Numbers and Counters

Question 1

百

Answer 1

(hyaku) Hundred

Question 2

千

Answer 2

(sen) Thousand

Question 3

万

Answer 3

(man) 10 thousand

Question 4

本

Answer 4

(hon/pon) Used to count stick-shaped, long things and more.

For example, 本 is used to count stick-shaped things (i.e. pens, pencils, tree branches, strings, laces, neckties, umbrellas, cigarettes), thin and long containers (i.e. drink cans, bottles, fire extinguishers, etc.), thin and long buildings/structures (i.e. towers, bridges, skyscrapers), thin and long spaces (i.e. tunnels, mines wells, long holes, pipes), rolled up tapes (i.e. cassette tapes, VHS tapes, rolls of film), wind and string instruments (i.e. flutes, recorders, trumpets, saxophones, etc.), and things that have a start and end (i.e. performances, lectures, shows, pieces of writing, assignments, projects/plans, training tasks, movies, etc.).

Question 5

人

Answer 5

(nin/ri)

Used to count things like people, portions of food (combine with 前＝人前 (nin mae). changes number pronunciation to ichi, ni, san, etc.), smart animals, animals perceived as family members, human-like creatures, etc.

Question 6

回

Answer 6

(kai)
Used to count things like repetitive actions (i.e. skipping rope, squats or exercise repetitions) or actions that feel as if they may happen again (i.e. sneezing, burping, farting), and regular events or a series of events.

Question 7

才

Answer 7

(sai)

Used to count age in years.

Question 8

円

Answer 8

(en)

Used to count amounts of Yen, the Japanese currency.

Question 9

番

Answer 9

(ban)

Used to count turns, orders, rank, numbers, verses of a song, etc.

Question 10

匹

Answer 10

(hiki, ppiki, biki)

Used to count small or medium sized animals.

Question 11

1人

Answer 11

(hitori) One person

Question 12

2人

Answer 12

(futari) Two people

Question 13

3人

Answer 13

(san nin) Three people

Question 14

4人

Answer 14

(yon nin) Four people

Note that with the 人 counter, only numbers 1,2 and 3 have unique pronunciation. Every other number is read as per usual.

Question 15

一日

Answer 15

(tsuitachi/ichi nichi) Day one/ first day

Question 16

二日

Answer 16

(futsuka) Day 2

Question 17

三日

Answer 17

(mikka) Day 3

Question 18

四日

Answer 18

(yokka) Day 4

Question 19

五日

Answer 19

(itsuka) Day 5

Question 20

六日

Answer 20

(muika) Day 6

Question 21

七日

Answer 21

(nanoka) Day 7

Question 22

八日

Answer 22

(youka) Day 8

Question 23

九日

Answer 23

(kokonoka) Day 9

Question 24

十日

Answer 24

(tooka) Day 10

Question 25

１つ

Answer 25

(hitotsu) One thing

Question 26

２つ

Answer 26

(futatsu) Two things

Question 27

３つ

Answer 27

(mittsu) 3 things

Question 28

4つ

Answer 28

(yottsu) 4 things

Question 29

５つ

Answer 29

(itsutsu) 5 things

Question 30

６つ

Answer 30

(muttsu) 6 things

Question 31

7つ

Answer 31

(nanatsu) 7 things

Question 32

８つ

Answer 32

(yattsu) 8 things

Question 33

９つ

Answer 33

(kokonotsu) 9 things

Question 34

1０

Answer 34

(too) 10 things

Question 35

一本

Answer 35

ippon

Question 36

ニ本

Answer 36

nihon

Question 37

3本

Answer 37

san bon

Question 38

４本

Answer 38

yon hon

Question 39

５本

Answer 39

go hon

Question 40

６本

Answer 40

roppon

Question 41

7本

Answer 41

nana hon

Question 42

８本

Answer 42

hachi pon

Question 43

9本

Answer 43

kyuu hon

Question 44

10本

Answer 44

jyuu pon

Question 45

台

Answer 45

(だい) Used to count machines, furniture, and more.

台 can count furniture that exists to put things on — yourself included (i.e. beds, tables, stools, ottomans, and pedestals), large musical instruments, vehicles/transportation (i.e. motor vehicles, bikes, wheelchairs, carts and carriages, skis, snowboards, skateboards, rides) and electronic appliances.

When using 台, the pronunciation of numbers stays regular. For example, 一台 = ichi dai, 二台 = ni dai, and 三台 = san dai, and so on.

Question 46

枚

Answer 46

(mai)
Used to count flat things.

For example, square(ish) and flat (i.e. signs, doors, walls, floors, roofs, windows, mats, etc.), round(ish) and flat (i.e. plates and dishes (not bowls), CDs, DVDs, contact lenses, pancakes, etc.), paper, illustration, pictures, paintings, cloth and fabric, sections or parts (i.e. fillets of fish), and food orders (i.e. a single serving of soba or gyoza).

Number pronunciation stays as standard. For example, 1枚 = ichi mai, 2枚 = ni mai, 3枚 = san mai, and so on.

Question 47

頭

Answer 47

(tou)
Used to count large animals.
Pronunciation of numbers is as standard except for one, 1頭 = ittou, but 2頭 = ni tou, 3頭 = san tou, 4頭 = yon tou and so on.

Question 48

何回

Answer 48

(nan kai) Again and again / many times