Numbers in

Japanese
Foreign Language 1
 Before learning the art of counting in
Japanese, there are a few things you need to
know. First of all, people in Japan don’t
always use the Japanese numbers. Like the
rest of the world, they rely a lot on the Arab
numerals when writing. But that doesn’t
mean you shouldn’t learn the Japanese
number system. There are contexts – like
traditional ceremonies – where people still use
the Japanese kanji numerals.
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 Second of all, the Japanese number system is
based on two sets of pronunciations (or
readings): the Sino-Japanese readings
(on’yomi or “On reading”) that are based on
the Chinese numerals and the Native Japanese
readings (kun’yomi or “Kun reading”) that are
based on the Japanese yamato kotoba (native
words).

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 How to count to 100 in Japanese
Once you learn how to count to 10, counting to 100 is just a game
of repeatedly compounding and adding. Here are a few examples
to help you better understand the process of counting to 100 in
Japanese:
 11 is 十一 (juuichi) or 10 (juu) + 1 (ichi);
 following the exact same rule, 12 is 十二 (juuni) or 10 (juu) +
2 (ni)

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 Once you change the prefix, the rule remains the same. All you
need to do is count the 10s (two 10s, three 10s, four 10s and so on)
and then add the next number:
 if 20 is 二十 (nijuu) or 2 (ni) 10s (juu), then 21 is 二十一
(nijuuichi) or 2 (ni) 10s (juu) + 1(ichi);

 if 70 is 七十 (nanajuu) or 7 (nana) 10s (juu), then 76 is 七十

六 (nanajuuroku) or 7 (nana) 10s (juu) + 6 (roku);

 then 100 comes with a new word: 百 (hyaku).

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 Japanese numbers to 10,000 and beyond

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 As you can see, the rule we learned for the first 100 Japanese
numbers is still valid. To count further than 100 in Japanese, you just
continue to stack numbers. Then, when you get to 1,000, hyaku
becomes sen and so on. Let’s look at a more complex example and
make sure you understood the rule. Let’s take the number 1289.
That’s 千二百八十九 in kanji and せんにひゃくはちじゅうきゅ
う in hiragana. So, 1000 (sen) + 2 (ni) 100s (hyaku) + 8 (hachi) 10s
(ju) + 9 (kyuu) is sen nihyaku hachijuu kyuu

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 What unlucky Japanese numbers
you should avoid?
Now, a few remarks about the basic “1 to 10 in Japanese”. You probably noticed that
4, 7, and 9 have two different readings each. As we, in the Western world, consider
the number 13 to bring bad luck, the Japanese people consider the numbers 4 and 9 to
be unlucky because し (shi –4) and く (ku – 9) sound the same as the words for
“death” ( 死 , shi) and “suffering, agony or torture” ( 苦 , ku). Thus, Japanese
people avoid using these unlucky numbers as much as possible. If you ever travel to
Japan, pay close attention to the prices. Chances are you won’t see prices like 9.99 or
4.99 anywhere.
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 On the other hand, although 7 is considered a lucky number in
Japan, its reading – しち (shichi) – contains the Japanese mora
し (shi) as well, so it’s way more common to say its other
reading: なな (nana). This is not imported, but steeped in
the country's religious traditions. Seven is an important
number in Buddhism. Japanese Buddhists celebrate a
baby's seventh day and mourn the seventh day after a
person dies when the soul is said to cross over.

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 The number 8 is also lucky, because
it’s said to bring prosperity. The
kanji, 八 , widens at the bottom to
bring in more luck and success.

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 Zero in Japanese
For zero in Japanese, the kanji is 例 (rei). However, it is more
common to use and say “zero” the same way we say it in English:
ゼ ロ (zero). Or マル (maru) which translates to “circle” and it’s
used the same way we say “oh” instead of “zero” in English when
reading individual digits of a number. A popular example where
the Japanese use the マル (maru) reading is the 109 store in
Tokyo. Instead of saying ひゃくきゅう in hiragana or 百九 in
kanji (hyakukyuu), they say 一〇九 (ichi maru kyu).

