Level 5

-당

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Usage of '-당'

The suffix '-당' is used to indicate 'per' or 'each' in terms of quantity, frequency, or allocation. It attaches to nouns representing units such as people, items, or time periods.

Common contexts

'-당' is frequently used in everyday situations like pricing (per person), distribution (per student), or scheduling (per month). It helps specify how something is divided or counted.

Collocations and patterns

  • 사람당 (per person): used when calculating or distributing by individual.
  • 학생당 (per student): common in educational contexts.
  • 달당 (per month): used for time-based frequency.

Register and nuance

'-당' is neutral and commonly used in both spoken and written Korean. It is neither formal nor informal but fits well in polite contexts.

Common learner mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse '-당' with '-마다', which also means 'every' or 'each'. The difference is that '-당' emphasizes division or allocation per unit, while '-마다' emphasizes repetition or occurrence at intervals. For example, '사람당' means 'per person' (division), whereas '사람마다' means 'every person' (each individual considered separately).

Example Sentences

이 가게는 한 사람당 10,000원씩 계산합니다.

I gage neun han saramdang 10,000 wonssik gyesanhapnida.

This store charges 10,000 won per person.

학생당 한 권의 책을 배부했습니다.

Haksaengdang han gwon ui chaekeul baebuhayeotseumnida.

One book was distributed per student.

회의는 한 달당 한 번 열립니다.

Hoeuineun han daldang han beon yeollimnida.

The meeting is held once per month.