Meaning and Usage
"스무째" is a native Korean ordinal number meaning "twentieth." It is used to indicate the 20th item, event, or occurrence in a sequence. This word is often combined with nouns like "생일" (birthday), "프로젝트" (project), or "책" (book) to specify the order.
Common Collocations
- 스무째 생일: twentieth birthday
- 스무째 날: twentieth day
- 스무째 프로젝트: twentieth project
Nuances and Register
"스무째" is a formal and clear way to express the 20th order in counting events or objects. It is more natural in spoken and written Korean than using Sino-Korean numbers with ordinal suffixes for this context.
Learner Tips
Avoid confusing "스무째" with "스무" (twenty) alone. "스무째" specifically marks the ordinal position (20th), not just the number 20. Remember to use it when you want to emphasize the sequence or order.