Korean counters are words used with numbers to count people, objects, animals, and more. Unlike English, Korean requires different counters for different types of nouns. Learning the right counters will make your speech more natural and fluent. This guide covers the most common Korean counters and how to use them in daily conversation.
Contents
1. Definition
Korean classifiers, also known as counter words or measure words, are special words used when counting or quantifying objects in Korean. They are similar to the English words “piece,” “bottle,” or “sheet,” but are used much more extensively in Korean. In English, we might say “five apples,” but in Korean, you would say “사과 다섯 개” , where “개” is the classifier for general objects.
2. Form (Structure)
The basic structure for using Korean classifiers is:
Noun + Number + Classifier
Example:
- 사과 세 개 (Three apples)
- 학생 두 명 (Two students)
When using native Korean numbers with counters, some numbers change to shorter forms:
- 하나 becomes 한
- 둘 becomes 두
- 셋 becomes 세
- 넷 becomes 네
- 스물 becomes 스무
These changes occur only when the numbers are used directly before a counter.
For example:
- 한 개 – one item
- 두 마리 – two animals
- 세 잔 – three cups
- 네 권 – four books
- 스무 명 – twenty people
It’s important to note that these changes only apply to these specific numbers and only when used with counters.
Need to brush up on Native Korean numbers? Click below 👇👇👇 to learn the basics and beyond with practical examples.
Here’s a simple table to help you understand:
| Category | Counter | Example |
| General objects | 개 | 사과 세 개 (Three apples) |
| People | 명 / 분 (honorific) | 학생 두 명 (Two students) |
| Animals | 마리 | 강아지 네 마리 (Four puppies) |
| Books | 권 | 책 다섯 권 (Five books) |
| Bottles | 병 | 물 여섯 병 (Six bottles of water) |
| Cups / Glasses | 잔 | 커피 한 잔 (One cup of coffee) |
| Paper / Tickets | 장 | 영화표 두 장 (Two movie tickets) |
| Vehicles | 대 | 차 세 대 (Three cars) |
| Age | 살 / 세 (formal) | 열다섯 살 (15 years old) |
| Floors | 층 | 5층 (Fifth floor) |
| Clothes | 벌 | 옷 두 벌 (Two pieces of clothing) |
| Pairs (shoes, gloves) | 켤레 | 신발 한 켤레 (One pair of shoes) |
| Houses / Buildings | 채 | 집 한 채 (One house) |
| Slices | 조각 | 피자 세 조각 (Three slices of pizza) |
| Flowers | 송이 | 장미 열 송이 (Ten roses) |
| Trees | 그루 | 나무 다섯 그루 (Five trees) |
3. Meaning & Usage
Korean counters are essential when expressing quantities, and different counters are used depending on the type of object being counted. Here are examples showing how Korean counters are used in different contexts.
1. General Objects (개)
- 나는 사과 한 개를 먹었어요. (I ate one apple.)
- 가방에 공책 세 개가 있어요. (There are three notebooks in the bag.)
- 강아지가 장난감 두 개를 가지고 놀아요. (The puppy is playing with two toys.)
- 빵 네 개를 샀어요. (I bought four pieces of bread.)
- 테이블 위에 컵 다섯 개가 있어요. (There are five cups on the table.)
2. People (명 / 분)
- 우리 반에는 학생이 스무 명 있어요. (There are twenty students in our class.)
- 어제 손님 다섯 분이 오셨어요. (Five guests came yesterday.)
- 친구 두 명과 영화를 봤어요. (I watched a movie with two friends.)
- 회의에 직원 세 명이 참석했어요. (Three employees attended the meeting.)
- 가족이 네 명이에요. (There are four people in my family.)
📌 Note on usage: Use 명 for general counting of people. Use 분 as a more polite form, typically for adults or respected individuals. 분 is the honorific version of 명.
3. Animals (마리)
- 강아지 한 마리를 키우고 있어요. (I am raising one puppy.)
- 고양이 두 마리가 창문에서 바깥을 보고 있어요. (Two cats are looking outside from the window.)
- 소 세 마리가 들판에서 풀을 먹고 있어요. (Three cows are grazing in the field.)
- 물고기 네 마리가 어항 안에 있어요. (Four fish are in the fish tank.)
- 원숭이 다섯 마리가 나무 위에서 놀고 있어요. (Five monkeys are playing in the tree.)
4. Books (권)
- 나는 소설책 한 권을 읽었어요. (I read one novel.)
- 서점에서 만화책 두 권을 샀어요. (I bought two comic books at the bookstore.)
- 도서관에서 역사책 세 권을 빌렸어요. (I borrowed three history books from the library.)
- 책장에 책이 네 권 있어요. (There are four books on the bookshelf.)
- 친구에게 다섯 권의 책을 선물했어요. (I gave my friend five books as a gift.)
