# Korean Counters Cheat Sheet: 개, 명, 마리, and When to Use Each

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Korean attaches a different counting word to almost everything, and reaching for the wrong one is one of the fastest ways to sound off even when the rest of the sentence is correct. A short reference for the counters used most often — objects, people, animals, tickets, and drinks — clears up which one goes where.

## Counting General Objects: 개

| Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 사과 세 개 주세요 | sa-gwa se gae ju-se-yo | Three apples, please |
| 몇 개 있어요? | myeot-kkae i-sseo-yo | How many are there? |

개 is the default counter for objects that don't have their own special counter, from apples to phones to buttons on a machine. 사과 세 개 주세요 shows the native Korean number 셋 shortened to 세 right before the counter, the same shortening pattern 하나, 둘, and 넷 also follow. 몇 개 있어요? works as a general "how many" whenever 개 fits the object being counted.

## Counting People: 명 and 분

| Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 몇 분이세요? | myeot-ppu-ni-se-yo | How many people? (polite) |
| 두 명이요 | du myeong-i-yo | Two people |

몇 분이세요? is what restaurant staff usually ask at the door, using the honorific counter 분 instead of the plain 명. 두 명이요 answers with the everyday counter, which works fine in casual replies even when the question used the polite form. 명 counts people in general contexts, while 분 shows up mainly in these polite, service-style questions.

## Counting Animals: 마리

| Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 강아지 한 마리 있어요 | gang-a-ji han ma-ri i-sseo-yo | There's one puppy |
| 몇 마리 있어요? | myeon-ma-ri i-sseo-yo | How many (animals) are there? |

마리 covers animals of any size, from a single 강아지 (puppy) to a school of fish. 강아지 한 마리 있어요 uses 하나 shortened to 한, following the same shortening rule as 세 개 and 두 명 above. Using 개 or 명 for an animal instead of 마리 is a common slip that native speakers notice right away.

## Counting Tickets and Flat Items: 장

| Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 표 두 장 주세요 | pyo du jang ju-se-yo | Two tickets, please |
| 몇 장 필요해요? | myeot-jjang pi-ryo-hae-yo | How many sheets do you need? |

장 counts anything flat and thin: tickets, paper, photos, and cards. 표 두 장 주세요 works at a ticket window for movies, trains, or any admission counter. 몇 장 필요해요? is the question to expect back if the amount wasn't already clear from the request.

## Counting Drinks: 잔 and 병

| Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 커피 한 잔 주세요 | keo-pi han jan ju-se-yo | One cup of coffee, please |
| 맥주 몇 병 시켰어요? | maek-ju myeot-ppyeong si-kyeo-sseo-yo | How many bottles of beer did you order? |

잔 counts a serving in a cup or glass, so 커피 한 잔 주세요 works for a single cup of coffee, tea, or a poured glass of beer or soju. 병 switches to the bottle itself instead of the serving, which is why 맥주 몇 병 시켜었어요 matters once a table starts ordering by the bottle rather than by the glass.

From apples to puppies to a round of drinks, matching counter to object is what makes a sentence sound native instead of just correct.

EKC_Counters_CheatSheet.pdf

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