Key Facts
- Hangul: 10월 (시월); Revised Romanization: siwol
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 十月 (十 ten + 月 month)
- Register: Neutral, standard month name.
October in Korean: What Does 10월 (시월) Mean?
시월 names the tenth month of the calendar, and it is the standard, neutral month name in every setting. In writing you will usually see the digits 10월, but you read them 시월. In Korea this month brings cool air and autumn leaves.
How Do You Pronounce 10월 (시월)?
Say si-wol. The number ten on its own is 십 (sip), but in the month name its final ㅂ is dropped, so there is no p or b sound before wol.
Example Sentences with 10월 (시월)
10월에는 단풍이 예뻐요.
Siworeneun danpungi yeppeoyo
The autumn leaves are pretty in October.
The month takes 에는 to set the time, then the sentence describes the scenery. 단풍 means autumn leaves, which reach peak colour this month.
10월은 날씨가 시원해요.
Siworeun nalssiga siwonhaeyo
The weather is cool in October.
Here 10월 is the topic, marked with 은, and 날씨가 시원해요 says the weather is pleasantly cool.
한글날은 10월 9일이에요.
Hangeullareun siwol guirieyo
Hangul Day is October 9.
A date sentence: month first, then the day, then the ending 이에요. Notice Korean dates run from the biggest unit to the smallest.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Four patterns cover most needs. 10월 초 and 10월 말 give early and late October, 10월에 means in October, and 10월 9일 gives a full date.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 10월 초 | early October |
| 10월 말 | late October |
| 10월에 | in October |
| 10월 9일 | October 9th |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 십월 (sibwol)
Correct: ✓ 시월, written 10월
Why: October is irregular. The ㅂ of 십 drops, and standard spelling follows the sound, so the month is 시월 when written in Hangul and when spoken. June is the other irregular month.
10월 (시월) Compared with 십 and 한글날 and 단풍
The word most likely to trip you up is the bare number.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 십 | ten (Sino-Korean) | The number alone is 십, but the month drops the ㅂ: 시월. |
| 한글날 | Hangul Day | 한글날 is the holiday on October 9, one day inside the month. |
| 단풍 | autumn leaves | 단풍 is the autumn foliage that peaks in October, not a time word. |
Hangul Day (한글날) falls on October 9 and is a public holiday celebrating the Korean alphabet, which is why this month is so often tied to that word.
Where Does the Word Come From?
The month is Sino-Korean, from 十月: 十 (ten) plus 月 (month). The hanja explain the meaning; the irregular reading is the part you have to memorise.
Planning an October Visit
Two friends are arranging a visit to Seoul. One asks for the month first and then narrows the question to the beginning or end of October.
Friend A
언제 서울에 와요?
Eonje Seoure wayo?
When are you coming to Seoul?
Friend B
10월에 가요.
Siwore gayo.
I’m going in October.
Friend A
10월 초에 와요?
Siwol choe wayo?
Are you coming in early October?
Friend B
아니요, 10월 말에 가요.
Aniyo, siwol mare gayo.
No, I’m going in late October.
The friend in Seoul uses 와요, “come”, while the visitor uses 가요, “go”. Both refer to the same trip from different locations. The month stays 시월 in speech in all the date phrases; adding 에 does not bring back the ㅂ of 십.
Early, Middle and Late October
10월 초 means early October, 10월 중순 means mid-October, and 10월 말 means late October or the end of October. These phrases give an approximate part of the month. They do not identify a particular date, so a ticket booking still needs a day number.
Keep a space between 10월 and 초, 중순 or 말. The particle attaches to the last part: 10월 초에 means in early October, and 10월 말에 means in late October. Compare those with 10월에, which leaves the part of the month open. This is useful when travel plans are still flexible.
Where Will You Read 10월?
Calendars, event posters and school notices commonly write the month as 10월. A heading may stop there because the year is already shown elsewhere. In a full Korean date, the year comes before the month and the day follows it. Read the month as 시월 even when the page uses digits.
A phrase such as 10월까지 means until or by October, depending on what is happening. 10월부터 means from October onward. On an enrolment notice, these particles can change whether October is the starting point or the limit. The month name itself gives no deadline; read the attached particle and any exact day alongside it.
Calendar Words to Learn with October
| Korean | Meaning | One useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 9월 | September | The month immediately before October. |
| 11월 | November | The month immediately after October. |
| 가을 | autumn; fall | A season, so it covers more than one month. |
| 날짜 | date | Ask about this when the month alone is not precise enough. |
The Korean months lesson teaches the full calendar set. Its month names help you recognise the number-plus-월 pattern, while October needs its own remembered reading. For plans, pair the month with a date rather than assuming an autumn event happens throughout October.
Quick Self-Test
- How do you read 10월 aloud?
- Does 10월 말 mean early or late October?
- Which means “from October”: 10월부터 or 10월까지?
Show answers
- 시월 (siwol).
- Late October or the end of October.
- 10월부터. The particle 부터 marks the starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say October in Korean?
Write 10월 and read it 시월 (siwol), said si-wol. It is the tenth month and one of only two months with an irregular reading.
Is October 십월 in Korean?
No. Ten is 십, but in the month name the ㅂ drops, so October is 시월 in speech and in Hangul spelling. 십월 is a common learner error.
What happens on October 9 in Korea?
October 9 is Hangul Day (한글날), a public holiday celebrating the Korean alphabet. Read the date 10월 9일 as siwol guil.
How do I say in October?
Add the time particle 에 to get 10월에. With 는 for contrast it becomes 10월에는, as in 10월에는 단풍이 예뻐요.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: time months vocabulary groups 10월 (시월) with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add it to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next after this page comes November, on the page for November, and the holiday has its own page for 한글날.