예순 في 30 ثانية
- 예순 is the native Korean number for 60, used for age, people, and objects.
- It is distinct from the Sino-Korean '육십', which is used for money and time.
- The word does not change its form when followed by a counter like '살' or '개'.
- It is a key vocabulary word for describing family members and life milestones in Korea.
The Korean language employs two distinct numeral systems: the native Korean system and the Sino-Korean system. The word 예순 (Yesun) is the native Korean cardinal number for sixty. Understanding when to use '예순' versus its Sino-Korean counterpart, '육십 (Yuk-sip)', is a fundamental milestone for Korean language learners. Native Korean numbers are primarily used for counting physical objects, people, animals, and most importantly, age. When a person reaches their 60th year, '예순' is the term used in everyday conversation to describe their age, often followed by the counter '살 (sal)'.
- Numeral System
- Native Korean (Indigenous system used for discrete items and age).
- Contextual Usage
- Used primarily with native counters like '살' (years of age), '개' (items), and '명' (people).
Historically, reaching the age of sixty was a momentous occasion in Korean culture, known as 'Hwangap'. While 'Hwangap' is a Sino-Korean term, the actual counting of the years in a casual or traditional native context uses '예순'. You will hear this word in traditional markets when an older vendor is counting items, or in family settings when discussing the ages of elders. It carries a sense of maturity and respect. Unlike the smaller native numbers (1-10), '예순' does not change its form when followed by a counter; it remains '예순' regardless of whether it is followed by '살', '개', or '마리'.
우리 아버지는 올해 예순 살이 되셨습니다. (My father turned sixty years old this year.)
In modern South Korea, there is a slight linguistic shift where Sino-Korean numbers (육십) are increasingly used for ages, especially in formal or clinical settings. However, using '예순' demonstrates a higher level of linguistic proficiency and cultural attunement. It sounds more natural and 'Korean' in a domestic or traditional environment. For learners, mastering '예순' alongside '쉰' (50) and '일흔' (70) is crucial for navigating conversations about family and life stages. It is also used in literature to evoke a specific rhythmic quality that Sino-Korean numbers lack.
사과 예순 개를 상자에 담으세요. (Please put sixty apples in the box.)
Using '예순' correctly requires an understanding of the relationship between numbers and counters. In Korean, you rarely use a number in isolation when referring to things; it is almost always followed by a specific noun called a 'counter'. For '예순', common counters include '살' (age), '명' or '사람' (people), '마리' (animals), and '개' (general items). The syntax follows the pattern: [Noun] + [Number] + [Counter]. For example, '학생 예순 명' (sixty students).
- Age Construction
- Subject + [예순] + 살 + [Verb (이다/되다)]. Example: '어머니는 예순 살입니다.'
- Object Counting
- Noun + 예순 + Counter. Example: '장미 예순 송이' (Sixty roses).
One interesting aspect of '예순' is its phonetic stability. While numbers like '하나' become '한' and '둘' become '두' before counters, '예순' remains unchanged. This makes it grammatically simpler to use than the lower native numbers. However, the challenge lies in the pronunciation. The 'ㄴ' at the end of '예순' should be clearly articulated to distinguish it from other numbers like '열' (10) or '일흔' (70) in fast speech.
그 가게에는 예순 가지의 물건이 있습니다. (There are sixty types of items in that store.)
When talking about time, '예순' is not used for minutes or seconds (which use Sino-Korean), but it could theoretically be used for counting hours in a duration (예순 시간), though '육십 시간' is much more common for such large durations. In poetic or highly traditional contexts, '예순' might be used to describe the passage of time, such as '예순 해' (sixty years/winters). This usage adds a layer of depth and longevity to the description, often implying a lifetime of experience.
할머니의 예순 번째 생신을 축하드려요. (Happy sixtieth birthday to my grandmother.)
In contemporary South Korea, you are most likely to hear '예순' in settings involving the elderly or traditional customs. If you visit a rural village or a traditional '5-day market' (오일장), elderly vendors will almost exclusively use native numbers like '예순' when counting their produce or stating prices for bulk items (though prices themselves are Sino-Korean, the count of the items is native). It is a word that anchors the speaker in the native linguistic tradition.
- At Home
- Conversations about parents' or grandparents' ages. '우리 이모는 이제 예순이셔.' (My aunt is sixty now.)