5. Vehicles (대)
- 우리 가족은 자동차 한 대가 있어요. (My family has one car.)
- 버스 두 대가 동시에 도착했어요. (Two buses arrived at the same time.)
- 길에 오토바이 세 대가 서 있어요. (Three motorcycles are parked on the street.)
- 트럭 네 대가 창고 앞에 주차되어 있어요. (Four trucks are parked in front of the warehouse.)
- 회사에서 새 자동차 다섯 대를 샀어요. (The company bought five new cars.)
6. Bottles (병)
- 물 한 병을 마셨어요. (I drank one bottle of water.)
- 맥주 두 병을 주문했어요. (I ordered two bottles of beer.)
- 식탁 위에 우유 세 병이 있어요. (There are three bottles of milk on the table.)
- 주스 네 병을 사 왔어요. (I bought four bottles of juice.)
- 친구에게 음료수 다섯 병을 줬어요. (I gave my friend five bottles of a drink.)
7. Cups / Glasses (잔)
- 아침에 커피 한 잔을 마셨어요. (I drank one cup of coffee in the morning.)
- 친구랑 차 두 잔을 마셨어요. (I drank two cups of tea with a friend.)
- 물 세 잔 주세요. (Please give me three glasses of water.)
- 식당에서 와인 네 잔을 마셨어요. (I drank four glasses of wine at the restaurant.)
- 저녁에 우유 다섯 잔을 마셨어요. (I drank five glasses of milk in the evening.)
8. Paper / Tickets (장)
- 종이 한 장을 주세요. (Please give me one sheet of paper.)
- 영화표 두 장을 예매했어요. (I reserved two movie tickets.)
- 사진 세 장을 인쇄했어요. (I printed three photos.)
- 편지 네 장을 썼어요. (I wrote four pages of a letter.)
- 지폐 다섯 장을 지갑에 넣었어요. (I put five banknotes in my wallet.)
9. Age (살 / 세)
- 우리 아이는 네 살이에요. (My child is four years old.)
- 저는 스물다섯 살이에요. (I am 25 years old.)
- 할머니께서는 여든 살이세요. (My grandmother is 80 years old.)
- 동생은 열두 살이에요. (My younger sibling is 12 years old.)
- 아버지는 쉰한 살이세요. (My father is 51 years old.)
📌 Note on usage:
Use 살 with native Korean numbers and 세 with Sino-Korean numbers.
When to use:
- Use 살 when stating age with native Korean numbers, typically in informal or everyday conversations.
- Use 세 when stating age with Sino-Korean numbers, often in more formal or written contexts.
- In formal writing or news articles, 세 is more commonly used.
- When speaking, 살 is more natural and commonly used in everyday conversations.
💡 Tip: Remember that the choice between 살 and 세 depends on which number system you’re using – native Korean or Sino-Korean.
10. Floors (층)
- 우리 집은 3(삼)층이에요. (My house is on the 3rd floor.)
- 엘리베이터가 5(오)층에서 멈췄어요. (The elevator stopped on the 5th floor.)
- 사무실은 10(십)층에 있어요. (The office is on the 10th floor.)
- 호텔 방이 7(칠)층에 배정됐어요. (My hotel room was assigned to the 7th floor.)
- 백화점 식당가는 9(구)층이에요. (The department store food court is on the 9th floor.)
4. Key Points to Remember
- Counters are essential for counting in Korean.
- The most common counter is 개, which can be used for general objects.
- Numbers change form slightly before counters (e.g., 하나 → 한, 둘 → 두).
- Some counters have honorific forms (e.g., 명 → 분 for people).
5. Practice Exercises
Complete the sentences with the correct counter.
- 나는 사과 ( ) 개를 먹었어요. (I ate three apples.)
- 친구 다섯( ) 과 함께 여행을 갔어요. (I traveled with five friends.)
- 도서관에서 책 두( ) 을 빌렸어요. (I borrowed two books from the library.)
- 동생은 자동차 한( ) 을 갖고 싶어 해요. (My younger sibling wants a car.)
- 나는 맥주 세( ) 을 주문했어요. (I ordered three bottles of beer.)
- 사무실이 8 ( ) 에 있어요. (The office is on the 8th floor.)
- 친구가 선물을 네 ( ) 줬어요. (My friend gave me four gifts.)
- 고양이 두( ) 가 소파에서 자고 있어요. (Two cats are sleeping on the sofa.)
- 나는 영화표 세 ( ) 을 예매했어요. (I reserved three movie tickets.)
- 우리 가족은 3( ) 에 살아요. (My family lives on the 3rd floor.)
6. Answers
- 개
- 명
- 권
- 대
- 병
- 층
- 개
- 마리
- 장
- 층
Mastering Korean classifiers is a fundamental step in learning Korean. By understanding and using these essential counting words, you’ll improve your language skills and sound more natural in your conversations. Keep practicing, and you’ll see progress in no time!