Korean Reps

Korean Counters List

In Korean you count with a number and a counter: 사과 한 개, 학생 두 명. The counter decides which set of numbers you use. Here are the 19 counters Korean Reps covers, each with an example.

Counters that take native numbers

CounterExamplePractice
개things사과 1개사과 한 개Counters
명people학생 2명학생 두 명Counters
마리animals고양이 3마리고양이 세 마리Counters
병bottles맥주 4병맥주 네 병Counters
잔cups커피 5잔커피 다섯 잔Counters
권books책 8권책 여덟 권Counters
장flat things like tickets표 10장표 열 장Counters
살age20살스무 살Age
시the hour in clock time1:00한 시Time
시간how many hours2시간두 시간Time

Counters that take Sino-Korean numbers

CounterExamplePractice
원money (won)10,000원만 원Prices
년years2026년이천이십육 년Dates
월months of the year6월유월Dates
일days of the month6월 6일유월 육 일Dates
분minutes7:30일곱 시 삼십 분Time
초seconds30초삼십 초—
층floor numbers3층삼 층Counters
인분servings삼겹살 2인분삼겹살 이 인분Counters
개월a number of months3개월삼 개월Counters

From 11 up, 개 and 명 are also heard with Sino-Korean numbers, so 사과 십삼 개 is not wrong. The drill shows the native reading, 사과 열세 개.

Right before a counter, 하나, 둘, 셋, 넷 and 스물 shorten to 한, 두, 세, 네 and 스무.Korean Numbers 1–100

Two month names change: 6월 is 유월 and 10월 is 시월.

Practice counters

Pick the right reading. Each answer shows the rule behind it.

Numbers 1–10 with counters and ages

About Korean Reps

Korean Reps is made by a former Korean language and literature teacher who taught middle school students in Korea. The answers follow the spelling and spacing rules of the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원).