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한국어
억 — meaning in English: Billion
eog · Learn this word with quizzes, examples and more on Maspeak.
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billion
콘서트
konseoteu
가을
ga
티켓
tikes
억
eog
자금 조달
jageum jodal
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neutral
common
Usage
Native speakers often use '억' when discussing large sums of money, especially in financial contexts like business meetings or budgeting. For instance, someone might say, '이번 프로젝트에 5억 원이 필요해요' (We need 500 million won for this project). Additionally, it's common in media reports discussing national budgets or corporate earnings.
Synonyms & nuances
'억' is often compared with '만' (ten thousand). While '만' is used for smaller amounts and is common in everyday conversations, '억' is reserved for discussing significant figures, making it essential for business contexts. You would choose '억' when referring specifically to amounts in the hundreds of millions and beyond.
Culture
'억' is derived from the traditional Korean numerical system, where it represents a billion as a way to quantify large amounts. In Korean culture, understanding numbers at this scale is vital, particularly in business and economics, where billion-won investments are commonplace. Interestingly, the concept of billion in Korea also reflects the country's rapid economic growth and the increasing importance of financial literacy among its citizens.
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