Korean word

열

Pronunciation

Romanizationyeol

Meaning

  • numeralten

Example

사과가 열 개 있어요.sa gwa ga yeol kae i sseo yo

There are ten apples.

Illustration for 열 (ten)

More examples

그는 열 살 때 야구를 시작했어요.keu neun yeol sal ttae ya gu reul si ja kae sseo yo

He started playing baseball when he was ten years old.

Core concept

The number ten, marking a complete group after nine.

Common phrases

  • 열 살yeol sal

    ten years old

  • 열 시yeol si

    ten o'clock

  • 열 명yeol myeong

    ten people

Similar words

십sip: The number ten used in measurements and other formal number expressions.

Definition in Korean

열은 하나부터 셀 때 아홉 다음에 오는 수로, 보통 사물의 수를 셀 때 쓰이는 한국어 수사이다.yeo reun ha na bu teo sel ttae a hop ta eu me o neun su ro po tong sa mu rui su reul sel ttae sseu i neun han gu geo su sa i da

Word origin

Unlike the Sino-Korean number word for ten, this word is an inherited native Korean counting term, although its deeper origin is uncertain.

Usage tips

  • When counting everyday objects aloud, this native number commonly appears before a counter, which makes it especially useful in casual conversation.

Other meanings

  • heatnoun
  • linenoun

Related words

  • 열하나yeolhanaelevennumeral
  • 열넷yeolletfourteennumeral

Word lists with this word