- Literature/Media
- Historical dramas (Sa-geuk) or novels where characters use traditional speech patterns.
Another common place to hear '예순' is during formal announcements or speeches celebrating a 'Hwangap' (60th birthday) or 'Jin-gap' (61st birthday). While the party is called 'Hwangap-jan-chi', the toast might mention '예순 해의 세월' (sixty years of time). It conveys a sense of respect for the long life lived. In contrast, you will rarely hear '예순' on the news or in a math class, where '육십' is the standard for technical and abstract numbering.
방송에서: "예순 명의 참가자가 무대에 올랐습니다." (On a broadcast: "Sixty participants have taken the stage.")
In pop culture, specifically in ballad lyrics or 'Trot' music (a traditional Korean pop genre), '예순' is used to evoke nostalgia. Songs often reflect on the age of sixty as a turning point in life, a time of looking back. The word sounds softer and more emotional than the clinical '육십'. If you are watching a reality show like 'I Live Alone' or 'My Little Old Boy', you might hear the cast members jokingly or seriously discuss turning '예순' and what that means for their future.
전통 시장 상인: "달걀 예순 알에 이 가격이에요." (Market vendor: "This is the price for sixty eggs.")
The most frequent mistake learners make is mixing the two numeral systems. A classic error is saying '예순 세' instead of '예순 살' or '육십 세'. In Korean, native numbers pair with native counters, and Sino-Korean numbers pair with Sino-Korean counters. While native speakers will understand you, it sounds jarring and grammatically incorrect. Another mistake is using '예순' for money. You should never say '예순 원' for 60 won; it must be '육십 원'.
- System Mismatch
- Incorrect: 예순 분 (minutes). Correct: 육십 분.
- Pronunciation Confusion
- Mistaking '예순' (60) for '이순' (an archaic term for 60) or '열' (10) due to the 'ye' sound.
Learners also often confuse the native numbers for decades. '쉰' (50), '예순' (60), and '일흔' (70) sound quite different but are often mixed up in the heat of a conversation. It is helpful to practice them in a sequence: 마흔 (40), 쉰 (50), 예순 (60), 일흔 (70), 여든 (80), 아흔 (90). Another subtle mistake is over-using '예순' in digital or highly modern contexts where Sino-Korean has become the default. For instance, on a digital clock or in a phone number, '예순' is never used.
잘못된 표현: 사과 육십 살 (Incorrect: Sixty years old - using Sino-Korean with a native counter).
Lastly, some learners try to modify '예순' like they do with '하나' (one) to '한'. They might try to say '예수 살', which is incorrect. '예순' is an immutable number; it does not drop its final consonant before a counter. Remembering this 'no-change' rule for numbers 11 through 99 (except for those ending in 1, 2, 3, 4, or 20) will save you from many grammatical headaches.
바른 표현: 예순 살 또는 육십 세 (Correct: Sixty years old - keeping systems consistent).
The most obvious alternative to '예순' is '육십' (Yuk-sip). While they both mean sixty, their usage is strictly delineated. '육십' is used for math, money, telephone numbers, addresses, and time (minutes/seconds). '예순' is for counting items and age. In modern Korea, '육십' is encroaching on '예순''s territory, especially for age in formal documents, but '예순' remains the soulful, native choice for personal storytelling.
- 육십 (Yuk-sip)
- Sino-Korean 60. Used for: 60,000 won (육만 원), 60 minutes (육십 분), Room 60 (육십 호).
- 쉰 (Swin)
- Native Korean 50. Often grouped with 예순 when learning age-related vocabulary.
- 일흔 (Il-heun)
- Native Korean 70. The next decade after 예순.
There is also the term '이순' (I-sun), which is a literary and philosophical term for the age of sixty. Derived from Confucius's Analects, it means 'the age when one's ears are obedient' (meaning one can understand the truth easily). While you won't use '이순' in a grocery store, you might see it in a newspaper column or a sophisticated essay about aging. It is a synonym for 'sixty years old' but with a heavy philosophical weight.
비교: 예순 살 (Casual/Natural) vs. 육십 세 (Formal/Official) vs. 이순 (Literary).
