Day 3: Numbers and Counting
Counting System
안녕하세요! Welcome back to Day 3. Today we're venturing into the fascinating world of Korean numbers. Counting might seem basic, but it's vital for many aspects of daily life—and that includes the realm of K-pop. From understanding album sales numbers to concert seat numbers, you'll see numbers everywhere.
Sino-Korean and Native Korean Numbers
Korean actually has two counting systems: Sino-Korean, which is derived from Chinese, and Native Korean. You'll find both systems used in different contexts, and yes, in the world of K-pop too!
- Sino-Korean
- Used for dates, money, minutes, and more.
- Examples: 일 (il/1) , 이 (i/2), 삼 (sam/3), 사 (sa/4)
- Native Korean
- Used for ages, counting objects, hours, and more.
- Examples: 하나 (hana/1), 둘 (dul/2), 셋 (set/3), 넷 (net/4)
K-pop Tip: On music shows, Sino-Korean numbers are often used to announce rankings. So, when your favorite group wins first place, you'll hear "일등 (il-deung)!"
Counting from 1 to 10 in Both Systems
Sino-Korean:
- 일 (il) : One
- 이 (i) : Two
- 삼 (sam) : Three
- 사 (sa) : Four
- 오 (o) : Five
- 육 (yuk) : Six
- 칠 (chil) : Seven
- 팔 (pal) :Eight
- 구 (gu) : Nine
- 십 (ship) : Ten
Native Korean:
- 하나 (hana) : One
- 둘 (dul) : Two
- 셋 (set) : Three
- 넷 (net) : Four
- 다섯 (daseot) : Five
- 여섯 (yeosseot) : Six
- 일곱 (il-gop) : Seven
- 여덟 (yeodeolp) :Eight
- 아홉 (ahop) : Nine
- 열 (yeol) : Ten
Try pronouncing them a few times to get the hang of it!
Quick Practice
Let's put this into K-pop context!
- 음악중심 3위 : 'Music Core 3rd place' — Here, '3위' uses Sino-Korean numbers (삼/3 + 위/rank).
- 세븐틴 : The group name 'SEVENTEEN' can be read as '세븐틴' in Korean, where '세' is 17 in Sino-Korean.
- 둘! 셋! : 'Two! Three!' is a song by BTS. The numbers '둘' and '셋' are in Native Korean.
So far, we've laid the foundation of the Korean numbering system. We'll continue exploring this topic further in Part 2 of today's lesson. Would you like to move on to the next part?
Age, Rankings in Music Charts
Let's dive into how age and rankings in music charts are counted in Korean.
Age in Korea
Please note: Up until 2022, age in Korea was counted a bit differently than in most Western countries. Traditionally, when you were born, you were considered to be one year old, and you gained another year every New Year’s Day.
Traditional Korean Age Calculation: Your age in Korea = (Current Year - Birth Year) + 1
Change from 2023: Starting in 2023, South Korea officially adopted the international age system, which is the same as the age system commonly used in countries like the United States. This means that a person is considered to be zero years old at birth and gains a year on each birthday, just like in the international system.
K-pop Tip: Before 2023, idols often spoke about their Korean age, not the international age, during interviews and fan interactions. Since the adoption of the international age system, this is no longer the standard practice. However, you may still encounter mentions of Korean age in older content or when discussing traditions.
Music Chart Rankings
When it comes to K-pop, music chart rankings are pivotal. They often use the Sino-Korean numbering system.
- 1등 (il-deung) : First place
- 2등 (i-deung) : Second place
- 3등 (sam-deung) : Third place
- 1위 (il-wi) : First place
- 2위 (i-wi) : Second place
- 3위 (sam-wi) : Third place
- 4위 (sa-wi) : Fourth place
- 5위 (o-wi) : Fifth place
- 6위 (yuk-wi) : Sixth place
- 7위 (chil-wi) : Seventh place
- 8위 (pal-wi) : Eighth place
- 9위 (gu-wi) : Ninth place
- 10위 (sip-wi) : Tenth place
K-pop Tip: If you want to celebrate your favorite group's ranking on social media, it helps to know the correct terms. For example, if your favorite group is in the third place, you can tweet, "우리가 3위야!" (We are in third place!).
Quick Practice
Try saying these K-pop related sentences with the correct age or ranking:
Quizzes
Which counting system is used for dates, money, and minutes in Korean?
What is 'Two' in Sino-Korean?
Which counting system is often used to announce rankings in K-pop music shows?
What is 'Five' in Native Korean?
What is 'first place' in Korean?
What is the group name '세븐틴' in Korean numbers?
How would you tweet in Korean if your favorite group is in third place?
This concludes our lesson for today on numbers and counting. Tomorrow, we'll discuss forming sentences in Korean, so you can finally start speaking and writing simple phrases.
Until then, keep practicing, and 화이팅!