Native versus Sino-Korean numbers

Acceptable Unacceptablestrange-sounding ⚦ 㹾⪲ ṧ㔲┺. Let’s go in two cars. ㎎ ╃㧊 ┺ ⼧㧊 ⌂┺. All three chickens got sick. ⚦ ṫ㞚㰖Ṗ ┺ 㡞㊮┺. The two puppies are both cute. ⍺ 䄺䞒Ṗ ┺ 䆪⋮㡞㣪. All four coffees are Kona. ⚦ 㹾⯒ ㌖┺. I bought two cars. ㎎ ╃㦚 䋺㤊┺. I am raising three chickens. ⚦ ṫ㞚㰖Ṗ ⥆㠊㢪┺. Two puppies came running. ⍺ 䄺䞒⯒ ㌖┺. I bought four coffees. Exceptionally, the following cases are natural even with bigger numbers. 㡊㞚✺ 㞞 ⿖⩓┺. I don’t envy those with many sons. I am satisfied with my daughter. 㡊┺㎅ 㰧㧊䞯ᾦṖ⋮⧒Ṗ ⳾㡖┺. Fifteen familiesschoolscountries got together. • ⚦ Ṳ㦮 ㌂ὒ is used mostly in formal speech or writing. 䞲 㧪㦮 㹾 one cup of tea 㡊 ῢ㦮 㺛 ten books 5 Ṳ ῃṖ㦮 㑮㌗ prime ministers of 5 countries 14.3.2 Units of measurement Sino-Korean numbers are used for the metric system as well as for some American units of measurement. Native numbers are employed only for a few traditional Korean units of measurement. All Arabic numerals are to be read as Sino-Korean numbers, unless otherwise specified. Temperature ₆㡾㡾☚ ㎃㝾 Centigrade vs. 䢪㝾 Fahrenheit ㎃㝾 0 ☚⓪ 䢪㝾 32 ☚㧊┺. 0 degrees Centigrade is 32 degrees Fahrenheit. 㾲㩖 ₆㡾 㡗㌗ 2 ☚ low temperature, two degrees above zero 䡚㨂 ₆㡾 15 ☚ current temperature, 15 degrees 㼊Ṧ 㡾☚⓪ 㡗䞮 5 ☚㧊┺. Perceived temperature with windchill is 5 below zero. Lengthdistance ₎㧊ỆⰂ Metric units: 䌂⪲⹎䎆, ⹎䎆, ㎒䕆⹎䎆, ⹖Ⰲ⹎䎆 165 ㎒䕆 䋺㦮 ⋾㧦 a man of 165 cm in height 500 ⹎䎆 ╂Ⰲ₆ 500 m race 㩲䞲㏣☚ 100 䌂⪲ speed limit 100 km ṫ㑮⨟ 400 ⹖Ⰲ precipitation, 400 mm ゚Ṗ 100 ⹖Ⰲ⹎䎆㧊㌗ ⌊⪎㔋┞┺. It rained more than 100 mm. 1 䌂⪲⓪ 0.6 Ⱎ㧒㧊┺. 1 km = 0.6 mile American unit: 㧎䂮 used for waist, chest, hip sizes 䠞Ⰲ 29 㧎䂮 29-inch waist, Ṗ㔊⚮⩞㠟▿㧊⚮⩞ 35 㧎䂮 35-inch chesthip Modern Korean units: For female clothes : 44 XS, 55 S, 66 M, 77 L For mostly male clothes: 90 XS, 95 S, 100 M, 105 L Traditional units: 㧦 㟓 30.3 cm: 㢍Ṧ 㧒὇ 㧦 200 cm wide cloth, 㡂㎅ 㧦㰲Ⰲ 㧻⫇ 180 cm wide dresser ㅮ ‘hand’s width’: ₎㧊Ṗ ⚦ ㅮ 㩫☚ ♲┺. The length is about two hands’ width. 