Counting & Units: 개, 명, 잔, 병
Learn Sino-Korean numbers and counting units (classifiers) for everyday objects.
Counter words (classifiers) are the bridge between numbers and the things you're counting. You do not say 'three books' in Korean — you say 'books three 권' where 권 is the counter for bound volumes. The number is almost always native Korean (한, 두, 세, 네 for the modifying forms of 1-4).
Key counters: 개 (general objects), 명 (people), 잔 (cups/glasses), 병 (bottles), 마리 (animals), 장 (sheets of paper), 권 (books). When in doubt, 개 is the universal fallback — 'two of something' as 두 개 will be understood even if a more specific counter exists. Word order: noun + number + counter. 사과 세 개 (three apples), 사람 두 명 (two people), 커피 한 잔 (one cup of coffee). This pattern is identical to Japanese (りんご三個, ひと二人, コーヒー一杯), so Japanese speakers can pick it up almost instantly.
Native Korean Numbers with Counters
Counters use native Korean numbers (하나→한, 둘→두, 셋→세, 넷→네). The pattern is: Noun + Number + Counter. Note: 하나/둘/셋/넷 shorten before counters.
Sino-Korean Numbers (일, 이, 삼...)
Sino-Korean numbers (일=1, 이=2, 삼=3, 사=4, 오=5, 육=6, 칠=7, 팔=8, 구=9, 십=10) are used for dates, money, phone numbers, and minutes. Native Korean numbers are used with most counters.