N+어치

Overview

The ending -어치 is attached to nouns that denote a price, an amount, or a duration. It signifies the quantity or value that corresponds to that specific price, amount, or period. Essentially, it answers the question of 'how much [something] can you get for [this price/amount/time]?' or 'what is the equivalent value of [this price/amount/time] in terms of goods/services?'.

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Usage

-어치 is primarily used to express the amount or quantity of goods, services, or resources that can be obtained or are equivalent to a given monetary value, a general amount, or a period of time. It's commonly seen in contexts related to shopping, budgeting, and planning. For instance, '만 원어치' means '10,000 won's worth' of something, indicating the quantity of items you can buy with 10,000 won. It can also be used with time-related nouns like '한 달어치' (a month's worth) to refer to the amount of something needed or consumed over that period.

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Conjugation Rules

-어치 is straightforward to use as it simply attaches directly to a noun.

• Noun + 어치
  • Examples: 만 원 + 어치 → 만 원어치 (10,000 won's worth)
  • Examples: 한 달 + 어치 → 한 달어치 (a month's worth)

There are no complex conjugation rules based on final consonants or vowels; it is always attached as -어치.

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Knowledge Plus

While most frequently used with monetary values (e.g., 오천 원어치, 십만 원어치), -어치 can also be applied to nouns indicating a general amount or duration. For example, '하루어치' (a day's worth) or '일 년어치' (a year's worth) are common expressions. It emphasizes the sufficiency or quantity that corresponds to the preceding noun. It's a very practical expression for everyday conversations, especially when discussing purchases, provisions, or supplies.