Lesson 6

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.

학생 네 명haksaeng ne myeongfour students

맥주 세 병maekju se byeongthree bottles of beer

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.

삼천 원이에요.samcheon wonieyoIt's 3,000 won.

이월 십오일이에요.iwol siboirieyoIt's February 15th.

개gaeunit (general objects)

Examples사과 세 개 주세요.sagwa se gae juseyoThree apples, please.

명myeongunit (people)

Examples두 명이에요.du myeongieyoThere are two people.

잔janunit (cups/glasses)

Examples커피 한 잔 마셨어요.keopi han jan masyeosseoyoI drank one cup of coffee.

병byeongunit (bottles)

Examples물 두 병 샀어요.mul du byeong sasseoyoI bought two bottles of water.

권gwonunit (books)

Examples소설 한 권을 읽었어요.soseol han gwoneul ilgeosseoyoI read one novel.

마리mariunit (animals)

Examples고양이 세 마리가 있어요.goyangi se mariga isseoyoThere are three cats.

Cultural & Language Note

Counters are one of the few areas where Japanese speakers have a real head start over English speakers but still cannot coast. Korean 개, 명, 마리 line up conceptually with 個, 名, 匹, and the idea that you cannot just say 'three things' is already familiar. The catch is that Korean pairs counters with native numbers while Japanese uses Sino-Japanese readings for most, so the habit transfers but the forms do not.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using Sino-Korean numbers with 개 is the most common error: it is 사과 세 개, never 사과 삼 개. The number also comes after the noun in the standard pattern — noun, number, counter. Learners transferring English order produce 세 개 사과, which is understandable but marked.