씩 Each Particle: Meaning, Rules and Examples

The 씩 each particle is a Korean suffix that attaches to a number and a counter to mean "each", "per" or "at a time". Write it right after the quantity, as in 한 개씩 (one each) and 두 번씩 (two times each). After this lesson you can say how often and how many at a time.

What you'll learn

• Attach 씩 to a number and counter to say "one each", "twice a day" or "two at a time".
• Build a frequency sentence such as 하루에 두 번씩 먹어요 from its parts.
• Distinguish 씩 from 마다 (every) and 각 (each) in a new sentence.
• Diagnose the error in 사람씩 and fix it.

Before you start: you know the native Korean numbers up to ten and a few counters such as 개 (items), 명 (people) and 번 (times), and you can read a sentence with 은/는 and 을/를. Estimated time: 20 minutes.

What Does the 씩 Each Particle Mean?

The 씩 each particle means "each", "per" or "at a time". It tells the listener that an amount is shared out in equal portions or repeated in equal rounds. A quantity here means a number plus its counter, such as 한 개 (one item) or 두 번 (two times).

Compare two sentences. 사과를 두 개 먹어요 means "I eat two apples", in total. 사과를 두 개씩 먹어요 means "I eat two apples each time", so the total depends on how many times you eat. The only difference is 씩, and it changes "a total" into "a portion repeated".

A note on the label. The Standard Korean Dictionary (표준국어대사전, from the National Institute of Korean Language) classifies 씩 as a suffix (접미사), a small word part that cannot stand alone. Most learner grammars file it with the auxiliary particles (보조사) because it sits after a quantity and adds meaning in the same way a particle does. This lesson uses the learner label and keeps the dictionary label in mind.

A First Example

Two sentences show the two most common patterns. The first counts how often something happens. The second shares people out one by one.

• 하루에 두 번씩 먹어요. (harue du beonssik meogeoyo) [하루에 두 번씩 머거요] = "I take it twice a day." Word by word: 하루 (one day) + 에 (in, per) + 두 번 (two times) + 씩 (each) + 먹어요 (eat, take).

• 한 사람씩 들어오세요. (han saramssik deureooseyo) [한 사람씩 드러오세요] = "Please come in one at a time." Word by word: 한 사람 (one person) + 씩 (each) + 들어오세요 (please come in).

Notice two things. First, 씩 sits directly on the quantity with no space: 두 번씩, not 두 번 씩. Second, the verb at the end carries the politeness, while 씩 never changes. The next section shows how to build the quantity that 씩 needs.

How Does the 씩 Each Particle Work?

The 씩 each particle works in one step: put 씩 after a quantity. Nothing else changes, because 씩 has one form and does not depend on whether the word before it ends in a vowel or a consonant.

1. Choose a number. For small counts, Korean uses the native numbers: 한 (1), 두 (2), 세 (3), 네 (4).
2. Add a counter that fits what you count: 개 for items, 명 or 사람 for people, 번 for times, 분 for minutes.
3. Attach 씩 with no space: 두 번씩.
4. For frequency, put a time word and 에 in front: 하루에 두 번씩, 일주일에 세 번씩. Then finish with the verb.

The counters themselves have their own lessons, starting with the overview of Korean counters. The numbers 한, 두, 세, 네 are the short forms used before a counter, and they are covered in native Korean numbers.

Pattern Table

The table shows common quantities with 씩, the full phrase and what it means. Brackets show pronunciation where it differs from the spelling.

Which Words Can Take 씩?

Three kinds of words take 씩. All three describe an amount.

• Number + counter: 한 개씩, 두 명씩, 세 번씩. This is the main use.
• Bare native numbers: 하나씩, 둘씩, 셋씩, used when the thing counted is already clear. The words are the stand-alone forms of the numbers.
• Amount words: 조금씩 (a little at a time) and 가끔씩 (now and then). These words state a rough amount or frequency, so they can take 씩 as well.

A rule of thumb: if you can ask "how many?" or "how much?" of the word before 씩, the word can take it. 날 (day) answers "which?", not "how many?", so 날씩 fails. The pattern is now clear, so the next section builds a full sentence from scratch.

Worked Example, Step by Step

This worked example builds 하루에 두 번씩 먹어요 ("I take it twice a day") from its parts. Each step names one decision, so you can repeat the process with any frequency.