䂮 only for idioms: 䞲 䂮㦮 㟧⽊☚ 㠜┺. There’s not an inch of concession. NOTE: The sizes for female clothing 44, 55, etc. are read as [㌂㌂], [㡺㡺], etc., but the ones for male clothing 90, 95, etc. are usually read as [ῂ㕃], [ῂ㕃㡺], etc. Area Ⳋ㩗 Metric units: m 2 䘟⹿⹎䎆 or 㩲὇⹎䎆 Traditional units: 䘟 is commonly used. 1[䞲]䘟 = 35.57 sq. ft. 30[㌓㕃㍲⯎]䘟㰲Ⰲ 㞚䕢䔎 a 1,000 sq. ft. apt ╖㰖 200 䘟 7,100 sq. ft. of land Ị䘟 72[䂶㕃㧊㧒䦪⚦]䘟 2,500 sq. ft. interior Volume 㼊㩗⿖䞒 Metric units: Ⰲ䎆, ⹖ⰂⰂ䎆, 㝾㝾 cc 㤆㥶 1 Ⰲ䎆⓪ 100 㝾㝾┺. One liter of milk is 100 cc. 500 㝾㝾㰲Ⰲ 㡺⩢㰖 㯂㓺 a 500 cc carton of orange juice Traditional units not commonly used: Ⱖ = 4 gallons, ♮ 㕖 䞲 Ⱖ = 㡊 ♮ Weight 㭧⨟ⶊỢ Metric units: 䌂⪲⁎⧾, ⁎⧾ 1 䌂⪲⁎⧾㦖 㟓 2 䕢㤊✲㩫☚ ♲┺. 1kg = about 2 lbs. ⴎⶊỢṖ 5 䌂⪲⋮ ⓮㠞┺. I gained 5 kg Traditional unit: ⁒ = 600 grams, ὖ = 3.75 kg ㏢ἶ₆ 䞲 ⁒ 600 grams of beef, ♒㰖ἶ₆ ⹮ ⁒ 300 grams of pork ἶ㿪 䞲 ὖ 3.75 kg of red pepper Ⱎ⓮ ⚦ ὖ 7.5 kgs of garlic As of July 2007, a new and revised measurement system has been implemented, prohibiting the use of traditional units such as 䘟, ⁒, ὖ, ☞, as well as some American units such as 㧎䂮. Prohibited units Mandated metric alternatives 㞚䕢䔎 1 䘟 3.3 m 2 apartment ㏢ἶ₆ 䞲 ⁒ 600 g beef Ṧ㧦 䞲 ὖ 3.75 kg potato ⁞ 䞲 ☞ 3.76 g gold 1 㧎䂮 2.54 cm For example: 20 䘟㰲Ⰲ 㞚䕢䔎 66 㩲὇⹎䎆㰲Ⰲ 㞚䕢䔎 710 sq. ft. apt. 20 㧎䂮㰲Ⰲ 䕆ぢ㧊 50.8 ㎒䕆㰲Ⰲ 䕆ぢ㧊 20 inch TV ⚦ ☞㰲Ⰲ ⁞⹮㰖 7.84 ⁎⧾㰲Ⰲ ⁞⹮㰖 7.84 gram gold ring 14.3.3 Time, date, and age Both native and Sino-Korean numerals can be used for time, dates, and ages. A particularly notorious case involves telling time, which requires a native number for o’clock but a Sino-Korean number for minutes. Rather than trying to memorize the rule, it makes sense to simply remember an example – 7 㔲 20 ⿚ [㧒὇ 㔲 㧊㕃 ⿚]. The following table summarizes the use of Sino-Korean and native Korean numbers with respect to their various functions. All Arabic numerals are to be read as Sino-Korean numbers, unless otherwise specified. Timedateage Numerals Examples Hours Native: 䞲 㔲Ṛ, 㡂▵ 㔲Ṛ NOTE: Sino-Korean numerals are used for 24 㔲Ṛ, 48 㔲Ṛ, etc. O’clock Native: 㡺䤚 䞲 㔲 1:00 PM 㡺㩚 㡊䞲 㔲 11:00 AM MinutesSeconds Sino: 34 ⿚ 52 㽞 Century Sino: 21 ㎎₆ Year Sino: 2006 ⎚ the year 2006 or 2006 years Month Sino: Native: 6 [㥶]㤪 June 11 㤪 November 6 Ṳ㤪 6 months 11 Ṳ㤪 11 months 㡂㎅ ╂ 6 months 㡊䞲 ╂ 11 months Day Sino: Native: 6 㧒 6 th day or 6 days 31 㧒 31 st day or 31 days 䞮⬾ 1 day 㧊䔖 2 days ㌂䦮 3 days ⋮䦮 4 days ╍㌞ 5 days 㡕㌞ 6 days 㧊⩞ 7 days 㡂✲⩞ 8 days 㞚䦦⩞ 9 days 㡊䦮 10 days ⽊⯚ 15 days or 15 th day NOTE: 㡕㌞ , 㧊⩞, 㡂✲⩞, and 㞚䦦⩞ are used mostly by senior adults. Week Sino: 4 㭒㧒 X night X days Sino: 7 ⹫ 8 㧒 䞮㢖㧊 㡂䟟 7 night-8 day trip to Hawaii X years old Native: Sino: ㍲⯎ ㌊ 30 years old 㓆 䞲 ㌊ 51 years old 20 ㎎ ⹎Ⱒ ὖ⧢⿞Ṗ No admission under 20. 