Welcome to Japanese lesson of Counting Numbers. This page is all about japanese numbers. In English language, numbers from 0-9 are used in the same way as counting. But in Japanese lanuange, numbers are used in many ways. Why? Because japanese counts a simple object in different way, counting a number of people is also another way, counting of flat things, counting slender longer things, counting books, counting basic numbers 0-9 are also different ways. See below on how japanese counting number varies.

With "hyaku" (100) and "sen" (1000), the pattern is basically same. However there are some sound change occurred. (Numbers with sound changes are underlined.)

The Japanese uses 10,000 as a counting unit. Each unit of 10,000 is called "man". This continues until 100,000,000 (ichioku).

"Man" and "oku" follow a regular rule except for 10,000 and 100,000,000. They are always "ichiman" and "ichioku" not just "man" and "oku". In most cases, the Japanese use the Arabic (Western) numbers when they write horizontally.

Sample Pattern in Japanese Counting

21 = 20 + 1 --> nijuu ichi

123= 100 + 20 + 3 --> hyaku nijuu san

1999 = 1000 + 900 + 90 + 9 --> sen kyuuhyaku kyuujuu kyuu

20864 = 20000 + 800 + 60 + 4 --> niman happyaku rokujuu yon

543210 = 540000 + 3000 + 200 + 10 --> gojuuyonman sanzen nihyaku juu

Counting simple Objects in Japanese

Now here are the Japanese counter for objects learn this well!
1 - hitotsu
2 - futatsu
3 - mittsu
4 - yottsu
5 - itsutsu
6 - muttsu
7 - nanatsu
8 - yatsu
9 - kokonotsu
10 - tou
then continue counting with regular numbers as in regular numbers.
How Many - ikutsu

Counting people in Japanese

here we use the suffix "nin" but this changes depending on the number before and 1 and 2 have exceptions again just learn by counting over and over out loud.
1 - person hitori
2 - people futari
3 - people sannin
4 - people yonin
5 - people gonin
6 - people rokunin
7 - people shichinin
8 - people hachinin
9 - people kunin
10 - people junin
How many people -  nannin

Learn Counting Flat things in Japanese

Example: paper, plates etc. uses suffix "mai"
1 - ichimai
2 - nimai
3 - sanmai
4 - yonmai
5 - gomai
6 - rokumai
7 - nanamai
8 - hachimai
9 - kyumai
10 - jumai
How Many - nanmai

Counting Long Slender things in Japanese

The counter here is suffix "hon".
Example: Pencils, sticks, etc..
1 - ippon
2 - nihon
3 - sanbon
4 - yohon
5 - gohon
6 - roppon
7 - nanahon
8 - happon
9 - kyuhon
10 - jyuppon
How Many - nanbon

Learn Counting Books in Japanese

The Counter here is "satsu".
1 Book - issatsu
2 Books - nisatsu
3 Books - sansatsu
4 Books - yonsatsu
5 Books - gosatsu
6 Books - rokusatsu
7 Books - nanasatsu
8 Books - hassatsu
9 Books - kyusatsu
10 Books - jissatsu
How Many - nansatsu

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