Korean word

세

Pronunciation

Romanizationse

Meaning

  • numeralthree

Example

사과 세 개 주세요.sa gwa se kae chu se yo

Please give me three apples.

Illustration for 세 (three)

More examples

저는 세 시에 퇴근해요.cheo neun se si e toe geun hae yo

I get off work at three o'clock.

Core concept

A quantity of three placed directly before the noun or counting word it describes.

Common phrases

  • 세 개se kae

    three things

  • 세 명se myeong

    three people

  • 세 번se peon

    three times

Similar words

셋set: Refers to three things as a standalone number.
삼sam: Gives the number three in formal terms, signs, and unit labels.
세 번째se peonjjae: Describes the third item or position in an ordered group.

Definition in Korean

수사 '셋'의 관형형으로, 명사 앞에서 세 개의 수량을 직접 수식하여 '세 사람','세 시간'처럼 쓰이는 말.su sa set ui kwan hyeong hyeong eu ro myeong sa a pe seo se kae ui su ryang eul chik jjeop su si ka yeo se sa ram se si gan cheo reom sseu i neun mal

Word origin

This word is the noun-modifying form of the native Korean number word for three, distinct from the Sino-Korean form used in other number expressions.

Usage tips

  • English uses three unchanged, but Korean native counting uses this form before the counted noun or counter, so the number comes first.

Word lists with this word