60 ㎎ 䢮ṧ sixtieth birthday 70 ㎎ ἶ䧂 seventieth birthday Born in X year Sino: 1990 ⎚㌳ [㻲ῂ⺇ῂ㕃⎚㌳] 90 ⎚㌳ [ῂ㕃⎚㌳ or ῂὋ⎚㌳] 㡆⎚㌳ children born within a year of each other Stages of life every 10 years Sino: 10 ╖ [㕃╖㧒Ὃ] teenage 20 ╖ [㧊㕃╖㧊Ὃ] twenties ΝΟΤΕ 1 : Two different calendars are used –㟧⩻ solar calendar for most dates and 㦢⩻ lunar calendar for certain special days such as 㿪㍳ and ῂ㩫 Chinese New Year’s Day. ΝΟΤΕ 2 : The day you are born, you are one year old in terms of Korean age. To indicate American age, which is used for all legal purposes, Ⱒ- is used Ⱒ 20 ㎎㌊. An American age of 20 corresponds to a Korean age of either 21 or 22. 14.3.4 Arithmetic and fractions Sino-Korean numbers are used for arithmetical calculation, fractions ⿚㑮, decimals ㏢㑮, and multiplication tables ῂῂ┾. But native numbers are used for numerical comparison in general. • Arithmetical calculation: Sino-Korean numbers 2 ▪䞮₆ + 2 ⓪ 4 4 ヒ₆ – 2 ⓪ 2 2 ὇䞮₆ x 2 ⓪ 4 4 ⋮⑚₆ ÷ 2 ⓪ 2 NOTE: Informal calculation of small quantities can be done with native numbers: ┺㎅㠦㍲ ㎡㦚 ヒⳊ ⚮㧊┺. If you subtract 3 from 5, it is 2. • Fractions ⿚㑮 and decimals ㏢㑮: Sino-Korean numbers ½ 2 ⿚㦮 1 or 2 ⿚㰖 1 [uncommonold-fashioned] 2 ¼ 2 㢖 4 ⿚㦮 㧒 1 ½ 1 ὒ 2 ⿚㦮 1 0.314 㡗㩦 ㌒㧒㌂ 2.0 㧊㩦 㡗 • Multiplication tables ῂῂ┾ ῂ㧒㦖 ῂ 9 x 1 = 9 ῂ㧊⓪ 㕃䕪 9 x 2 = 18 ῂ㌒㦖 㧊㕃䂶 9 x 3 = 27 ῂῂ⓪ 䕪㕃㧒 9 x 9 = 81 • Numerical comparison: Native numbers ⚦⺆ two times as much ⚦⺆ ⹮ two and a half times as much 㡊⺆ ten times as much NOTE: Fractional or larger numbers used for comparison especially multiples of 10, starting from 20 are Sino-Korean: 4.2 ⺆, ㌒㕃⺆, ⺇⺆, etc. 14.3.5 Money and currency Sino-Korean numerals are used. 㡆⽟㧊 㡺Ⱒ ⿞㧊┺. The annual salary is 50,000. 㤪 㦖 ㌂⺇Ⱒ 㤦 㩫☚ ♲┺. The monthly salary is about ƒ 4,000,000. 㕃Ⱒ 㤦㰲Ⰲ 㑮䚲 ⚦ 㧻 two cashier’s checks of ƒ 100,000 each 6 ⿞ 25 㩚 = 㥷 ╂⩂ 㧊㕃㡺㎒䔎 6.25 NOTE: The traditional monetary unit 䛒 is found in idioms like 䞲 䛒☚ 㠜┺ ‘I am penniless.’ 14.3.6 Numbers relating to transportation Sino-Korean numerals are used. 㰖䞮㻶 6 䢎㍶ Subway line 6 㰖䞮㻶 1 ῂṚ Subway route 1 26 ⻞ ⻚㓺 Number 26 bus 28-1 [㧊㕃䕪 ┺㔲 㧒] ⻞ ⻚㓺 288[㧊⺇䕪㕃䕪 ⻞ or 㧊䕪䕪] ⻚㓺

