Provided are entropy encoding and entropy decoding for video encoding and decoding. The video entropy decoding method includes: determining a bin string and a bin index for a maximum coding unit that is obtained from a bitstream; determining a value of a syntax element by comparing the determined bin string with bin strings that is assignable to the syntax element in the bin index; storing context variables for the maximum coding unit when the syntax element is a last syntax element in the maximum coding unit, a dependent slice segment is includable in a picture in which the maximum coding unit is included, and the maximum coding unit is a last maximum coding unit in a slice segment; and restoring symbols of the maximum coding unit by using the determined value of the syntax element.