When counting objects, if you forget '예순', you might fall back on '육십 개', which is acceptable but slightly less 'native' sounding. In some dialects, the pronunciation of native numbers can shift slightly, but '예순' is fairly standard across the peninsula. Understanding the 'decade' words (열, 스물, 서른, 마흔, 쉰, 예순...) as a set is the best way to master them, as they form a logical progression in the native counting system.
그는 예순의 나이에도 청년처럼 활기차다. (Even at the age of sixty, he is as energetic as a youth.)
How Formal Is It?
حقيقة ممتعة
Native Korean numbers follow a unique phonological pattern that makes them sound softer and more melodic than Sino-Korean numbers. '예순' is part of a series (쉰, 예순, 일흔) that many modern young Koreans are starting to forget in favor of Sino-Korean numbers.
دليل النطق
- Pronouncing 'ye' as 'ee' (esun).
- Pronouncing 'sun' as 'san' (yesan).
- Dropping the final 'n' sound.
- Vowel length: making the 'u' too long like English 'soon'.
- Confusing it with 'yeseon' (preliminary round).
أمثلة حسب المستوى
우리 아버지는 예순 살입니다.
My father is sixty years old.
Subject + Number + Counter (살) + Verb (입니다).
사과가 예순 개 있어요.
There are sixty apples.
Noun + Number + Counter (개) + Verb (있어요).
학생 예순 명이 왔어요.
Sixty students came.
Noun + Number + Counter (명) + Verb (왔어요).
이 책은 예순 쪽입니다.
This book is sixty pages.
Number + Counter (쪽 - page) + Verb (입니다).
고양이 예순 마리가 살아요.
Sixty cats live here.
Noun + Number + Counter (마리) + Verb (살아요).
예순 번 버스를 타세요.
Take bus number sixty.
Note: Numbers for bus lines often use Sino-Korean (육십), but in some dialects or contexts, native might be used for 'counting' the bus.
저는 예순 살까지 살고 싶어요.
I want to live until I am sixty.
Number + Counter + 까지 (until).
가방에 공이 예순 개 들어있어요.
There are sixty balls in the bag.
Location + Noun + Number + Counter.
할머니 생신에 예순 명의 손님이 왔습니다.
Sixty guests came to grandmother's birthday.
Use of '명의' as a possessive counter form.
계란 예순 알을 샀어요.
I bought sixty eggs.
Counter '알' is used for small round objects like eggs.
그 나무는 예순 해 동안 자랐습니다.
That tree grew for sixty years.
'해' is the native word for year, paired with '예순'.
사탕 예순 개를 친구들에게 나누어 주었어요.
I gave sixty candies to my friends.
Object marker '를' follows the counter.
우리 마을에는 예순 가구가 살고 있어요.
Sixty households live in our village.
Counter '가구' for households.
강아지가 예순 마리나 있어요?
Are there as many as sixty puppies?
Particle '나' expresses surprise at the large number.
예순 번째 손님에게 선물을 드립니다.
We give a gift to the sixtieth guest.
Ordinal marker '번째'.
이 아파트는 예순 세대뿐입니다.
This apartment only has sixty units.
Counter '세대' for residential units.
예순 살이 되면 은퇴하고 싶어요.
When I turn sixty, I want to retire.
Conditional ending '-(으)면'.
그는 예순의 나이에도 마라톤을 완주했다.
He finished a marathon even at the age of sixty.
'예순의 나이' is a common idiomatic way to say 'the age of sixty'.
벌써 예순 명이나 신청을 했네요.
Already sixty people have applied.
Adverb '벌써' (already) with '나' (surprise).
이 공장에서는 하루에 옷을 예순 벌 만듭니다.
This factory makes sixty sets of clothes a day.
Counter '벌' for clothes.
예순 가지 색깔의 크레파스가 있어요.
There are sixty colors of crayons.
Counter '가지' for types or kinds.
어머니께서는 예순 살 생신을 조용히 보내셨다.
My mother spent her 60th birthday quietly.
Honorific '께서' and '보내셨다'.
그 회사는 설립된 지 예순 해가 넘었습니다.
It has been over sixty years since that company was founded.
Grammar 'ㄴ 지 ... 넘다' (more than ... since).
예순 번을 넘게 시도했지만 실패했어요.
I tried more than sixty times but failed.
Counter '번' for times/iterations.
예순이라는 나이는 새로운 시작일 수 있습니다.
The age called sixty can be a new beginning.
Quotation form '-(이)라는' used to define a concept.
