세

se · TOPIK 1

three (modifier)

세 sounds like say: say three before a counter (세 개 = three things)

세 is the short form of 셋 (set), the native Korean three. Drop the final ㅅ when a counter follows: 셋 alone, but 세 개, 세 명, 세 시. Same pattern as 하나→한, 둘→두, 넷→네.

More Korean words · How Korean works