Counting things in Japanese

The Concept of Counters

In English, numbers can usually be attached directly to a noun: "two cats", "three cars", "four apples". However, you cannot say "two waters" or "three papers" without sounding unnatural; instead, you use measure words like "two glasses of water" or "three sheets of paper".

In Japanese, this measure-word system applies to almost everything. You cannot place a number directly next to a noun. Instead, you must pair the number with a specific counter word that classifies the object based on its shape, type, or concept.

To say "two apples", you use the number two, followed by the counter for small, round objects. Before diving into counters, it is highly recommended to be familiar with basic Numbers in Japanese.

The Universal Counter: Tsu

If you do not know the specific counter for an object, you can usually fall back on the native Japanese counter system, which uses the suffix .

This system is built entirely on the Kun-reading of numbers (see On/Kun Readings for more details). It can be used for abstract concepts, ideas, and objects that don't fit neatly into other categories, up to the number ten. Above ten, you simply use the standard numbers without a counter suffix.

Note: Notice that for the number 10, the suffix is dropped entirely.

Common Counters

While there are hundreds of counters in Japanese, mastering a few primary ones will cover the majority of daily situations. Most specific counters use the Sino-Japanese numbers (On-reading) like , , and .

1. Mai (枚) - Flat Objects

Used for flat, thin objects such as paper, plates, shirts, tickets, and photographs.

• 1 sheet:
• 2 sheets:
• 3 sheets:

2. Hon (本) - Long, Cylindrical Objects

Used for objects that are long and relatively thin, such as pens, bottles, umbrellas, trees, and movies. Note: This counter frequently triggers phonetic changes (rendaku).

• 1 pen: (not ichi-hon)
• 2 pens:
• 3 pens: (not san-hon)

3. Ko (個) - Small or General Objects

Used for small, often round items like apples, eggs, keys, or boxes. It is also used as a general counter for objects when "tsu" is not used.

• 1 item: (not ichi-ko)
• 2 items:
• 3 items:

4. Dai (台) - Machines and Vehicles

Used for cars, bicycles, computers, washing machines, and televisions.

• 1 machine:
• 2 machines:
• 3 machines:

5. Nin (人) - People

Used for counting human beings. The numbers one and two are exceptions that use the native Japanese readings, while three and above revert to the Sino-Japanese readings.

• 1 person:
• 2 people:
• 3 people:
• 4 people: (not yon-nin)

Phonetic Changes

When combining numbers and counters, the sounds occasionally merge or change to make pronunciation easier. This affects the pronunciation of both the number and the counter word.

1. Numbers ending in or (like 1, 6, 8) often compress into a small (sokuon). For example, 1 (ichi) + ko = .
2. Counters starting with h (like hon or hiki) often change to p or b sounds depending on the preceding number. For example, 3 (san) + hon = .

You can read more about how characters are written and modified in the Hiragana and Kanji guides.

Sentence Structure

Counters act as adverbs in Japanese sentence structure. They are typically placed immediately after the particle that marks the noun they are modifying, right before the verb.

Noun + Particle + Number/Counter + Verb

Learning counters requires memorization, but the rules are highly systematic once you recognize the patterns in the phonetic shifts. Start by mastering tsu, nin, mai, hon, and ko, and you will be able to navigate the vast majority of everyday counting situations.