Korean Counter 시: How to Count o'clock (hour)

Use native Korean numbers with 시 to count time.

The Rule

시 is the counter for o'clock (hour): time. In Korean, you can't just say a number + noun. You MUST use a counter word between them. This is like English "two SHEETS of paper" or "three CUPS of coffee" — except Korean does this for EVERYTHING. Even "three apples" needs a counter: 사과 세 개.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

English only uses counters for uncountable nouns ("a glass of water", "a piece of cake"). Korean uses counters for ALL nouns — even ones English counts directly. The second trap: Korean has TWO number systems. 시 uses native Korean (하나, 둘, 셋...) numbers. Using the wrong system is a common mistake that sounds immediately wrong to Korean ears.

How It Works

Pattern: Noun + Number + 시 Native Korean numbers (shortened before counters): 한(1), 두(2), 세(3), 네(4), 다섯(5), 여섯(6), 일곱(7), 여덟(8), 아홉(9), 열(10) Note: 하나→한, 둘→두, 셋→세, 넷→네 when placed before a counter. The counter 시 comes right after the number. The noun can come before or after the number+counter, but before is more natural in conversation.

Real Examples

• 지금 세 시예요. (jigeum se siyeyo.) — "It's 3 o'clock now." [Hours use NATIVE numbers] • 아홉 시에 만나요. (ahop sie mannayo.) — "Let's meet at 9 o'clock." [아홉 = native 9]

Common Mistakes

❌ Using Sino-Korean numbers with 시 ✅ Use native Korean numbers: 지금 세 시예요. → 시 always takes native Korean numbers. Mixing number systems is one of the most common counter mistakes. ❌ Saying the number without a counter (e.g., "사과 세") ✅ Always include the counter: 지금 세 시예요. → Dropping the counter sounds incomplete in Korean, like saying "three of" without finishing the phrase in English.

Quick Tip

Start with the 5 most common counters: 개 (things), 명 (people), 마리 (animals), 잔 (cups), 병 (bottles). Once these are automatic, add 시 to your toolkit. Practice counting things you see daily: "커피 두 잔", "사람 세 명". The more you use counters in real situations, the faster they become natural.

시 = o'clock (hour). Uses native Korean numbers.

Examples

지금 세 시예요. — jigeum se siyeyo. — It's 3 o'clock now.

아홉 시에 만나요. — ahop sie mannayo. — Let's meet at 9 o'clock.