열여덟
yeoryeodeol[jʌ̹ʎʎʌ̹dʌ̹ɭ]
The English word eighteen is expressed in Korean as either 열여덟 (yeoryeodeol) or 십팔. If unsure, use 열여덟.
Meaning: cardinal number (num)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 열여덟 | yeoryeodeol | [jʌ̹ʎʎʌ̹dʌ̹ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 십팔 | sip'pal | [ɕʰip̚pʰa̠ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Which one should you use?
The native Korean form 열여덟 is used when counting items or people, or when expressing age in years.
How do you pronounce it?
yeoryeodeol
Did you know?
- While 십팔 is the mathematical way to say 'eighteen', it is homophonous with a very common, highly offensive Korean swear word used to express anger.
- In Korean music and pop culture, the number 십팔 is often censored or replaced with other words to avoid the association with profanity.
- The character used for 'eight' in the Sino-Korean 십팔, which is '八', is also used in many other East Asian languages like Chinese and Japanese.
Examples in context
- 학교에 열여덟 명의 학생이 있습니다.There are eighteen students in the school.
- 내 친구는 열여덟이야.My friend is eighteen.
- 크리스마스 파티에 열여덟 명이 참석할 거야.Eighteen people will attend the Christmas party.
- 열여덟 살이에요.yeol-yeodeol sal-i-e-yo.I am eighteen years old.
- 사과가 열여덟 개 있어요.sa-gwa-ga yeol-yeodeol gae is-seo-yo.There are eighteen apples.
- 계란이 열여덟 개 필요해요.gye-ran-i yeol-yeodeol gae pil-yo-hae-yo.I need eighteen eggs.
Example conversation
Minjun and Jieun are counting books on a shelf.
- 민준 Min-jun지은 씨, 책이 모두 몇 권이에요?Jieun ssi, chaegi modu myeot gwon-ieyo?Jieun, how many books are there in total?
- 지은 Ji-eun여기 열여덟 권 있어요.yeogi yeol-yeodeol gwon isseoyo.There are eighteen books here.
- 민준 Min-jun정말 많네요!jeongmal manteuneyo!That is really a lot!
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 생각보다 많아요.ne, saenggak-boda manayo.Yes, there are more than I thought.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eighteen” translations and entries 열여덟, 십팔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 십팔, 열여덟, CC BY-SA 4.0.