1. Choose the time frame. You want "per day", which is 하루 (one day). Other frames: 일주일 (one week), 한 달 (one month).
2. Mark the frame with 에. 에 here means "in" or "per": 하루에. The particle 에 has its own lesson on the time particle 에.
3. Choose the count and counter. "Twice" is 두 번: the number 두 plus the counter 번 (times).
4. Attach 씩. Write it with no space: 두 번씩. Now the phrase means "two times each day".
5. Choose the verb. Medicine is "eaten" in Korean, so use 먹다 (to eat, to take).
6. Put the verb last and make it polite. 먹다 becomes 먹어요 in the polite style, giving 하루에 두 번씩 먹어요.
7. Say it aloud. 먹어요 is pronounced [머거요], because the final ㄱ of 먹 slides into the empty ㅇ of 어. The whole sentence is [하루에 두 번씩 머거요].

You'll know it worked when you can swap the parts and still make sense. Replace the frame and count: 일주일에 세 번씩 운동해요 (I exercise three times a week). Replace the verb: 하루에 한 번씩 전화해요 (I call once a day). The same steps also help you handle the closest neighbours of 씩, which come next.

How Is 씩 Different from 마다 and 각?

The 씩 each particle follows a quantity and shares out an amount, 마다 follows a noun and means "every", and 각 comes before a noun and means "each". All three can be translated as "each" or "every", which is why learners mix them up.

The three can work together. In 사람마다 두 개씩 받아요 (sarammada du gaessik badayo), "Each person gets two", 마다 picks out the people and 씩 gives the portion. The lesson on the 마다 every particle covers 마다 in depth.

Do not confuse 씩 with the "only" particle either. 한 개만 먹어요 means "I eat only one", and 한 개씩 먹어요 means "I eat one each time". The first limits the amount, and the second repeats it. The only particle 만 has its own lesson. The comparison shows where 씩 fits among its neighbours, so the next question is when to reach for it.

When Do You Use 씩, and When Not?

Use 씩 for frequency, equal portions, one-by-one order and gradual change. Avoid it after plain nouns and after words that do not state an amount.

Four Common Uses

Each use comes with one sentence you can reuse.

1. Frequency. 하루에 세 번씩 약을 먹어요. (harue se beonssik yageul meogeoyo) = I take the medicine three times a day.
2. Equal portions. 학생들에게 사과를 한 개씩 줬어요. (haksaengdeurege sagwareul han gaessik jwosseoyo) = I gave each student one apple.
3. One by one or in groups. 두 명씩 짝을 지으세요. (du myeongssik jjageul jieuseyo) = Please form pairs, two people each.
4. Gradual change. 날씨가 조금씩 추워져요. (nalssiga jogeumssik chuwojyeoyo) = The weather is getting colder little by little.

Where 씩 Does Not Go

Three places cause trouble. In each, the word before 씩 does not state an amount.

1. After a plain noun. 사람씩 and 날씩 are wrong because 사람 and 날 name things, not amounts. Say 한 사람씩 (one person at a time) or 날마다 (every day).
2. After a time word with no count. 매일씩 is wrong because 매일 means "every day" and already spreads the action. Add an amount: 매일 삼십 분씩 걸어요 is fine, because 삼십 분 is an amount.
3. Where you mean a total. 씩 shares out an amount, so do not use it when you only state the total: "I ate two apples" is 사과를 두 개 먹었어요, not 두 개씩.

Speech and Writing

The 씩 each particle works in every register: casual talk, polite speech, news, recipes and labels. A medicine label might say 하루 세 번, 한 알씩 (three times a day, one pill each), and a teacher might say 한 명씩 나오세요 (come up one at a time). Only the verb ending changes with politeness, so the knowledge you need is the same everywhere. Knowing the uses is half the job; the other half is spotting the mistakes covered next.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with 씩?

Learners usually make five predictable mistakes with 씩. Each one below follows the pattern "learners often assume X; actually Y, because Z".

1. "씩 means 'each', so it goes after the thing." Learners often write 학생씩 for "each student". Actually 씩 follows an amount, so write 한 학생씩 or 학생마다. The reason: 씩 shares out a number, and 학생 alone has no number.
2. Leaving a space. Learners often write 두 개 씩. Actually 씩 attaches to the quantity with no space: 두 개씩. The Korean spelling rules treat it as a suffix, so it joins the word before it.
3. Treating 씩 as "every". Learners often say 매일씩 for "every day". Actually 매일 and 날마다 already say "every day". 씩 would add the portion: 매일 두 시간씩 (two hours each day).
4. Using 씩 for a total. Learners often put 씩 on every number. Actually 두 개 gives a total and 두 개씩 gives a portion that repeats. Choose 씩 only when more than one round or more than one receiver is involved.
5. Mixing it up with 만 (only). Learners often assume 한 개씩 means "just one". Actually 한 개씩 means "one each", and 한 개만 means "only one". The first stays neutral about the total, and the second sets a limit.