14.4 Expressions of quantity

14.4.1 Approximate quantities Ṧ㧦Ṗ ㍲⍞ Ṳ 㧞㦚 Ệ㡞㣪. I’m pretty sure that we have 3–4 potatoes. ṫ㦮㔺㠦 ⋾㧦 ⍞╩ ⳛ㧊 㧞㠞㠊㣪. There were 4–5 men in the lecture room. Ὃ㌂Ṗ 㧊㌒㧒㧊Ⳋ ⊳⋶ ỗ┞┺. The construction will end in 2–3 days. ╖⨋ ㍲⯎ ㌊ 㩫☚ ♦㦚 Ệ㡞㣪. He is probably about 30 years old. 㟓 5 䌂⪲ 㩫☚ ♶ ỗ┞┺. It will probably be about 5 km. 㹾⪲ 䞲 㕃⿚㸺 㸺 ỎⰊ Ệ㡞㣪. It will take about 10 minutes by car. ⁒ ⽊⯚☯㞞 ⶒⰢ Ⱎ㎾㠊. I had nothing but water for about 15 days. 㕃㌂㧒ἓ ἓ Ⱒ⋮㧦. Let’s meet around the 14 th . ⳝ 㔲㸺 㸺 Ⱒ⋶₢? About what time shall we meet? ゚Ṗ 50 ⹖ⰂṖ Ṗ⨟ 㡺Ỷ㔋┞┺. The precipitation will be about 50 mm. ⴑ ✺㠊☚ ⳝ⺇⿞㦖 ✺ ỗ┞┺. It will probably cost several hundred dollars at least. ₆㡾㦖 10 ☚ 㞞䕤㦒⪲ It will be chilly with the temperature 㕖㕖䞮Ỷ㔋┞┺ . hovering around 10. 40 ☚⯒ 㤙☚⓪ 䙃㡒 sweltering heat of over 40 degrees C 20 ☚㠦 㠦㍲ 23 ☚ ㌂㧊 temperatures between 20 and 23 㧎ῂ⓪ 4 㻲 5 ⺇Ⱒ ⌊㰖 5 㻲Ⱒ The population is about 45 to 50 million. 㩫☚ ♲┺. 14.4.2 Non-numerical expressions of quantity • One and only with the prefix ┾- 縝 ┾☛㭒䌳 single-family home ┾䂋㰧 single-story house ┾䃎⹿ small single room • Several; many with the prefix 㑮- 莡 㑮㻲 ⻞ several thousand times 㑮㕃 Ṳ several dozen apples 㑮Ṳ㤪 many months 㑮⎚Ṛ for many years • Many; all sorts of ⶝ ⋾㎇✺㦮 㔲㍶㦚 䞲 ⴎ㠦 ⹱㞮┺. She monopolized attention from all sorts of men. • Most ╖⿖⿚㦮 ㌂⧢✺㧊 ┺ ㍶䢎䞮⓪ 㓺䌖㧒㧊┺. It’s a style that most people like. • Some 㧒⿖ ㌂㤦✺㦮 ⹮⹲㧊 㕂䞮┺. Some of the company employees are strongly opposed. • Half; quarter 㑮㧛㧊 㩞⹮㦒⪲ 㭚▪┞ 㧊㩲 ⹮㦮 ⹮☚ 㞞 ♮Ỷ┺. My income was reduced to half and now is probably less than a quarter. • Majority of ὒ⹮㑮╖┺㑮㦮 㺂㎇㧊 䞚㣪䞮┺. We need the majority’s approval. • Minority of 㺂㎇䞮⓪ ㌂⧢㦖 ⁏㏢㑮㠦 ⿞ὒ䞿┞┺. Those who agree are no more than a tiny minority. ㏢㑮⹒㫇 minority race • Just Ṭἶ 㕌㦖 ộ ➇ 3 Ṗ㰖Ⱒ Ἶ⧒ ⽦ . Pick just three things that you want to have. 㡂☯㌳㧊 㧊㩲 ṩ 㓺ⶒ㧊㠦㣪. My younger sister has just turned twenty. • More than; not more than; less than 50 䌂⪲ ⹎Ⱒ㧊䞮㦮 ㌂⧢✺㦖 䠢䡞㦚 䞶 㑮 㠜㔋┞┺. Those weighing less thannot more than 50 kg cannot donate their blood. 