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The tables below provide a comprehensive list of Korean counters, categorized by the number system they pair with (Native Korean or Sino-Korean) and the types of nouns they are used to count. It includes common counters for counting various objects, people, animals, time, currency, and more. Each counter is paired with examples to show how they are used in context.
Counters that use Native Korean Numbers
Used with Native Korean numbers, these counters are typically used for general items, people, animals, and objects like books, bottles, and vehicles. Examples include 개 for general items (e.g., ‘사과 한 개’ – 1 apple) and 마리 for animals (e.g., ‘고양이 한 마리’ – 1 cat).
| Counter | Number System | Usage | Example | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 개 | Native Korean | general counter for inanimate things (chair, fruits) | 사과 한 개 | 1 apple |
| 가지 | Native Korean | sorts, kinds, ways, groups | 가축 두 가지 | 2 sorts of animals |
| 병 | Native Korean | bottles of powder or liquid (juice, beer) | 물 세 병 | 3 bottles of water |
| 그릇 | Native Korean | bowls of food | 국 한 그릇 | 1 bowl of soup |
| 잔 | Native Korean | cups or glasses of drinks | 물 한 잔 | 1 glass of water |
| 권 | Native Korean | books | 책 네 권 | 4 books |
| 송이 | Native Korean | flowers, fruits | 장미 한 송이 | 1 rose |
| 송이 | Native Korean | trees | 나무 두 그루 | 2 trees |
| 곡 | Native Korean | musical works (songs) | 노래 세 곡 | 3 songs |
| 편 | Native Korean | literary works; episodes (in plays, movies, stories) | 소설 한 편 | 1 novel |
| 통 | Native Korean | documents, letters, emails, phone calls | 전화 한 통 | 1 phone call |
| 과 | Native Korean | sections of books (lessons, chapters) | 이십 과 | 20 lessons |
| 쪽 | Native Korean | pieces of something, parts of a broken object | 사과 한 쪽 | 1 slice of apple |
| 켤레 | Native Korean | paired clothings (shoes, socks, stockings gloves) | 신발 한 켤레 | 1 pair of shoes |
| 벌 | Native Korean | sets of clothing (suits, dresses, outfits) | 드레스 세 벌 | 3 dresses |
| 상자 | Native Korean | boxes of items | 과일 한 상자 | 1 box of fruit |
| 자루 | Native Korean | long thin objects (pens, pencils, candles, chopsticks) | 연필 두 자루 | 2 pencils |
| 바퀴 | Native Korean | counting wheel rotations or laps | 한 바퀴 | 1 lap |
| 사람 | Native Korean | people | 한 사람 | 1 person |
| 명 | Native Korean | people | 학생 두 명 | 2 students |
| 분 | Native Korean | people (formal) | 손님 세 분 | 3 guests |
| 마리 | Native Korean | animals | 고양이 다섯 마리 | 5 cats |
| 줄 | Native Korean | people or things arranged in lines (eggs, desks) | 계란 한 줄 | 1 row of eggs |
| 대 | Native Korean | vehicles, machines, planes, musical instruments, appliances | 차 여섯 대 | 6 cars |
| 장 | Native Korean | chapters, t-shirts, thin wide objects (paper, sheets, glass, pictures) | 종이 일곱 장 | 7 sheets of paper |
| 시 | Native Korean | hours (telling time) | 다섯 시 | 5 o’clock |
| 시간 | Native Korean | hours (duration) | 세 시간 | 3 hours |
| 채 | Native Korean | houses, buildings, furniture, blankets, carriages, wagons | 집 한 채 | 1 house |
Counters that use Sino-Korean Numbers
Used with Sino-Korean numbers, these counters are used for specific measurements, time, and currency. Examples include 년 for years (e.g., ‘이천십팔 년’ – Year 2018) and 분 for minutes (e.g., ‘십 분’ – Ten minutes).
| Counter | Number System | Usage | Example | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 층 | Sino-Korean | floors of a building | 삼 층 | 3rd floor |
| 그루 | Sino-Korean | trees | 일 그루 | 1 tree |
| 원 | Sino-Korean | Korean currency (KRW) | 만 원 | 10,000 won |
| 학년 | Sino-Korean | school year, grade | 일 학년 | 1st grade |
| 년 | Sino-Korean | years | 이천십팔 년 | Year 2018 |
| 호 | Sino-Korean | houses, room or apartment number | 백오 호 방 | Room 105 |
| 인분 | Sino-Korean | servings of food | 삼 인분 | 3 servings |
| 분 | Sino-Korean | minutes | 십 분 | 10 minutes |
| 초 | Sino-Korean | seconds | 삼십 초 | 30 seconds |
| 박스 | Sino-Korean | boxes of things | 다섯 박스 | 5 boxes |
| 킬로그램 | Sino-Korean | weight (kilogram) | 삼 킬로그램 | 3 kilograms |
| 리터 | Sino-Korean | liters (liquid, gas) | 오 리터 | 5 liters |
| 달러 | Sino-Korean | currency (dollars) | 십 달러 | 10 dollars |
| 그램 | Sino-Korean | weight (gram) | 이백 그램 | 200 grams |
| 개월 | Sino-Korean | months (duration) | 삼 개월 | 3 months |
Why are counters necessary in Korean?
In Korean grammar, numbers and the nouns they quantify are linked by counters. Counters classify objects by type, such as animals, people, or objects. They provide additional context, making the sentence grammatically correct and natural.
