Japanese Numbers: How to Count from 1 to 100 - Busuu (2024)

FAQs

How do you count over 100 in Japanese? ›

Japanese numbers beyond 100

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.

100,000: juu-man 「10万」 1,000,000: hyaku-man (one million) 「100万」

According to arithmetic progression, natural numbers can be written down as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 to 100. Basically, the sum of the first 100 natural numbers is equal to 5050.

Therefore, 1000 in words is written as One thousand. Learn more about place value here.

123 in words is written as One hundred twenty-three. In both the International System of Numerals and the Indian System of Numerals, 123 is written as One hundred twenty-three.

As a rule, the Japanese one is used when the word is not combined with another character. In case of 'four' there are two Chinese readings: yon and shi. Both of them are correct and most of the times either of them can be used in the same circ*mstances.

零 means 'zero'

How do you say 3 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".

One explanation is that 88 is a lucky number, and believe me, luck is a necessary blessing on this pilgrimage. Earlier than 1689, it was mentioned although briefly in Murasaki Shikibu's Tales of Genji around the 11th century.

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?

For example, the term for 10,000 yen, or about $100, is 'one ten thousand', 一万 ichi-man (then add 'en' for yen). Then for 100,000 yen, about $1,000, it's 'ten ten thousands', 10万 Ju-man. For 100,000,000 it's not 'one hundred million', it's 'one one hundred million', 一億, Ichi-oku. Simple.

As we mentioned, 本 (hon) is a counter for long, thin objects, such as umbrellas, pens, and chopsticks. A sheet of paper is also long and thin, but objects of this shape use the counter 枚 (mai).