20,000 in Korean
20,000 in Other Languages
About 20,000 in Korean
In Korean, 20,000 is written and spoken as 이만 (iman). The ordinal form — used for rankings, dates, and sequences — is 이만째 (imanjae).
Numerically, 20,000 is an even integer. You'll encounter 20,000 in Korean in many practical contexts: shopping, transportation, appointments, and everyday small talk.
Learning 20,000 in Korean is a step toward real communicative confidence. Numbers are unavoidable — they appear in every aspect of daily life, from prices and timetables to addresses and phone calls.
Learning Numbers in Korean
What makes Korean numbers challenging
Two complete number systems (Sino-Korean and native Korean) must be used in the right contexts — using the wrong one sounds unnatural. Native Korean numbers change form when combined with counters (hana becomes han, dul becomes du, set becomes se). Like Japanese, Korean groups large numbers by 10,000 (만/man), requiring English speakers to mentally regroup. Sino-Korean numbers are short monosyllables (il, i, sam) that can blur together at speed. Knowing which system to use (Sino for dates/money/phone, native for counting/age) is essential.
Tips for learning Korean numbers
Learn Sino-Korean numbers first — they are simpler, shorter, and cover phone numbers, dates, prices, and addresses. Then learn native Korean 1-99 for counting objects and telling age. Practice the man (10,000) grouping system with Korean won amounts (prices are usually in thousands or ten-thousands). For phone numbers, Sino-Korean is always used. KakaoTalk conversations often include numbers, making them good practice material.