Survival Japanese: Numbers | LIVE JAPAN travel guide (2024)

FAQs

What numbers are considered lucky in Japan? ›

7 is an important number in Buddhism, and is also considered lucky. 8 is considered a lucky number due to its shape.

As noted above, yon (4) and nana (7) are preferred to shi and shichi. It is purported that this is because shi is also the reading of the word death (死), which makes it an unlucky reading (see tetraphobia); while shichi may sound too similar to ichi (1), shi or hachi (8).

So 11 in Japanese is “10-1”, or juu-ichi / じゅういち.

The 3 – second rule (さんびょうルール)

This is a rule that distinguishes the dropped food in Japan. Take for instance, when you are eating a candy or a snack, then, you suddenly dropped the food. They said that if there is no visible stain or dirt on the ground, the food is still free from bacteria within 3 seconds.

During the course of their history, the mutual influence between gods has created confusion about which of them was the patron of certain professions. The worship of this group of gods is also due to the importance of the number seven in Japan, supposedly a signifier of good luck.

It is sometimes known in Japan as the "Great East Japan Earthquake" (東日本大震災, Higashi nihon daishinsai), among other names. The disaster is often referred to by its numerical date, 3.11 (read san ten ichi-ichi in Japanese).

Native Japanese counting: “hitotsu” (1), “futatsu” (2), “mittsu” (3), “yottsu” (4), “itsutsu” (5), “muttsu” (6), “nanatsu” (7), “yattsu” (8), “kokonotsu” (9), and “tou” (10).

“Ichi, ni, san, yon... (or is it shi?), go, roku, nana (or shichi), hachi, kyuu (but sometimes ku)...” Oh, yeah...Japanese has multiple words for the same number! Seven can be either "nana" or "shichi", for example.

How do you say 1 2 3 4 in Japanese? ›

One (1) is ひとつ (hitotsu, pronounced "hee-toh-tsoo"). Two (2) is ふたつ (futatsu, pronounced "foo-tah-tsoo"). Three (3) is みっつ (mittsu, pronounced "mee-tsoo." Pause a beat between the two syllables). Four (4) is よっつ (yottsu, pronounced "yoh-tsoo").

The reason for the dislike for the numbers 4 and 9 derives from its pronunciation. Four is pronounced shi which is associated with death pronounced the same way. Nine is pronounced ku which is associated with agony or torture pronounced the same way.

First of all, 7-Elevens are convenient. Japan has a fast-paced lifestyle and long working hours, and since 7-Elevens are open 24/7, it makes it an easy place to grab a quick bite to eat, Sugoi Mart reports. The quality food has also contributed to its popularity, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The term ''Pons'' is used in The Man in the High Castle. It is a derogatory term for Japanese people based on the word ''Nippon,'' which is one of the Japanese words for Japan.

One meaning for chi in Japanese is “Earth.” There are a lot of ways to examine the meaning of this word, be it for martial arts, meditation, or just looking at the Earth beneath your feet. One of the ways for martial artist to examine chi is to focus on grounding.

Eight (八, hachi, ya) is also considered a lucky number in Japan, but the reason is different from that in Chinese culture. Eight gives an idea of growing prosperous, because the letter (八) broadens gradually. The Japanese thought of eight (や, ya) as a holy number in the ancient times.

For Japanese people, since ancient times the number eight has been sacred. They believed that the number had special powers.

The numeral 33, for example, can be pronounced sanzan, which may mean either "troublesome" or "birth difficulty," the numeral 42 can be pronounced shi ni, meaning "to death," and the number 19 can be pronounced jū ku, meaning "intense suffering." In 1955, the anthropologist Edward Norbeck dismissed such explanations as ...

Shichi-Go-San, Seven-Five-Three is a kids festival day for three- and seven-year-old girls and three- and five-year-old boys. In general, odd numbers (except 9) are lucky. The numbers 8, and 10 are lucky too. The word for ten is sometimes lucky because it sounds like the word for “enough”.