[Beginner level] Lesson 4: Sino-Korean Number

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In this lesson, we are going to talk about NUMBERS! 

In Korean there are two sets of number, one is native Korean numbers and the other set is sino-Korean numbers.

Sino-Korean numbers are numbers that are based on the Chinese language (therefore if you speak Chinese, you will find that the sino-Korean numbers are quite similar to the Chinese numbers).

We will use the term "Sino-Korean" when a Korean word is based on the Chinese language. Since Korea has received a lot of influence from China, many words in the Korean language have their roots in the Chinese language. So over the course of time, Korean people started using both the Sino-Korean number system and the native Korean number system. And the situations and the contexts in which each system is used are different, but don't worry. You will get used to the two systems and how to differentiate between these two by practicing with us! 

Sino-Korean numbers is used for telling:

Age: ___ 세 (age can be told in both number of system)
Date: ___년___월___일
           Year : 
           Month: 월
           Day: 일
Temperature (in degrees):  ___도
Measurements:
          Miles: ___ 마일
          Meter: ___미터
          Gallo: ___ 갤런
Minutes and Seconds
          Minutes:
___ 분
          Seconds:  ___ 초
Telling your Phone numbers
          South Korea emergency #: 1-1-9 (일•일•구)
Money
           Won: ___원
           Dollar(s): ___ 달러

Don't worry, I'll let you know them step by step.

This time we'll focus on the Sino-Korean number 0-10. Let's start right away!

                                          ⭐ 0 - 영 [yeong]

⭐ 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 [ku]                                                                     ⭐ 10 - 십 [ship] 


The Sino-Korean number system doesn't have a unique words for 11-99. Let's make up some numbers with me.

In order to make 11, just string the numbers together. 십 (10) + 일 (1) = 십일 (11). Let's go on 20.

⭐ 11 - 십일 [shi-bil]


 If you want to say 20, you just simply put 2 (이) and 10 (십) together. It will be 이십 (20).

⭐ 20 - 이십 [i-ship]


 If you want to say 99, you simply combine 9 (구), 10 (십) and 9 (구). 구십구 (99).

⭐ 99 - 구십구 [ku-ship-ku]


For Sino-Korean number 100-999, the pattern is the same as what we've learned so far.

Keep in mind 100 is . Let's go on 105.

⭐ 100 - 백 [baek]


If you want to say 105, just combine together 100 (백) and 5 (오).

⭐105 - 백오 [baek-o]


If you want to say 200, just put together 2 (이) and 100 (백).

⭐ 200 - 이백 [i-baek]


If you want to say 999, you simply combine 9 (구), 100 (백), 9 (구), 10 (십) and 9 (구).

⭐ 999 - 구백구십구 [ku-baek-ku-ship-ku]


For Sino-Korean number above 1,000.

⭐ 1,000 - 천 [cheon] ➡ So, 5,000 is 오천 [o-cheon] in Korean.


⭐ 10,000 - 만 [man] ➡ That's why 12,000 is 만이전 [ma-ni-jeon]. Just combine 10,000 (만), 2 (이) and 1,000 (천).


⭐ 100,000 - 십만 [ship-man] ➡ So, 800,000 is 팔십만 [pal-ship-man]. You simply combine 8 (팔) and 100,000 (십만)


⭐ 1,000,000 - 백만 [baeng-man] ➡ So 4,600,000 is 사백육십만 [sa-bae-kyuk-ship-man]. Just combine 4 (사), 1,000,000 (백만),  6 (육) and 100,000 (십만). Keep only the last 만. So you'll remove the 만 in 백만.


⭐ 10,000,000 - 천만 [cheon-man] ➡ So 70,000,000 is 칠천만 [chil-cheon-man].


⭐ 100,000,000 - 억 [yeok] ➡ So 300,000,000 is 삼억 [sa-myeok]


⭐ 1,000,000,000 - 조 [ju]


⭐ Novemdecillion - 나유타 [na-yu-ta]


Trivia: Do you know, 1004 or 천사 [cheon-sa] means Angel in Korea 👼.


Thank you for studying with me and please feel free to leave a comments and questions!

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