In Korean, Sino-Korean numbers are derived from Chinese characters and are commonly used for counting, telling time, and specifying amounts. Let's take a look at the numbers 1 to 10 and how they are pronounced in Sino-Korean:
These numbers are commonly used with counting units to express quantities, such as 시간 (si-gan) for hours or 분 (bun) for minutes. For example, "2 o'clock" in Korean is 이 시 (i si), where 이 (i) represents the Sino-Korean number 2 and 시 (si) means "hours". Another example is 사 분 (sa bun) which means "4 minutes", where 사 (sa) is the Sino-Korean number 4 and 분 (bun) represents "minutes".
When combined with larger numbers, Sino-Korean numbers follow a systematic pattern to form new words. For instance, the number 20 is 이십 (i-sip), where 이 (i) represents 2 and 십 (sip) means 10. This pattern continues for higher numbers, providing a structured way to express numerical values in Korean.
Feel free to listen to the pronunciation of the Korean word for 6: 육 (yuk)
Understanding and mastering Sino-Korean numbers is essential for various everyday tasks and communication in Korean, making them an important aspect of language learning.
In the next post, we'll continue our exploration of Korean numbers by looking at counting units and tens, providing you with the tools to confidently navigate numerical expressions in Korean.