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Japanese
Counters
 What are Japanese counters and
how you should use them?
• Japanese counters are specific words you need to add after the
number when counting specific objects.

• If we were to transfer the Japanese counters in English, we’d

say “two pieces of pie” and not “two pies”.

• So the word “pieces” is the counter in this situation. So

depending on the objects you are counting, you need to choose

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the counter word accordingly.
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 For instance, for flat and thin objects, the counter word you need to use is ま
い (mai). Thus, if you want to say “three shirts”, you’ll say シャツさんまい
(shatsu san mai) – where shatsu means “shirts”, san is “three” and mai is the
counter word.
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 How many counters do you think
are there in Japanese?

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 Actually there is…………

But don’t worry! Luckily, not all of them are in common

use. So let’s look at the ones you’ll absolutely need in a
basic Japanese interaction.
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 “Business opportunities are like
buses. There's always another one

”
coming.
Richard Branson

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 “
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Richard Branson

” 22
 “
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Richard Branson

” 23
 “
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Richard Branson

” 24
 “
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Richard Branson

” 25
 TOU

HIKI
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 Let’s Try if You
Remember!
What are the counters for the following????

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TOU (Animal -Large)
DAI (Household Appliance)
HON (Long)
HIKI (Animal-Small)
DAI (Cars)
KO (Round Objects)
HIKI (Animal-Small)
Mai (Clothing)
HON (Long)
DAI (Mechanical Device)
SATSU (Book, Stationary)
Mai (Flat, Thin)
NIN (People)
 Mathematical Terms
in Japanese

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 To say “number” in Japanese, you can say 数 (kazu) to express a
number as quantity, or 数字 (suuji) as in figures or cardinal
numbers. “To count” is 数える (kazoeru). If you need to express
yourself in mathematical terms, here are some words you can use:

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 Let’s Try Solving
Math in Japanese?

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 Ichi purasu san wa?

One plus three equals

1+3=4 (shi)

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 nijusan mainasu juu wa?

Twenty three minus ten equals

23-10=13 (juusan)

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 Hyaku waru ni wa?

One hundred divided by two equals

100%2=50 (gojuu)

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 Roku kakeru roku wa ?

six times six equals

6x6=36 (sanjuuroku)

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 Senman hanbun wa?

Half of one thousand

1000/2=500 (gohyaku)

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 Japanese Phone
Numbers

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 • Saying Japanese phone numbers out loud is pretty
straightforward. Phone number in Japanese is Denwabangou.
You always read the numbers as single digits, then you say
“ の” (“no”) wherever the dash is.

• So the number 123-456-7890 would be いち に さん の よん

ご ろく の なな はち きゅう マル (ichi ni san no yon go roku
no nana hachi kyuu maru).

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 Can you say these phone numbers in
Japanese?
(Watashi no denwabangou _____ desu)

• 0939-562-281

• 336-33-02

• 0946-9021-948

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 Asking “How Much”
in Japanese

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 Japan is a shopper’s paradise. From electronic super stores, to strange and
bizarre curios, there seems to be something for everyone in Japan. But what do
you do when come across a great product with no price listed?

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 What if I can’t understand her
response?

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Arigatou
Arigatou
Arigatou
Arigatou
Arigatou
Arigatou
Arigatou
QUIZ
 Test I: Translate the following in
Japanese (Sino-reading)
1. 0945-789-0972 6. 2485

2. 25-12=13 7. 60-60=0

3. 1999 8. 303-987-45

4. 100101 9. 200+300=500

5. Half of 100 is 50 10. 10.82

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 1. Sino Japanese
2. Kun reading
3. Ko
4. Hon
5. Stationaries
6. Arab Numerals
7. Gonin
8. Are wa ikura desu ka
9. Kami ni kaite kudasai
10. Denwabangou

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