A rule of thumb: ask "one what, and how many times or for whom?" If both parts of the answer exist, 씩 fits. Those checks fix most beginner errors, and the practice set below tests them.

Practice and Answers

These four exercises check the outcomes listed at the top of the lesson. Write or say your answers first, then check them in the answer key.

Exercise 1: Choose the form. Add 씩 only where it is correct, and mark the others with an X.

1. 하루에 세 번__ 약을 먹어요.
2. 학생__ 들어오세요.
3. 사탕을 두 개__ 주세요.
4. 조금__ 좋아져요.

Exercise 2: Fix the error. Each sentence has one problem with 씩.

1. 사람씩 들어오세요.
2. 하루에 두 번 씩 먹어요.

Exercise 3: Translate. "I exercise 30 minutes every day." (exercise = 운동해요, 30 minutes = 삼십 분)

Exercise 4: Write your own. Write one sentence that says how many times a week you do something, using 일주일에, a number, a counter and 씩.

Answer Key

• Exercise 1: 1 세 번씩 (a quantity). 2 X: 학생 has no number, so say 한 학생씩 or 학생마다. 3 두 개씩 (a quantity). 4 조금씩 (an amount word).
• Exercise 2: 1 한 사람씩 들어오세요. 씩 needs a number before it. 2 하루에 두 번씩 먹어요. Remove the space before 씩.
• Exercise 3: 매일 삼십 분씩 운동해요. (maeil samsip bunssik undonghaeyo) The amount 삼십 분 takes 씩, and 매일 stays separate.
• Exercise 4: One model answer: 일주일에 두 번씩 한국어를 공부해요. (iljuire du beonssik hangugeoreul gongbuhaeyo) [일쭈이레 두 번씩 한국어를 공부해요] = I study Korean twice a week. Any activity is correct if 씩 follows a number and counter.

If you missed Exercise 1, return to the "Where 씩 does not go" list. If you missed Exercise 2, reread the mistakes section. The next section points to where to go from here.

Next Lessons and Where to Go from Here

The natural next step is learning how particles stack. The lesson on combining particles 에는 에서도 에게만 shows how 에, 도, 는 and 만 join each other. If the plural marker is new to you, the lesson on the 들 plural marker is useful background. For ranges and approximate amounts, see the 쯤 about particle. The full set sits in Korean auxiliary particles.

What this lesson does not cover. This lesson does not cover how to pick the right counter for each kind of object, or the pronunciation changes inside long numbers. Counters have their own set, and each particle in the auxiliary set has its own page.

In short, the 씩 each particle turns a quantity into a portion or a frequency: attach it to a number and counter with no space, as in 하루에 두 번씩 먹어요.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 씩 mean in Korean? 씩 means "each", "per" or "at a time" after a quantity. 한 개씩 is "one each" or "one at a time", and 하루에 두 번씩 is "twice a day". With words like 조금 (a little) it also gives the sense of gradual change: 조금씩 좋아져요 means "it is getting better little by little".

How do I form a sentence with 씩? Take a number and a counter, such as 두 번 (two times) or 한 개 (one item), and attach 씩 with no space: 두 번씩, 한 개씩. For frequency, put a time word and 에 first: 하루에 두 번씩. Then add the verb at the end: 하루에 두 번씩 먹어요.

What is the most common mistake with 씩? The most common mistake is attaching 씩 to a noun with no number, as in 사람씩 or 날씩. 씩 needs a quantity in front of it. Say 한 사람씩 (one person at a time), or switch to 마다 and say 사람마다 (each person) or 날마다 (every day).

How is 씩 different from 마다 and 각? 씩 follows a quantity and shares it out: 두 개씩 means "two each". 마다 follows a noun and means "every": 날마다 is "every day". 각 is a prefix before a noun and means "each": 각 나라 is "each country". The three often appear together in one sentence.

Do I use 씩 in speech, writing or both? Both. 씩 appears in casual talk, polite speech, instructions, recipes, medicine labels and news writing, because it works with every speech level. Only the verb ending changes with politeness: 두 번씩 먹어요 (polite), 두 번씩 먹는다 (plain written style), 두 번씩 먹습니다 (formal speech).