Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers in Korean

It explains the two types of numbers in Korean. There are cardinal numbers and ordinal numbers.


There are two different counting systems for Korean numbers; the native Korean numbers and the Sino-Korean numbers. Both have the same meaning (ex. 일 vs 하나 = 1) but they are used differently depending on the situation. In the session on numbers, we will learn the two counting systems, the counters, dates, and time so that you can be familiar with the time-related expressions.

Let’s start with the two counting systems first.


1. Cardinal Numbers


The Native Korean Numbers

100 = 온 (However, Koreans don’t use it as “온” now. You can say “백” instead of “온”)


This is how the native Korean numbers are combined to be counted from 11 (eleven).

11 = 열하나 (10 + 1)

12 = 열둘 (10 + 2)

13 = 열셋 (10 + 3)

14 = 열넷 (10 + 4)

15 = 열다섯 (10 + 5)

41 = 마흔하나 (40 + 1)

54 = 쉰넷 (50 + 4)


The native Korean numbers are used in particular situations. You will see how Koreans use the numbers between the native Korean numbers and Sino-Korean numbers later. Let’s see in what situation the native Korean numbers are used.


1. To count in general (하나, 둘, 셋…)

2. For age (17, 23, 37 years old)

3. For an hour only (02:15pm)


*Koreans use the native Korean numbers for hours and Sino-Korean numbers for minutes.


Table of the Native Korean Numbers

스물서른마흔쉬흔/쉰예순일흔여든아흔
하나열하나스물하나서른하나마흔하나쉬흔하나쉰하나예순하나일흔하나여든하나아흔하나
열둘스물둘서른둘마흔둘쉬흔둘쉰둘예순둘일흔둘여든둘아흔둘
열셋스물셋서른셋마흔셋쉬흔셋쉰셋예순셋일흔셋여든셋아흔셋
열넷스물넷서른넷마흔넷쉬흔넷쉰넷예순넷일흔넷여든넷아흔넷
다섯열다섯스물다섯서른다섯마흔다섯쉬흔다섯쉰다섯예순다섯일흔다섯여든다섯아흔다섯
여섯열여섯스물여섯서른여섯마흔여섯쉬흔여섯쉰여섯예순여섯일흔여섯여든여섯아흔여섯
일곱열일곱스물일곱서른일곱마흔일곱쉬흔일곱쉰일곱예순일곱일흔일곱여든일곱아흔일곱
여덟열여덟스물여덟서른여덟마흔여덟쉬흔여덟쉰여덟예순여덟일흔여덟여든여덟아흔여덟
아홉열아홉스물아홉서른아홉마흔아홉쉬흔아홉쉰아홉예순아홉일흔아홉여든아홉아흔아홉


Sino-Korean Numbers

200 = 이백

1,000 = 천

10,000 = 만

100,000 = 십만

1,000,000 = 백만

10,000,000 = 천만

100,000,000 = (일)억


This is how the Sino-Korean numbers are combined to be counted from 11 (eleven).

11 = 십일 (10 + 1)

23 = 이십삼 (20 + 3)

110 = 백십 (100 + 10)

309 = 삼백구 (300 + 9)

1,420 = 천사백이십 (1000 + 400 + 20)


The Sino-Korean numbers are used in particular situations as well. It is actually used in many different situations. Let’s see in what situation the Sino-Korean numbers are used.


1. To count in general (일, 이, 삼…)

2. For mathematics (10 + 2 = 12)

3. To measure (10cm)

4. To count money (10,000원)

5. For phone number (010-1234-5678)

6. For minutes only (10:20am)

7. For months (1월, 2월, 3월)


Table of Sino-Korean Numbers

이십삼십사십오십육십칠십팔십구십
십일이십일삼십일사십일오십일육십일칠십일팔십일구십일
십이이십이삼십이사십이오십이육십이칠십이팔십이구십이
십삼이십삼삼십삼사십삼오십삼육십삼칠십삼팔십삼구십삼
십사이십사삼십사사십사오십사육십사칠십사팔십사구십사
십오이십오삼십오사십오오십오육십오칠십오팔십오구십오
십육이십육삼십육사십육오십육육십육칠십육팔십육구십육
십칠이십칠삼십칠사십칠오십칠육십칠칠십칠팔십칠구십칠
십팔이십팔삼십팔사십필오십팔육십팔칠십팔팔십팔구십팔
십구이십구삼십구사십구오십구육십구칠십구팔십구구십구




2. Ordinal Numbers

Unlike cardinal numbers that we studied above, ordinal numbers use order while counting the numbers. In the ordinal numbers, we will learn how the native Korean numbers and the Sino-Korean numbers are used differently. Let’s see what each of them looks like.


The Native Korean Numbers

Native Korean numbers are used to give step-by-step instructions in order such as a recipe, rule, procedure of operating, standard, etc.


First, Second, Third, etc… : -번째

첫 번째 = First

두 번째 = Second

세 번째 = Third

네 번째 = Fourth


From the fifth, you just need to add the native Korean numbers in front of “-번째”.

다섯 번째 = Fifth

여섯 번째 = Sixth

열 번째 = Tenth

마지막 = Last


For example,

1. 내 첫 번째 친구 = My first friend

2. 그는 세 번째 문을 골랐어요. (He chose the third door)

3. 그녀는 제 열 번째 여자친구에요. (She is my tenth girlfriend)


라면 끓이는 법 (Recipe to cook Ramen)

첫 번째, 냄비에 물을 넣고 끓인다. (First, pour adequate water into a pot and boil it)

두 번째, 끓는 물에 라면과 스프를 넣고 3분간 기다린다. (Second, put the ramen and soup base in the boiling water and wait for 3 minutes more)

세 번째, 맛있게 먹는다. (Third, enjoy your ramen)


It is also used when it refers to a specific person among family members like the first son, second son, the third youngest sister…, etc. Koreans use the shortened form when they call first or second son.


Shortened Form

첫 번째 = 첫째

두 번째 = 둘째

세 번째 = 셋째

네 번째 = 넷째

다섯 번째 = 다섯째

마지막 = 막내

etc…


For example,

1. 첫째 아들은 의사예요. (My first son is a doctor)

2. 우리 둘째 아들은 축구를 좋아해요. (My second son likes soccer)

3. 이 아이는 우리 막내예요. (This child is our last son/daughter)

4. 둘째 딸이 태어났습니다. (The second daughter is born)

5. 넷째 딸이 첫째 아들을 제일 좋아합니다. (The fourth youngest daughter like the first oldest son)

6. 셋째 누나가 결혼했습니다. (Our third-oldest sister got married)


Sino-Korean Numbers

When we talk about political, athletic (Olympic), or historical events, etc, the Sino-Korean numbers are used to identify each specific event.


1. 제 5차 유엔환경총회는 케냐 나이로비에서 열렸다. (The fifth session of the United Nations Environmental Assembly was held in Nairobi Kenya)

2. 제 2차 산업혁명은 19세기 중후반에서부터 20세기 중반에 일어났다. (The second Industrial Revolution occurred from the mid-late 19th century to the mid-20th century)

3. 제 12회 동계 올림픽 대회가 취소됐습니다. (The twelfth Winter Olympics was canceled)

4. 대한민국 제 20대 대통령은 윤석열입니다. (The twentieth president of Republic of Korea is Suk Yeol Yoon)