백
baek[pɛk̚]
The English phrase "one hundred" is translated into Korean as 백 (baek).
백 is used to express the number that comes after ninety-nine.
How do you pronounce it?
baek
Did you know?
- In Korean, the word 백 is used as a prefix in '백화점', which means 'department store' and literally translates to 'white market'.
- Be careful with your pronunciation, as the word 백 can also mean 'white' depending on the Chinese character used. Context is the only way to distinguish between the number and the color.
- While you might learn 백 in class, there was originally a native Korean word for one hundred, 온, which is now mostly obsolete. You will primarily encounter the Sino-Korean version in modern speech.
Examples in context
- 백 명One hundred peopleThis sentence is useful for demonstrating how to use 백 with a counter for people.
- 칠백오십Seven hundred and fifty
- 백 원이 남았어요.baek won-i nam-asseo-yo.One hundred won is left.
- 백 점 만점이에요.baek jeom man-jeom-i-e-yo.It is out of one hundred points.
Example conversation
Dohyeon and Minji are discussing the price of a snack.
- 도현 Do-hyeon이 과자는 얼마예요?i gwa-ja-neun eol-ma-ye-yo?How much is this snack?
- 민지 Min-ji백 원이에요.baek won-i-e-yo.It is one hundred won.
- 도현 Do-hyeon정말 싸네요!jeong-mal ssa-ne-yo!It's really cheap!
- 민지 Min-ji네, 맞아요.ne, ma-ja-yo.Yes, that's right.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 백, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
