Numbers in Japanese: Count in Japanese from 1 to 100 Million (2024)

Numbers in Japanese: Count in Japanese from 1 to 100 Million (1)

Numbers in Japanese can be confusing as it has a different counting system in English, but with practice, you’ll get used to it. Counting from 1 to 10 is probably the easiest first step, but reaching up to a million (or a hundred million) can seem like a pipedream.

We’re breaking down how to count in Japanese, or Japanese numerals, and the Sino-Japanese (onyomi) and native Japanese number system (kunyomi), from beginner-level tenths to millions. Head here for our guide on Japanese counters.

Contents:

  • Basics of Counting Japanese Numbers
  • Counting from 1 to 10,000 in Japanese
  • Japanese numbers above 100,000
  • Numbers in Japanese over 100,000,000

Basics of Counting Japanese Numbers

Sino-Japanese and Yamato Kotoba

Now, let’s take a look at the counting system. Since it advances on a base-ten system, so you’ll be able to use the numbers by learning 1 to 10 and then learning expressions for the digits such as 10, 100 and 1,000.

In writing, number names used in Japanese use the same Chinese numerals — and even follow its grouping system by 10,000.

Now, you’ve probably heard this phrase in Japanese anime before:

1、2、3!
いち、に、さん!
One, two, three!

But if you’ve learned Japanese for a while, you might notice that depending on the object and context, the Japanese word pronunciation for these numbers differs. For example:

一つでお願いします。
ひとつでおねがいします。
Give me one, please.

Notice how the number “one” is both pronounced ichi and hitotsu? That’s because there are two types of pronunciation in Japanese: onyomi(Sino-Japanese) andkunyomi, which is based on original Japanese native words).

Using Japanese native words (or kunyomioryamato kotoba), the number 1 to 10 is pronounced this way:

  1. ひとつ (hitotsu)
  2. ふたつ (futatsu)
  3. みっつ (mittsu)
  4. よっつ (yottsu)
  5. いつつ (itsutsu)
  6. むっつ (muttsu)
  7. ななつ (nanatsu)
  8. やっつ (yattsu)
  9. ここのつ (kokonotsu)
  10. とう (tou)

Unlike the Sino-Japanese numerals, numbers in kunyomi do not need additional counters as it is considered universal. Regardless if it’s a “stick” (本) or a “small item” (個), you can use pronounce the numbers as it is.

紙をひとつください。
Kami o hitotsu kudasai.
Give me one paper.

紙を一枚ください。
Kami o ichimai kudasai.

The bad news? Native Japanese reading goes as far as 10. Beyond that, you’ll have to use the Sino-Japanese reading, which is why that’s the one you’ll use more often.

The tricky part is you will need to use Japanese counters for Sino-Japanese, which depends on the kind of object you’re referring in Japanese.

On the other hand, the word “zero” is often pronounced as a loanword (similar to English) in Japanese:ゼロ. If you’re looking to use the Japanese word, it would be 零 (rei) or まる (maru) which means “circle”. Even Japanese people seldom use零 (rei), so we advise using either ゼロ or まる.

Keep in mind that we use まる to mention individual numbers. For example, you’re trying to confirm your address over a phone call.

郵便番号は102−0072です。
Yuubin bango wa ichi maru ni no maru maru nana ni desu.
My postal code is one-zero-two, and zero-zero-seven-two.

Instead of sayinghyaku ni(102), you’d sayichi-maru-ni. The same goes for 0072. Think of maru as the same way you use “oh” instead of “zero”.

How to Write Numbers in Japanese

Besides the pronunciation, you can actually write two ways for Japanese numbers. The first one is the easier of the two: Arabic numerals, which we all universally use (1, 2, 3, 4).The second one is in Chinese numerals, or kanji (一, 二, 三).

Luckily, most people, even Japanese, don’t use kanji-based numbers. Instead, they’ll use Arab numerals when writing, especially when the number is below 100.

On banks and more formal establishments, you will still encounter Japanese numbers written in kanji for large amounts: a thousand, ten thousand and a hundred thousand.

Now, let’s first learn the digits up to 10,000.

Counting from 1 to 10,000 in Japanese

  • 1: ichi 「いち」
  • 2: ni 「に」
  • 3: san(pronounced as on tenths, hundredths and so on) 「さん」
  • 4: yon or shi 「よん/し」
  • 5: go 「ご」
  • 6: roku 「ろく」
  • 7: nana or shichi 「なな/しち」
  • 8: hachi 「はち」
  • 9: kyuu / ku 「きゅう/く」
  • 10: juu 「じゅう」
  • 100: hyaku (3-byaku/6, 8-ppyaku) 「ひゃく(3びゃく/6,8っぴゃく)」
  • 1,000: sen (3-zen, 8-ssen ) 「せん(3ぜん/8っせん)」
  • 10,000: man 「まん」 「万」

Counting up to 100 in Japanese is relatively easy, as you just need to add the numbers accordingly. Once you can memorize the numbers to 10, it’s all about compounding and adding.

For example, 28 looks like this: ni-juu-hachi (にじゅうはち). Think of it as: 2 (ni) + 10 (juu) + 8 (hachi(). For 10 to 100, leave out 1 (ichi).

