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Page 1 of 2 There are different counters for counting different stuff in Japanese language. It is something similar to Chinese language which has different counters for counting different stuff as well. The easiest language to count stuff is in English language. This is because in English language, we can usually count straight away without any counter or the most common counter is "piece" which is used to count flat things like sheet of paper or biscuits. To count people or things in Japanese, it's a combination of <Number> + <Counter> to form the Japanese word to count people and things. The same way as both the Chinese and English languages. Near the end of this page, there are Japanese words for counting stuffs that has no specific counter; using a general counter if neccessary. Do take note of this as well so you know when to use the right counter(s).
Money (Okane おかね / お金) To say/write money in Japanese Yen currency: | 1 yen | いちえん / 一円 ichi en |
| 5 yen
| ごえん / 五円 go en
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| 10 yen
| じゅうえん / 十円 jyuu en
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| 50 yen
| ごじゅうえん / 五十円 gojyuu en
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| 100 yen
| ひゃくえん / 百円 hyaku en
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| 500 yen
| ごひゃくえん / 五百円 gohyaku en
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| 1000 yen
| せんえん / 千円 sen yen
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| 5000 yen
| ごせんえん / 五千円 gosen yen
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| 10,000 yen
| いちまんえん / 一万円 ichiman yen
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This is how you ask "How much?" in Japanese: Summer-san: "いくらですか？" / "幾らですか？" Summer-san: "Ikura desu ka?" Summer-san: "How much?"
People (~ri ~り / ~nin ~にん ~人) When you are referring to "One person" is hitori (ひとり / 一人) and "Two person" is futari (ふたり / 二人). However starting from referring of three people onwards, the counter will be change to "~nin ~にん ~人". For example, three people is san nin (さんにん / 三人), four people is yo nin (よにん / 四人) and ten people is jyuu nin (じゅにん / 十人). This is how you ask "How many people?" Winter-san: "なんにんですか？/ 何人ですか？" Winter-san: "Nan nin desu ka?" Winter-san: "How many people?"
Cylindrical Things (~hon ~ほん / ~本) e.g. Bottles, pencils Take note of the changes in the "hon ほん / 本" to "bon ぼん / 本" and "pon ぽん / 本" for certain numbers: One ___
| いっぽん / 一本 ippon
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| | Two ___ | にほん / 二本 nihon |
| | Three ___ | さんぼん / 三本 sanbon |
| | Four ___ | よんほん / 四本 yonhon |
| | Five ___ | ごほん / 五本 gohon |
| | Six ___ | ろっぽん / 六本 roppon |
| | Seven ___ | ななほん / 七本 nanahon |
| | Eight ___ | はちほん hachihon / はっぽん / 八本 happon
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| | Nine ___ | きゅうほん / 九本 kyuuhon |
| | Ten ___ | じゅうぽん / 十本 jyuupon |
| | Eleven ___ | じゅいっぽん / 十一本 jyuuippon |
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This is how you ask "How many (bottles / pencils / etc)?" Autumn-san: "なんぼんですか？/ 何本ですか？" Autumn-san: "Nan bon desu ka?" Autumn-san: "How many (bottles / pencils / etc)?"
Spoonfuls (~hai ~はい ~杯) Note that the changes in "hai はい / 杯" are the same as for "hon ほん / 本" for certain numbers. So refer to the above table for "hon ほん / 本". This is how you ask "How many (spoonfuls)?" Autumn-san: "なんはいですか？/ 何杯ですか？" Autumn-san: "Nan hai desu ka?" Autumn-san: "How many (spoonfuls)?"
Flat Things (~mai ~まい ~枚) e.g. Sheets of paper, Stamps, Slices of bread There is NO change in "mai まい / 枚" for all numbers. This is how you ask "How many (sheets of paper / stamps, slices of bread)?" Summer-san: "なんまいですか？/ 何枚ですか？" Summer-san: "Nan mai desu ka?" Summer-san: "How many (sheets of paper / stamps, slices of bread)?"
Books, Magazines (~satsu ~さつ ~冊) Take note of the changes for numbers 1 is issatsu (いっさつ / 一冊), 11 is jyuuissatsu (じゅういっさつ / 十一冊), etc. This is how you ask "How many (books / magazines)?" Winter-san: "なんさつですか？/ 何冊ですか？" Winter-san: "Nan satsu desu ka?" Winter-san: "How many (books / magazines)?"
Times, Floors of a Building (~kai ~かい ~階) Take note of the changes for numbers 1 is ikkai (いっかい / 一階), 6 is rokkai (ろっかい / 六階) and 10 is jyuukai (じゅうかい / 十階). This is how you ask "How many (times / floors of a building)?" Autumn-san: "なんかいですか？/ 何階ですか？" Autumn-san: "Nan kai desu ka?" Autumn-san: "How many (times / floors of a building)?"
Don't Give Up On Learning Japanese!
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