The English counting system has
historically divided things into groups of 1 dozen, 1/2 dozen,
etc. This doesn't exist with the Japanese counting system where
things are divided into groups of 5 or 10.
The Japanese have divided countable
things into categories by shape, function, etc. Things which aren't
easily categorized are counted using the
native Japanese counting system
.
The tables below are an attempt
to put what I know of this and what I have been able to find on the web
in a single, easily accessible location. The pronunciation of
these numbers has many exceptions. I've labeled these with red
text where I know them.
本(ほん) |
Long, cylindrical objects: trees, pens, etc. |
枚(まい) |
Flat, thin objects: paper, stamps, dishes, etc. |
個(こ) |
Broad category of small and compact objects |
杯(はい) | Liquid in cups, glasses, bowls, etc. |
冊(さつ) |
Bound objects: books, magazines, etc. |
台(だい) |
Vehicles, machines etc. |
階(かい) |
The floor of a building |
件(けん) | Houses, buildings |
足(そく) |
Pairs of footwear: sock, shoes, etc. |
通(つう) |
Letters |
時間(じかん) |
Hour, as in ニ時間(にじかん)(two hours) |
分(ふん) |
Minute, as in 五分(ごふん)(five minutes) |
秒(びょう) |
Second, as in 三十秒(さんじゅうびゅう)(thirty seconds) |
週間(しゅうかん) | Week, as in 三週間(さんしゅかん)(three weeks) |
ヶ月(かげつ) |
Month, as in 二ヶ月(にかげつ)(two months) |
年間(ねんかん) |
Year, as in 十年間(じゅうねんかん)(ten years) |
日(にち) |
Days of month, as in 八日(ようか)(the eighth day) |
泊(はく) |
Nights of a stay as in 一泊(いっぱく) |
匹(ひき) |
Insects, fish, small animals: cats, dogs, etc. |
頭(とう) |
Large animals: horses, bears, etc. |
羽(わ) |
Birds |
番(ばん) |
Ordinal numbers, as in 一番(いちばん)(first place, number one) |
度(ど) | Class, grade, as in 三等(さんとう)(third place) |
歳・才(さい) |
Age, as in 五歳(ごさい)(five years old) |
|
|
|
Frequency (1 time, 2 times,etc.) |
||
回(かい) |
度(ど) |
|
Times |
Times |
|
1 | いっかい | いちど |
2 | にかい | にど |
3 | さんかい | さんど |
4 | よんかい | よんど |
5 | ごかい | ごど |
6 | ろっかい | ろくど |
7 | ななかい(しちかい) | しちど(ななど) |
8 | はっかい | はちど |
9 | きゅうかい | きゅうど |
10 | じゅっかい | じゅうど |
People | ||
人(にん) |
名(めい) |
|
1 | ひとり | いちめい |
2 | ふたり | にめい |
3 | さんにん | さんめい |
4 | よにん | よんめい |
5 | ごにん | ごめい |
6 | ろくにん | ろくめい |
7 | しちにん(ななにん) | しちめい(ななめい) |
8 | はちにん | はちめい |
9 | きゅうにん | きゅうめい |
10 | じゅうにん | じゅうめい |
|
Examples of native Japanese number usage. |
|
箱を二つ買いました。 はこ を ふたつ かいました。 |
I bought two boxes. |
問題が一つあります。 もんだい が ひとつ あります。 |
There is one problem. |