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Beginner

Numbers & Counters

Counting with classifiers

Numbers 1–10

Basic counting words.

📊 Numbers
Number Kanji Reading
1 一 ichi
2 二 ni
3 三 san
4 四 yon / shi
5 五 go
10 十 jū
100 百 hyaku
💬 Examples
一、二、三
ichi, ni, san
1, 2, 3
📝 Basic numbers
四、五、六
yon/shi, go, roku
4, 5, 6
📝 4 has two readings
Counters depend on an object's shape

Different counter words for different things.

📊 Common counters
Counter Used for Example
人 -nin people 三人
冊 -satsu books 二冊
枚 -mai flat things 三枚
本 -hon long objects 二本
個 -ko small objects 五個
💬 Examples
三人
san-nin
three people
📝 人 counter for people
本を二冊
hon o ni-satsu
two books
📝 冊 counter for bound volumes
Some counters change sound

Phonetic changes occur (e.g. 一本 = ippon).

💬 Examples
一本
ippon
one (long object)
📝 Sound change: ichi + hon → ippon
三枚
san-mai
three (flat objects)
📝 枚 for flat things