Japanese counters
Japanese does not say "three bottles". It says "bottle-three", using a word chosen for the shape of the thing. The counters below cover nearly everything a beginner needs, and every irregular form is written out rather than left to a rule.
Practise this → Quick quizzes. Cards you miss come back until you get them right.
The pattern behind most of them
Where a counter starts with h, it usually becomes p after 1, 6, 8 and 10, and b after 3. Learn it once for 本 and it also covers 杯 and 匹.
つ
The all-purpose counter for things with no special counter. Stops at ten.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ひとつ | hitotsu |
| 2 | ふたつ | futatsu |
| 3 | みっつ | mittsu |
| 4 | よっつ | yottsu |
| 5 | いつつ | itsutsu |
| 6 | むっつ | muttsu |
| 7 | ななつ | nanatsu |
| 8 | やっつ | yattsu |
| 9 | ここのつ | kokonotsu |
| 10 | とお | too |
Watch out
These are native Japanese numbers, not the Chinese-derived ichi/ni/san. After ten you switch to the ordinary numbers.
人
People.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ひとり | hitori |
| 2 | ふたり | futari |
| 3 | さんにん | sannin |
| 4 | よにん | yonin |
| 5 | ごにん | gonin |
| 6 | ろくにん | rokunin |
| 7 | しちにん / ななにん | shichinin / nananin |
| 8 | はちにん | hachinin |
| 9 | きゅうにん | kyuunin |
| 10 | じゅうにん | juunin |
Watch out
One and two are completely irregular: hitori and futari, never ichinin or ninin. Four is yonin, never yoninin or shinin.
本
Long thin things: bottles, pens, umbrellas, trains, phone calls.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | いっぽん | ippon |
| 2 | にほん | nihon |
| 3 | さんぼん | sanbon |
| 4 | よんほん | yonhon |
| 5 | ごほん | gohon |
| 6 | ろっぽん | roppon |
| 7 | ななほん | nanahon |
| 8 | はっぽん | happon |
| 9 | きゅうほん | kyuuhon |
| 10 | じゅっぽん | juppon |
Watch out
The h sound becomes p after 1, 6, 8 and 10, and b after 3. This pattern repeats for 杯 and 匹, so learning it once covers three counters.
枚
Flat things: paper, tickets, shirts, plates, pizza.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | いちまい | ichimai |
| 2 | にまい | nimai |
| 3 | さんまい | sanmai |
| 4 | よんまい | yonmai |
| 5 | ごまい | gomai |
| 6 | ろくまい | rokumai |
| 7 | ななまい | nanamai |
| 8 | はちまい | hachimai |
| 9 | きゅうまい | kyuumai |
| 10 | じゅうまい | juumai |
Watch out
Completely regular — the easiest counter to start with.
個
Small compact objects: eggs, apples, boxes.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | いっこ | ikko |
| 2 | にこ | niko |
| 3 | さんこ | sanko |
| 4 | よんこ | yonko |
| 5 | ごこ | goko |
| 6 | ろっこ | rokko |
| 7 | ななこ | nanako |
| 8 | はっこ | hakko |
| 9 | きゅうこ | kyuuko |
| 10 | じゅっこ | jukko |
Watch out
Doubles the k after 1, 6, 8 and 10.
匹
Small animals: cats, dogs, fish, insects.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | いっぴき | ippiki |
| 2 | にひき | nihiki |
| 3 | さんびき | sanbiki |
| 4 | よんひき | yonhiki |
| 5 | ごひき | gohiki |
| 6 | ろっぴき | roppiki |
| 7 | ななひき | nanahiki |
| 8 | はっぴき | happiki |
| 9 | きゅうひき | kyuuhiki |
| 10 | じゅっぴき | juppiki |
Watch out
Same h → p / b pattern as 本. Large animals (horses, cattle) use 頭 (tou) instead.
杯
Cupfuls and glassfuls: coffee, beer, rice in a bowl.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | いっぱい | ippai |
| 2 | にはい | nihai |
| 3 | さんばい | sanbai |
| 4 | よんはい | yonhai |
| 5 | ごはい | gohai |
| 6 | ろっぱい | roppai |
| 7 | ななはい | nanahai |
| 8 | はっぱい | happai |
| 9 | きゅうはい | kyuuhai |
| 10 | じゅっぱい | juppai |
Watch out
いっぱい also means 'full' or 'a lot' in other contexts — context tells you which.
冊
Bound things: books, magazines, notebooks.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | いっさつ | issatsu |
| 2 | にさつ | nisatsu |
| 3 | さんさつ | sansatsu |
| 4 | よんさつ | yonsatsu |
| 5 | ごさつ | gosatsu |
| 6 | ろくさつ | rokusatsu |
| 7 | ななさつ | nanasatsu |
| 8 | はっさつ | hassatsu |
| 9 | きゅうさつ | kyuusatsu |
| 10 | じゅっさつ | jussatsu |
台
Machines and vehicles: cars, computers, washing machines.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | いちだい | ichidai |
| 2 | にだい | nidai |
| 3 | さんだい | sandai |
| 4 | よんだい | yondai |
| 5 | ごだい | godai |
| 6 | ろくだい | rokudai |
| 7 | ななだい | nanadai |
| 8 | はちだい | hachidai |
| 9 | きゅうだい | kyuudai |
| 10 | じゅうだい | juudai |
Watch out
Regular.
回
Times, occurrences: three times a week.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | いっかい | ikkai |
| 2 | にかい | nikai |
| 3 | さんかい | sankai |
| 4 | よんかい | yonkai |
| 5 | ごかい | gokai |
| 6 | ろっかい | rokkai |
| 7 | ななかい | nanakai |
| 8 | はっかい | hakkai |
| 9 | きゅうかい | kyuukai |
| 10 | じゅっかい | jukkai |
Watch out
階 (floors of a building) uses the same sounds, so 3階 is sangai or sankai.
歳 （歳 / 才）
Age.
| Number | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | いっさい | issai |
| 2 | にさい | nisai |
| 3 | さんさい | sansai |
| 4 | よんさい | yonsai |
| 5 | ごさい | gosai |
| 6 | ろくさい | rokusai |
| 7 | ななさい | nanasai |
| 8 | はっさい | hassai |
| 9 | きゅうさい | kyuusai |
| 10 | じゅっさい | jussai |
Watch out
20 years old is はたち (hatachi), not nijuussai. 才 is the simpler everyday spelling.