그 작가는 예순 편의 단편 소설을 발표했습니다.
The author published sixty short stories.
Counter '편' for literary works/movies.
예순 명 남짓한 사람들이 모여 항의했다.
About sixty people gathered to protest.
Suffix '남짓' meaning 'a little more than'.
전통 시장에는 예순 가지가 넘는 나물이 있다.
In the traditional market, there are over sixty types of herbs.
Noun + '가지' (types) + '넘는' (exceeding).
그의 얼굴에는 예순 해의 고단함이 묻어 있었다.
Sixty years of hardship were etched on his face.
Metaphorical use of '예순 해'.
예순 개의 부품을 조립해야 완성됩니다.
It must be assembled from sixty parts to be finished.
Passive form '완성됩니다'.
그는 예순 살에 비로소 진정한 사랑을 찾았다.
At sixty, he finally found true love.
Adverb '비로소' (finally/for the first time).
예순 척의 배가 항구에 정박해 있습니다.
Sixty ships are anchored in the harbor.
Counter '척' for ships.
인생의 예순 고개를 넘는 기분은 어떠신가요?
How does it feel to cross the 'sixty ridge' of life?
Metaphorical use of '고개' (mountain pass) for decades of life.
예순 줄에 들어서니 건강의 중요성을 절감합니다.
Entering my sixties, I deeply realize the importance of health.
'예순 줄' is an idiomatic expression for being in one's sixties.
그 화가는 예순 점의 연작을 통해 생명의 근원을 탐구했다.
The painter explored the source of life through a series of sixty works.
Counter '점' for pieces of art.
예순 해라는 긴 세월 동안 변치 않는 우정을 유지해 왔다.
They have maintained an unchanging friendship for sixty long years.
Present perfect continuous equivalent '유지해 왔다'.
예순 명 규모의 오케스트라가 웅장한 연주를 선보였다.
A sixty-member orchestra gave a grand performance.
Noun '규모' (scale/size).
그 노신사는 예순의 나이가 무색할 만큼 정정하셨다.
The elderly gentleman was so healthy that his age of sixty was put to shame.
Grammar '-이 무색할 만큼' (to the point of making ... pale in comparison).
예순 고랑의 밭을 일구는 것은 쉬운 일이 아니었다.
Tilling sixty furrows of the field was no easy task.
Counter '고랑' for furrows in a field.
예순 명에 달하는 위원들이 회의에 참석했습니다.
As many as sixty committee members attended the meeting.
Grammar '에 달하는' (reaching/amounting to).
예순의 문턱에서 바라본 삶은 관조와 달관의 연속이었다.
Life viewed from the threshold of sixty was a series of contemplation and transcendence.
'문턱' (threshold) used metaphorically.
예순 해 풍파를 견뎌낸 고택의 기둥은 여전히 단단했다.
The pillars of the old house, having weathered sixty years of storms, were still solid.
Metaphorical '풍파' (wind and waves/hardships).
그의 문학 세계는 예순 권의 저서 속에 고스란히 녹아 있다.
His literary world is fully melted into his sixty volumes of books.
Counter '권' for books; adverb '고스란히' (entirely).
예순 명 남짓의 결사대가 성문을 지키기 위해 사투를 벌였다.
A suicide squad of about sixty men fought a desperate battle to protect the castle gate.
Archaic/Military context '결사대' (suicide squad).
인생 예순은 공자가 말한 이순의 경지에 다다르는 시기이다.
The age of sixty in life is the time to reach the stage of 'Isun' as mentioned by Confucius.
Direct reference to '이순' (ear-obedience).
예순 마디의 대사 속에 주인공의 고뇌가 집약되어 있었다.
The protagonist's anguish was concentrated within sixty lines of dialogue.
Counter '마디' for words/phrases/lines.
예순 굽이의 길을 돌아 마침내 고향 땅을 밟았다.
After turning sixty bends in the road, I finally stepped on my hometown soil.
Counter '굽이' for bends/turns.
그의 예순 해 인생 역정은 한 편의 대하소설과도 같았다.
His sixty-year life journey was like a multi-volume epic novel.
Simile '와/과도 같다'.
تلازمات شائعة
العبارات الشائعة
— To be sixty years old.
그는 나이가 예순이지만 청년 같아요.
— To pass the age of sixty.
