Numbers and Counters Flashcards
百
(hyaku) Hundred
千
(sen) Thousand
万
(man) 10 thousand
本
(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.).
人
(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.
回
(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.
才
(sai)
Used to count age in years.
円
(en)
Used to count amounts of Yen, the Japanese currency.
番
(ban)
Used to count turns, orders, rank, numbers, verses of a song, etc.
匹
(hiki, ppiki, biki)
Used to count small or medium sized animals.
1人
(hitori) One person
2人
(futari) Two people
3人
(san nin) Three people
4人
(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.
一日
(tsuitachi/ichi nichi) Day one/ first day
二日
(futsuka) Day 2
三日
(mikka) Day 3
四日
(yokka) Day 4
五日
(itsuka) Day 5
六日
(muika) Day 6
七日
(nanoka) Day 7
八日
(youka) Day 8
九日
(kokonoka) Day 9
十日
(tooka) Day 10
１つ
(hitotsu) One thing
２つ
(futatsu) Two things
３つ
(mittsu) 3 things
4つ
(yottsu) 4 things
５つ
(itsutsu) 5 things
６つ
(muttsu) 6 things
7つ
(nanatsu) 7 things
８つ
(yattsu) 8 things
９つ
(kokonotsu) 9 things
1０
(too) 10 things
一本
ippon
ニ本
nihon
3本
san bon
４本
yon hon
５本
go hon
６本
roppon
7本
nana hon
８本
hachi pon
9本
kyuu hon
10本
jyuu pon
台
(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.
枚
(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.
頭
(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.
何回
(nan kai) Again and again / many times