䞲 ╂ 㑮㧛㧊 㡺㻲⿞ 㧊㌗ ♿┞┺. The monthly income is over 5,000. 䞯㌳㧊 㡊 ⳛ㧊 ⍮⓪┺㞞 ♲┺. There are morefewer than ten students. 14.4.3 Markers of plurality • Reduplicated words ₖὒ㧻┮ ㌳㧒 䕢䕆㠦 ⑚ῂ⑚ῂ Ṫ㔋┞₢? Who all went to the birthday party for section chief Mr. Kim? 䂲ῂ 㰧✺㧊㠦 ⶦⶦ ㌂Ṫ㠊㣪? What kind of things did you buy and take to your friend’s house-warming? 䞮㢖㧊㠦 ṖⳊ 㠊❪㠊❪⯒ Ↄ ⽦㟒 ♮⓪ 㰖 㞢⩺ 㭒㎎㣪. Please let me know what places we should see when we visit Hawaii. 䞲ῃṖ⓪ ゚䟟₆Ṗ 㠎㩲㠎㩲 ⦏┞₢? On which days are there planes going to Korea? • -✺ 䂲ῂ✺䞮ἶ 㠎㩲 ⏖⩂✺ 㢖⧒. ┺✺ 㧮 㧞㰖? Come over with your friends sometime. Are they all doing well? • ❇ [formalwritten] 㧊 㦢㔳㩦㦖 ἶ❇㠊 㫆Ⱂ, 㞚ῂ㹲 ❇ ㌳㍶㣪Ⰲ⯒ 㧮 䞿┞┺. This restaurant is good for fish like broiled mackerel, steamed angler fish, etc. Grammar Verbs make up the single most important class of words in Korean, and are the elements through which many of the language’s most important semantic contrasts are expressed.

15.1 Action verbs versus descriptive verbs

The category of verb in Korean is more comprehensive than in English, encompassing both words that denote actions action verbs and words that denote states descriptive verbs. The latter may be called ‘adjectives,’ but they must be distinguished from English adjectives since they can carry tense marking. 15.1.1 How to distinguish between the two types of verbs • Action verbs form their present tense in the -다 style, as -ㄴ는다. 병헌이가 낮잠을 잔다. Byoung-hun is taking a nap. 성아가 김밥을 먹는다. Sung-ah is eating a seaweed roll. In contrast, descriptive verbs form their present tense without a suffix, as -다. 영화가 재미있다. The movie is fun. 거리가 한산하다. The street is quiet and empty. 하늘이 다. The sky is clear. • Action verbs and compound verbs ending in 있다없다 have the present tense adnominal form -는. 낮잠을 자는 병헌이 Byoung-hun, who is taking a nap 김밥을 먹는 성아 Sung-ah, who is eating a seaweed roll 재미있는 영화 fun movie In contrast, descriptive verbs have the present tense adnominal form -ㄴ은. 한산한 거리 quiet and empty street 은 하늘 clear sky A small number of words can function as either action verbs or descriptive verbs. 키가 크다. He’s tall. 키가 아 도 큰다. He’s still growing. 시간이 늦다. It’s late. 교에 늦는다. You’re getting late for school.