Korean Street Food Ajumma is MAD at you…

(To be honest, it’s your fault)

“삼천오백원!!!”

Do you know what she means by that?

If you don’t, I have to be honest: it’s your fault.

I mean, how do you expect a 60-year-old Korean ajumma to tell you the price of tteokbokki in English?!

I know what you’re thinking, 'Bu bu but Hugo… I know hana, dul, set!!'

Well, first of all, hana dul set is the Native Korean Number System, which is NOT used for money. We have two different number systems: the Native Number System and the Sino Number System.

Today, I will teach you the Sino Number System.

Your mission, after reading this letter, is to tell me how much “삼천오백원” is.

(Trust me, you don’t want to make the ajummas angry.)

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Introduction

The Sino-Korean number system, derived from Chinese numerals, is one of two number systems used in Korea. It's essential for expressing money, dates, addresses, phone numbers, etc.

Basic Numbers (1-10)

The foundation of the Sino-Korean number system lies in the numbers 1 through 10. Here they are, along with their pronunciations:

1: 일 (il)

2: 이 (i)

3: 삼 (sam)

4: 사 (sa)

5: 오 (o)

6: 육 (yuk)

7: 칠 (chil)

8: 팔 (pal)

9: 구 (gu)

10: 십 (sip)

(Play the audio until you memorize all the words)

When constructing numbers between 11 and 99, the approach changes slightly depending on whether the number is within the 11-19 range or if it's a multiple of ten (20, 30, 40, etc) or any other two-digit number.

The 11-19 Range

(Numbers between 11 - 19)

For numbers 11 through 19, the pattern is to take '십' (10) and directly append the unit number (1 through 9)

• 11 (십일, sip-il): Combine 십 (10) and 일 (1)

• 12 (십이, sip-i): Combine 십 (10) and 이 (2)

• 13 to 19: The pattern continues with 십삼 (13), 십사 (14), up to 십구 (19), each time directly adding the unit number to '십.'

IMPORTANT ✍️: Please note that the numeral '일' (1) is not used to prefix '십' (10) for these numbers, as '십' itself implies the ten-unit without needing additional specification.

Multiples of Ten and Other Two-digit Numbers

When dealing with multiples of ten (20, 30, 40, etc.) and other two-digit numbers, the Sino-Korean system employs a more intuitive pattern for English speakers, where the tens place is explicitly mentioned before adding '십' (10) and then any units if necessary.

• 20 (이십, i-sip): 이 (2) comes before 십 (10), literally "two-ten."

• 21 (이십일, i-sip-il): 이 (2) comes before 십 (10), and then 일 (1) : literally "two-ten-one"

• 30 (삼십, sam-sip): 삼 (3) comes before 십 (10), literally "three-ten."

• 90 (구십, gu-sip): 구 (9) comes before 십 (10), literally "nine-ten."

• 99 (구십구, gu-sip-gu): 구 (9) comes before 십 (10), and then 구 (9) : literally "nine-ten-nine."

Practice Video (Watch Full Screen)

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Numbers between 100 - 1000

100 (백, baek): This is the starting point, representing a simple hundred without any additional tens or ones. Numeral '일' (1) is not used to prefix '백' (100)

Sequential Hundreds:

• 100 (백, baek)

• 200 (이백, i-baek): 이 (2) comes before 백 (100)

• 300 (삼백, sam-baek): 삼 (3) comes before 백 (100).

• Progressing similarly up to:

• 900 (구백, gu-baek): 구 (9) comes before 백 (100).

When building numbers within the 100-999 range, the formula involves stacking the numerical values for hundreds, tens, and ones, following the sequence of:

[number of hundreds] + 백 (baek) for hundreds, followed by [number of tens] + 십 (sip) for tens, and finally [number of ones].

• 210 (이백십, i-baek-sip): 이백 (200) + 십 (10).

• 325 (삼백이십오, sam-baek-i-sip-o): 삼백 (300) + 이십 (20) + 오 (5), showcasing how hundreds, tens, and ones are layered.

• 456 (사백오십육, sa-baek-o-sip-yuk): 사백 (400) + 오십 (50) + 육 (6).

• 202 (이백이, i-baek-i): 이백 (200) + 이 (2). Since there are no tens, 십 (10) is not included.

• 301 (삼백일, sam-baek-il): 삼백 (300) + 일 (1). Again, with no tens present, 십 (10) is not included.

Here is your challenge 🫵

1000 is 천 (cheon).

The same principles apply.

Watch the video below until you feel comfortable with larger numbers.

If the video is too fast, pause it before the answer is revealed.

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So how much is Ajummma’s tteokbokki? 🤔

(삼천오백원: sam-cheon-o-baek-won)

Hint: “원 (won)” is a Korean currency.