November in Korean: 11월 (십일월, sibirwol) Meaning

Key Facts

• Hangul: 11월 (십일월); Revised Romanization: sibirwol
• Part of speech: noun
• Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 十一月 (十 ten + 一 one + 月 month)
• Register: Neutral, standard month name.

November in Korean: What Does 11월 (십일월) Mean?

11월 has one sense, November. It is neutral and used in every setting, from calendars to conversation. Late autumn turns cold this month, and it is the season for 김장, making kimchi for the winter.

Pronunciation

Say si-bi-rwol, not sip-il-wol. The final ㅂ of 십 moves into 일, and the ㄹ of 일 moves into 월, because each next syllable starts with a vowel sound. The romanization sibirwol shows both links.

Example Sentences with 11월 (십일월)

11월에는 sets November as the time, with 는 adding contrast. 날씨 means weather, and 추워요 says it is cold.

김장 is the big kimchi-making of late autumn, when families prepare enough kimchi for the winter. 김장을 해요 means do the kimchi-making.

생일 is birthday, and 11월이에요 means "is November". No time marker is needed when the month is the answer.

Phrases That Use 11월 (십일월)

11월 초 is early November, 11월 말 is late November, 11월에 is in November, and 11월 11일 is November 11th.

The Mistake to Avoid

Wrong: ✗ sip-il-wol, read as three separate pieces

Correct: ✓ si-bi-rwol

Why: 십일월 is one word, so the final consonants link into the following vowels. Months also always use Sino-Korean numbers, so the number part is 십일, eleven.

11월 (십일월) Compared with Similar Words

Three words often appear beside November.

Where Does the Word Come From?

十一月 combines 十 (ten), 一 (one) and 月 (month): ten plus one, then month.

Cultural Note

The national college entrance exam (수능) is usually held in mid-November. On exam day, offices start later to keep roads clear, and flights are halted during the English listening section.

Planning a November Trip

Two friends are checking when a trip starts and ends. The dates are examples, so no year or weekday is needed.

Hana

Yuri

Hana

Yuri

몇 월 asks which month. Once November is established, the last line gives the month only once and lets it apply to both dates. 부터 marks the beginning of the trip and 까지 marks its end. 에 in 11월에 answers when the trip happens.

How Do You Write a Full November Date?

Korean dates put the larger unit first: year, then month, then day. 11월 3일 means November 3. 월 marks the month and 일 marks the day, so 11월 and 11일 answer different questions. The first is November; the second is the eleventh day of a month already known from context.

11월 11일 contains eleven twice. Read the month as 십일월 and the day as 십일일. Although the written numerals repeat, their endings tell you what they count. A date such as 11/3 can be ambiguous across countries; writing 11월 3일 makes the Korean month-and-day order explicit.

Use a space between the complete month and day: 11월 3일. Keep each numeral attached to its own unit. On a calendar, the heading 11월 applies to the whole grid, so each box may show only the day number. A calendar box marked 3 under that heading means November 3, without repeating the month.

Phrases for Parts of November

11월 초, 11월 중순, and 11월 말 mean early November, mid-November, and late November. These are useful planning expressions when an exact date is not settled. They identify portions of the month rather than a specific weekday or numbered date.

11월부터 means starting in November; 11월까지 means until November or through November, depending on the activity. A deadline labelled only 11월까지 may still need a precise day and time. When a booking or submission depends on the date, ask for those details rather than assuming the final minute of the month.

Where Will You See 11월?

Calendars, booking screens, event posters, and school notices normally use the numeral form 11월. The Hangul form 십일월 is useful for showing how to read it aloud. The two forms name the same month; the Hangul spelling does not make it a different register.

An event title such as 11월 행사 means a November event or November events. Korean does not need an extra word for ‘of’ between the month and 행사. By contrast, 11월에 places an action in November. The noun after the month or the particle attached to it tells you how the date fits into the message.

Calendar Words to Learn Next

The months lesson teaches the full yearly sequence. November follows the regular number-plus-월 pattern, while October’s reading needs separate attention.

Quick Self-Test

1. What does 11월 3일 mean?
2. How do you say mid-November?
3. Does 11일 alone mean November?

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say November in Korean?

Write 11월 and read it 십일월 (sibirwol). It is the Sino-Korean eleven, 십일, plus 월, month.

How is 십일월 pronounced?

Say si-bi-rwol. The ㅂ of 십 and the ㄹ of 일 both carry over into the next syllable, so there are no breaks inside the word.

What happens in November in Korea?

Many families do 김장, making kimchi for the winter, and the national college entrance exam, 수능, is held in mid-November.

What is early November?

Early November is 11월 초, and late November is 11월 말. 초 marks the start of a period and 말 its end.

Related Words and What to Learn Next

• Theme list: month words groups 11월 (십일월) with its neighbours.
• Index: Korean words A to Z.
• Practice: the vocabulary flashcard decks take this word.
• Next in the list: December in Korean.
• Compare: kimchi making.