To count in Japan, you have to go beyond learning traditional numeracy, because it all depends on what you want to count. We explain you everything!
Since the Meiji era (1868-1912) and the western influence, Japanese people use both Arabic and Japanese numbers to count. Knowing and knowing how to read the latter is very important in everyday life and can help you avoid any bad surprises when paying the bill in izakaya, traditional Japanese bars!
From 0-10
零 (rei) = 0
一 (ichi) = 1
二 (ni) = 2
三 (san) = 3
四 (yon / shi) 4
五 (go) 5
六 (roku) 6
七 (shichi ou nana) 7
八 (hachi) 8
九 (kyū / ku) 9
十 (jū) 10
From 11-99
To make up the numbers from 11 to 99, you just need to combine the numbers from 1 to 10. For example, the number 11 is the combination of 10 and 1, so 十一 (jū ichi) = 11.
十二 (jū ni) = 12
二十 (ni jū) = 20
三十 (san jū) = 30
五十九 (go jū kyū) = 59
100 and above
百 (hyaku) = 100
千 (sen) = 1000
万 (man) = 10000
十万 (jū man) = 100000
百万 (hyaku man) = 1million
千万 (sen man) = 10 million
Some kanji are easily changed (一 is easily changed into 十). In order to avoid criminal acts, official, legal and financial documents have formal characters in addition called daiji "large characters".
The Japanese use a special suffix after the number to count people, animals, objects or to express a duration, an age, or a frequency. This counting system, also used in China and Korea, may seem confusing. In this case, learning is the golden rule!
人 (jin / nin) = People
頭 (tō) = Large animals
羽 (wa) = Birds and rabbits
匹 (hiki) = Small animals (cats, dogs, fish, insects…)
枚 (May) = Fine and flat objects (stamps, sheets ...)
台 (dai) = Technological objects (cars, television ...)
本 (hon) = Long and cylindrical objects (pencils, fingers, trees, umbrella ...)
個 (ko) = Very small objects
着 (chaku) = Clothes
冊 (satsu) = Related objects (books, dictionaries, magazines)
足 (soku) = Objects worn on the feet (socks, shoes ...)
For numbers between 101 and 199, you need to add the prefix “hyaku.” For example, 112 is “hyaku juu-ni.” Two hundred is two times 100, so you simply have to add 2 (“ni”) before “hyaku.”
The number four (4) is called either “yon” or “shi” in Japanese. In the case of four you can say any of those. But for other words, like “death” (死）that is also pronounced “shi”, you can't change it for “yon”. In other words, “shi” and “yon” are both words that represents the number four.
It is known that Japanese tend to be superstitious. There are certain things or circ*mstances that are uniquely explained sometimes through superstitious beliefs. One of those things are the concept about Lucky Numbers! Did you know that the number 3 is considered as one of the lucky numbers in Japan?
Traditionally, 4 is unlucky because it is sometimes pronounced shi, which is the word for death. Sometimes levels or rooms with 4 do not exist in hospitals or hotels. Particularly in the maternity section of a hospital, the room number 43 is avoided because it can literally mean "stillbirth".
To say numbers in Japanese, start by learning the numbers up to 10: ichi (1), ni (2), san (3), yon (4), go (5), roku (6), nana (7), hatchi (8), kyu (9) and juu (10).
The fractional unit in Japanese is 分 (ぶん, pronounced “bun”), a counter that denotes the part of a whole. When used in fractions, 分 refers to the numerator (the top part of the fraction). For example, in the fraction 1/2, “1” is the numerator, so you would say 一分 (いちぶん, pronounced “ichibun”).
Introduction: My name is Terrell Hackett, I am a gleaming, brainy, courageous, helpful, healthy, cooperative, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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