age | Native |
| 시 | si | o'clock (hour) | Native |
| 시간 | sigan | hours (duration) | Native |
| 번 | beon | times (occurrences) | Native |
| 권 | gwon | books | Native |
| 잔 | jan | cups / glasses | Native |
| 병 | byeong | bottles | Native |
| 대 | dae | vehicles / machines | Native |
| 분 | bun | minutes | Sino |
| 초 | cho | seconds | Sino |
| 원 | won | won (money) | Sino |
| 월 | wol | month (of year) | Sino |
| 일 | il | day (of month) | Sino |
| 번 | beon | number / route (bus, phone) | Sino |
| 층 | cheung | floor | Sino |
| 인분 | inbun | servings (portions of food) | Sino |
| 학년 | hangnyeon | school year / grade | Sino |
6. Telling the time — the mixed rule
The hour uses native numbers + 시 (si); the minute uses Sino numbers + 분 (bun). So 3:30 is 세 시 삼십 분 (se si samsip bun). Practise this mix early — it is the most common beginner slip.
FAQ
- Does Korean have two number systems?
- Yes. Sino-Korean (일, 이, 삼…) is used for dates, money, minutes, phone numbers and counting above 99. Native Korean (하나, 둘, 셋…) is used for counting things, age and the hour. Both appear in the tables above.
- How do you count from 1 to 10 in Korean?
- Native: 하나, 둘, 셋, 넷, 다섯, 여섯, 일곱, 여덟, 아홉, 열 (hana, dul, set, net, daseot, yeoseot, ilgop, yeodeol, ahop, yeol). Sino: 일, 이, 삼, 사, 오, 육, 칠, 팔, 구, 십 (il, i, sam, sa, o, yuk, chil, pal, gu, sip).
- How do you tell the time in Korean?
- The hour uses native numbers + 시 and the minute uses Sino numbers + 분 — e.g. 3:30 = 세 시 삼십 분 (se si samsip bun). This mix is the single most common beginner mistake, so practise it early.
- Is 20 스물 or 이십 in Korean?
- Both — it depends on what you are counting. Use 스물 (seumul) for things, people and age; 20 years old is 스무 살, because 스물 shortens to 스무 before a counter. Use 이십 (i-sip) for dates, money, floors and phone numbers.
- Which Korean number system should I use?
- Rule of thumb: if you could count it on your fingers — things, people, age, hours — use native numbers. If you are reading a number off something — a date, a price, minutes, a phone number — use Sino-Korean. The counter always decides, so learn each counter together with its system.
- How do you say prices in Korean?
- Prices use Sino-Korean numbers plus 원 (won), so 15,000 won is 만 오천 원 (man o-cheon won). Note that Korean says 만 for 10,000, never 일만 — the leading 일 is dropped.
- Is this Korean numbers guide free?
- Yes — free with no sign-up, written by a certified Korean teacher (한국어교원 2급). Open the linked lessons to practise numbers in real sentences.
Written by Alvin Lim Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2)