Meaning and Usage
The Korean word '살' is used to indicate a person's age in years. It is a noun that follows a number to express how many years old someone is. This is one of the most common ways to talk about age in everyday conversation.
Common Collocations
- '몇 살' (myeot sal): "how old" — used to ask someone's age.
- '[number] 살' (e.g., 스물다섯 살): to state someone's age.
- '살이 많다/적다': literally means "to have much/little flesh," but be careful as this is unrelated to age.
Usage Notes
When stating age, '살' is combined with a number and followed by the polite ending, e.g., '스물다섯 살이에요.'
Avoid confusing '살' meaning "age" with '살' meaning "flesh" or "fat," which is a different noun but spelled the same. Context usually makes the meaning clear.
Politeness and Register
'살' is neutral and used in both formal and informal contexts when talking about age. The politeness level depends on the verb ending used after it, not on '살' itself.
Example Patterns
- Asking age: '몇 살이에요?'
- Stating age: '[number] 살이에요.'
- Talking about age in the past or future: '[number] 살 때' (when [someone] was [number] years old).