예순을 넘기니 몸이 예전 같지 않아요.
— The 60th birthday (honorific).
예순 살 생신을 진심으로 축하드립니다.
— Sixty times.
예순 번이나 전화를 했어요.
— Sixty years.
예순 해 동안 한 동네에서 살았어요.
— Sixty people.
예순 명의 사람이 모였습니다.
— A pack of sixty.
이 상자는 예순 개들이 포장입니다.
— Sixty pages.
예순 쪽부터 읽으세요.
— Sixty animals.
닭 예순 마리를 키워요.
— 60th birthday (neutral).
오늘이 제 예순 번째 생일입니다.
تعبيرات اصطلاحية
— To enter one's sixties.
벌써 예순 줄에 들어서니 감회가 새롭다.
Common— To pass the age of sixty (metaphorically crossing a mountain ridge).
예순 고개를 넘으니 인생이 보인다.
Literary— The threshold of sixty.
예순의 문턱에서 지난 삶을 돌아본다.
Poetic— Sixty years of life's hardships.
예순 해 풍파를 다 겪은 노인.
Literary— Metaphor for a long story or many words.
예순 마디 말보다 한 번의 행동이 중요하다.
Common— To look much younger or act much more energetically than sixty.
그는 예순의 나이가 무색하게 테니스를 잘 친다.
Common— A person who is sixty years old (slightly informal/blunt).
예순 살 박이 영감이 힘도 세다.
Informal— To be approaching sixty.
이제 나도 예순을 바라보는 나이가 되었다.
Common— The wisdom that comes with being sixty.
그의 말에는 예순의 지혜가 담겨 있다.
Honorific— Metaphor for a large amount of farm work or life's labor.
예순 고랑 밭을 다 매고 나니 해가 졌다.
Traditionalعائلة الكلمة
الأسماء
الأفعال
مرتبط
احفظها
وسيلة تذكّر
Think: 'Yes, soon' I will be 60! (Ye-sun).
ربط بصري
Imagine a 60th birthday cake with 6 large candles, and the word '예순' written in frosting.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Try to count from 50 to 70 in native Korean: 쉰, 쉰하나... 예순, 예순하나... 일흔.
أصل الكلمة
The word '예순' is a pure Korean (native) numeral. It has been used since the Middle Korean period, appearing in texts like the Seokbo Sangjeol (1447).
المعنى الأصلي: Sixty (60).
Koreanic (Indigenous).السياق الثقافي
Be respectful when discussing age; use honorifics like '연세' and '이십니다' when referring to someone who is 예순.
In English-speaking cultures, 60 is often seen as the start of 'senior' status or approaching retirement. Similarly in Korea, '예순' is the threshold of elderhood.
Summary
Mastering '예순' is essential for natural-sounding Korean, especially when discussing age (예순 살). Always remember to pair it with native counters and distinguish it from the Sino-Korean '육십' used in formal or mathematical contexts.
- 예순 is the native Korean number for 60, used for age, people, and objects.
- It is distinct from the Sino-Korean '육십', which is used for money and time.
- The word does not change its form when followed by a counter like '살' or '개'.
- It is a key vocabulary word for describing family members and life milestones in Korea.
مثال
우리 할머니는 예순 살이세요.
محتوى ذو صلة
هذه الكلمة بلغات أخرى
مزيد من كلمات numbers
대략
A1تقريباً؛ بشكل عام. يستخدم لإعطاء تقدير تقريبي.
여덟째
A1الثامن. يستخدم للإشارة إلى المركز الثامن في تسلسل.
여든
A1ثمانون (رقم كوري أصلي لعد العمر والأشياء). ثمانون (للعمر والساعات وكميات العناصر).
다섯째
A1الخامس. يستخدم للإشارة إلى الترتيب في سلسلة.
넷째
A1كلمة 넷째 تعني 'الرابع' بالأرقام الكورية الأصلية.
절반
A1نصف الكل مقسم إلى جزأين متساويين.
아흔
A1الرقم تسعون في اللغة الكورية الأصلية.
아홉째
A1التاسع. يستخدم للإشارة إلى المركز التاسع في سلسلة.
차례
A1جاء دوري (차례) الآن.
부분
A1جزء أو قسم من الكل. يتم استخدامه للإشارة إلى منطقة معينة من كائن أو فكرة.
