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KOREAN COUNTERS
In Korean, measure words (단위 명사) are used when counting objects, people, animals, and more. These words help specify the type of item being counted and are always used with numbers.
In this lesson, we will focus on measure words used for general objects, which can be applied in a wide range of daily situations.
COUNTER FOR THINGS 개
The word 개 is one of the most versatile counters in Korean.
It can be used to count almost anything that doesn’t have a specific counter of its own, making it highly flexible in daily conversations.
PATTERN
Object + Number + Measure Word
| Formal | 사과 세 개 샀어. | I bought three apples. |
| 고양이 장난감 두 개 있어. | I have two cat toys. | |
| Formal (어요) |
사과 세 개를 시장에서 샀어요. 친구들에게 줄 거예요. | I bought three apples at the market. I will give them to my friends. |
| 집에 컵이 여섯 개 있어요. 손님들이 와서 많이 준비했어요. | There are six cups at home. I prepared many because guests are coming. | |
|
물건을 다섯 개 주문했어요. 배송이 내일 도착할 거예요. | I ordered five items. The delivery will arrive tomorrow. | |
| Formal (습니다) |
친구가 빵을 다 먹었습니다. 그래서 더 사야 합니다. | My friend ate all the bread. So, I need to buy more. |
BOTTLES & PACKS 병 & 팩
The measure word 병 is used to count bottles of liquid, such as water, juice, or alcohol. For liquids commonly packaged in packs, such as milk or juice, the measure word 팩 is used.
| Informal | 물 두 병 샀어. | I bought two bottles of water. |
| 우유 한 팩 샀어. | I bought one pack of milk. | |
| Formal (어요) | 친구가 와서 맥주 두 병을 같이 마셨어요. | My friend came over, and we drank two bottles of beer together. |
| 저는 매일 물을 많이 마십니다. 그래서 항상 물을 세 병씩 사요. | I drink a lot of water every day. That’s why I always buy three bottles of water. | |
| 우유 한 팩을 사야 해요. 아침에 시리얼과 먹으려고요. | I need to buy one pack of milk. I’m planning to eat it with cereal in the morning. | |
| Formal (습니다) | 냉장고에 주스 네 병이 있습니다. 저녁에 친구들과 함께 마실 겁니다. | There are four bottles of juice in the fridge. I will drink them with my friends this evening. |
BOOKS 권
권 is the counter for books or similar bound items. Whenever you’re counting books, textbooks, or notebooks, 권 is the word to use.
| Informal | 이번 달에 책 두 권 읽었어. | I read two books this month. |
| 도서관에서 책 네 권 빌렸어. | I borrowed four books from the library. | |
| Formal (어요) | 이번 달에 책 두 권을 읽었어요. 두 권 모두 정말 재미있었어요. | I read two books this month. Both of them were really interesting. |
| 한국어 교재 한 권을 친구에게 추천했어요. | I recommended one Korean textbook to my friend. | |
| 도서관에서 책 세 권을 빌렸어요. 다음 주까지 읽을 계획이에요. | I borrowed three books from the library. I plan to finish them by next week. | |
| Formal (습니다) | 서점에서 소설 다섯 권을 구입했습니다. 주말 동안 읽을 겁니다. | I bought five novels at the bookstore. I will read them over the weekend. |
FLAT OBJECT 장
장 is used to count flat objects such as sheets of paper, photos, or tickets. Anytime you need to count something thin and flat, this is the word to use.
| Informal | 종이 두 장 줘. | Give me two sheets of paper. |
| 영화 티켓 세 장 샀어. | I bought three movie tickets. | |
| Formal (어요) | 종이 다섯 장을 준비했어요. 발표 자료로 사용할 거예요. | I prepared five sheets of paper. I will use them for my presentation materials. |
| 영화 티켓 두 장을 예매했어요. 친구랑 같이 볼 거예요. | I booked two movie tickets. I will watch it with a friend. | |
| 사진 네 장을 인쇄했어요. 가족들에게 나눠줄 거예요. | I printed four photos. I’ll give them to my family members. | |
| Formal (습니다) | 피피티 자료 6장을 만들었습니다. 내일 회의에서 발표할 자료입니다. | I made six slides of PowerPoint materials. These will be presented in tomorrow’s meeting. |
CUPS & GLASSES 잔
잔 is used to count cups or glasses of drinks like water, tea, coffee, or alcohol. In Korea, 건배 is a cultural practice where people clink their glasses and say 건배 (“cheers”) before drinking.
| Informal | 커피 두 잔 마셨어. | I drank two cups of coffee. |
| 차 세 잔 마셨어. | I drank three cups of tea. | |
| Formal (어요) | 오늘 커피 두 잔을 마셨어요. 그래서 잠을 잘 못 잘 것 같아요. | I drank two cups of coffee today. I might not be able to sleep well. |
| 친구와 차 한잔을 하며 이야기를 나눴어요. | I had a cup of tea with a friend and shared stories. | |
| 운동 후에 물 한 잔을 마셨어요. | I drank a glass of water after exercising. | |
| Formal (습니다) | 와인 잔으로 건배했습니다. 즐거운 저녁 시간이었습니다. | We toasted with wine glasses. It was a pleasant evening. |
✅ Learn more Korean measure words in the following lessons:
- Korean counters for living things
- Korean counters for specific items
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FAQs
What is the general Korean measure word?
The word 개 is one of the most versatile counters in Korean.
It can be used to count almost anything that doesn’t have a specific counter of its own, making it highly flexible in daily conversations.
What is the Korean measure word for bottles?
The measure word 병 is used to count bottles of liquid, such as water, juice, or alcohol. For liquids commonly packaged in packs, such as milk or juice, the measure word 팩 is used.
What is the Korean measure word for paper?
권 is the counter for books or similar bound items. Whenever you’re counting books, textbooks, or notebooks, 권 is the word to use.
What is the Korean measure word for cups?
잔 is used to count cups or glasses of drinks like water, tea, coffee, or alcohol. In Korea, 건배 is a cultural practice where people clink their glasses and say 건배 (“cheers”) before drinking.
Is Korean SOV or SVO?
Korean is a SOV language, meaning the basic language structure is:
Subject + Object + Verb
Japanese, Mongolian and Turkish are also SOV languages for example.
English is a SVO language: subject + verb + object
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Learn more about Korean sentence structure here.
Can I learn Korean with LTL Language School?
Yes!
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Feel free to contact us if you need to speak directly with a LTL Student Advisor.