Say the numbers as follows:

  • 12: juu-ni (not ichi-juu ni): じゅうに
  • 157: hyaku go-juu nana (not ichi-hyaku go-juu-nana): ひゃく ごじゅう なな
  • 1861: sen ha-ppyaku roku-juu ichi (not ichi sen ha-ppyaku roku-juu ichi): せん はっぴゃく ろくじゅう い

As another example, 369 looks like this: sam-byaku roku-juu-kyuu (さんびゃく ろくじゅう きゅう). while 18,257 would be: ichi-man ha-ssen ni-hyaku go-juu nana (いちまん はっせん にひゃく ごじゅう なな).

Once you reach one hundred, you add a ひゃく, and continued by stacking the numbers as usual. Once you reach 1,000, hyakubecomessen.

Like this, all you have to do is piece together the elements and speak them. In parentheses, you will read the numberswith changes in pronunciation for euphonic reasons.

How to say Numbers in Japanese: Numbers Above 100,000

Now, let’s take a look at large numbers over 100,000. Whereas English uses 1,000 as one unit and expresses 10,000 as 10 times 1,000 (ten-thousand), Japanese uses man (万) as one unit.

Let’s just remember 4 zeros is 「万」(man). 320,000 is san-juu-ni man. 「さんじゅう に まん」. They continue as follows:

  • 10,000: ichi-man 「1万」
  • 100,000: juu-man 「10万」
  • 1,000,000: hyaku-man (one million) 「100万」
  • 10,000,000: issen-man 「1000万」

In English the next unit corresponding to 1,000 x 1,000 is 1,000,000 (million).In Japanese the next unit corresponding to 10,000 x 10,000 is 100,000,000 (ichi-oku 「1億」/ hundred million).

How to say Numbers in Japanese: Numbers Over 100,000,000

  • 100,000,000: ichi-oku 「1億」
  • 1,000,000,000: juu-oku ( one-billion) 「10億」
  • 10,000,000,000: hyaku-oku 「100億」
  • The unit after oku is choo (兆), which consists of 12 zeroes: 1,000,000,000,000.

All in all, Japanese numbers are fairly simple. However, expressing dates in Japanese can be much more complicated and we will cover this in another article.

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Numbers in Japanese: Count in Japanese from 1 to 100 Million (2024)

FAQs

What is the Japanese number for 100 million? ›

In Japanese the next unit corresponding to 10,000 x 10,000 is 100,000,000 (ichi-oku 「1億」/ hundred million).

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.”

What is 10000000 in Japanese? ›

That is, 10,000,000 is normally read as 一千万 issenman. But if 千 sen does not directly precede the name of powers of myriad or if numbers are lower than 2,000, attaching 一 ichi is optional. That is, 15,000,000 is read as 千五百万 sengohyakuman or 一千五百万 issengohyakuman, and 1,500 as 千五百 sengohyaku or 一千五百 issengohyaku.

How do you say 1 million in Japan? ›

Thus 1 million is 100 万 (in Japanese it is “hyaku man”), and 1 billion is 10 億 (in Japanese it is “ju oku”).

What is the number after 100 million? ›

So, the place value after 100 million is one billion.

How do you say 500000 in Japanese? ›

The number 500,000 is go jū man 五十万 (5 and 10 and 10,000), and so on.

Is 3 a lucky number in Japan? ›

It is known that Japanese tend to be superstitious. There are certain things or circumstances 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?

What is 100000 in Japanese? ›

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

Is 13 a lucky number in Japan? ›

Japan 🇯🇵: In Japan, the number 13 is largely seen as unlucky due to its pronunciation. The word for 13, “ju-san,” sounds like “shiju,” which means “to die.” Consequently, many buildings in Japan skip the 13th floor, similar to Western superstitions.

Is 88 a lucky number in Japan? ›

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.

Why Japan spent $600 million? ›

Japan's Quest to Protect Two Tiny Rocks: A $600 Million Investment - That's No Small Feat! The Okinotorishima, a coral reef with two enlarged rocks, was originally discovered by Spanish explorers in the late 16th century.

What are the 12 months in Japanese? ›

The Months in Japanese
MonthJapaneseCharacters
Januaryichi-gatsu一月
Februaryni-gatsu二月
Marchsan-gatsu三月
Aprilshi-gatsu四月
8 more rows
Feb 24, 2020

What is 100k in Japanese? ›

Get your answers by email
100000ichiman
100000juuman
100000hyakuman
10000000senman
100000000ichioku

What is the Japanese letter for 100? ›

means 'hundred' or '100'

Kanji are classified as Jōyō (常用, common use), Jinmeiyō (人名用, used in names), or Hyōgaiji (表外字, 'outside the chart').

How many zeros in a million yen? ›

Answer: There are 6 zeros in a million.

One thousand has three zeros. Therefore, 1 million is 1000000.

How much is Hyakuman? ›

Hyakuman (百万) means “one million.” In Kanazawa and the nearby Kaga region, the word is often followed by koku (石), whose typical translation is “stone.” But just like its English equivalent, it functions as a measurement as well.

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