N+씩

Overview

The particle -씩 is attached to nouns, most commonly numbers or units of measurement, to indicate that a certain quantity or amount is distributed, given, or taken equally or in fixed portions to each individual or item. It highlights the idea of 'each' or 'per' when talking about division or allocation, ensuring uniformity in distribution.

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Usage

-씩 is primarily used to express that something is divided, distributed, or consumed in equal or consistent amounts among multiple entities or over multiple instances. It often appears with:

• Numbers: To specify how many of something each person or item receives (e.g., 사과 두 개씩 'two apples each').
• Quantifiers/Units: To indicate the amount per unit or instance (e.g., 한 명씩 'one person each', 매일 한 시간씩 'one hour each day').
• It can also be used with adverbs like 조금씩 (little by little) or 천천히씩 (slowly, gradually) to denote a gradual or incremental process.

The core nuance is that the action or distribution applies uniformly to every part or instance, emphasizing a consistent quantity or manner.

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Conjugation Rules

-씩 is a particle that attaches directly to nouns without any changes based on the preceding noun's final consonant or vowel.

• Nouns + 씩
  • 예) 사과 두 개 + 씩 → 사과 두 개씩 (two apples each)
  • 예) 한 명 + 씩 → 한 명씩 (one person each)
  • 예) 매일 한 시간 + 씩 → 매일 한 시간씩 (one hour each day)

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Knowledge Plus

While -씩 is often used with numbers and units, its usage can extend to other nouns to imply 'in that manner' or 'in that kind of way' for each, though this is less common than its quantitative use. For instance, 종류별로씩 (by type each) could imply a distribution where each type is handled separately. It is distinct from -마다, which means 'every' or 'each' but focuses more on the recurrence of an event or item, whereas -씩 specifically emphasizes the quantity or portion distributed to each instance.