🔢Japanese Grammar Lesson: Numbers in Japanese (数 — Kazu)

🌟 Why Start with Numbers?

Numbers are more than digits — in Japanese, they’re essential in daily speech, addressing people, telling time, shopping, and formal writing. But Japanese numerals also reflect layers of history, culture, and linguistic evolution that make them fascinating to study. They’re also your first gateway into mastering one of the most nuanced grammar systems in the world.

📘 Section 1: Basic Numbers from 1 to 10 — The Foundations of Counting

These ten numbers are the basis for all larger Japanese numbers.

Number Kanji Hiragana Romanization Notes 1 一 いち ichi “Ichi” is often dropped in combos 2 二 に ni Simple and consistent 3 三 さん san Often used in names (e.g., “Mikasa”) 4 四 よん / し yon / shi “Shi” sounds like death (死) 5 五 ご go Used in “gogo” (午後) = afternoon 6 六 ろく roku Think “rock” to remember 7 七 なな / しち nana / shichi “Nana” is preferred in most contexts 8 八 はち hachi Looks like a mountain (八 = wide base) 9 九 きゅう / く kyuu / ku “Ku” sounds like 苦 = suffering 10 十 じゅう juu Key building block for 11–99

🧠 Mnemonics Tip: “Shi” = death, “Ku” = pain. Avoid those in casual counting unless reading dates or addresses, where precision overrides superstition.

🔡 Section 2: Counting Beyond 10 — Building the Japanese Number System

🔢 Numbers 11–19:

Japanese numbers above ten are constructed modularly:

十一 (じゅういち) = 10 + 1 = 11

十二 (じゅうに) = 10 + 2 = 12

…and so on up to 十九 (じゅうきゅう).

🔟 Multiples of Ten:

20 = 二十 (にじゅう) = 2×10

30 = 三十 (さんじゅう)

40 = 四十 (よんじゅう), not “shijuu” (which would be ominous!)

90 = 九十 (きゅうじゅう)

🧱 Combinations Example:

24 = 二十四 (にじゅうよん) — nijuu-yon

38 = 三十八 (さんじゅうはち) — sanjuu-hachi

99 = 九十九 (きゅうじゅうきゅう) — kyuujuu-kyuu

🎓 Did You Know?

The modular number system dates back to Chinese numerals, which Japan imported during the Yamato period (3rd–7th centuries). The simplicity of combining units and tens allows for rapid learning, unlike some irregular Western systems.

🏯 Section 3: Numbers in Kanji — Learning the Writing System

Kanji numbers are often used in:

Legal documents

Formal invitations

Traditional dates

Prices at temples or historical places

Number Kanji Stroke Order (Basic) 1 一 Horizontal line 2 二 Two horizontal lines 3 三 Three horizontal lines 4–10 四～十 More complex; must be memorized

✍️ Practice Tip: Kanji numerals are among the first you should memorize. Use flashcards with stroke order and pronunciation together.

🧮 Section 4: Hundreds, Thousands, and Ten-Thousands

🔢 Hundreds — 百 (Hyaku):

100 = 百 (ひゃく)

200 = 二百 (にひゃく)

300 = 三百 (さんびゃく) ← note the sound change

600 = 六百 (ろっぴゃく)

800 = 八百 (はっぴゃく)

🔢 Thousands — 千 (Sen):

1,000 = 千 (せん)

3,000 = 三千 (さんぜん)

8,000 = 八千 (はっせん)

🔢 Ten-thousands — 万 (Man):

10,000 = 一万 (いちまん)

20,000 = 二万 (にまん)

50,000 = 五万 (ごまん)

🚨 Warning: Japanese uses the 万 (10,000) place instead of the Western thousands separator. So:

100,000 = 十万 (じゅうまん)

1,000,000 = 百万 (ひゃくまん)

🧾 Section 5: Mastering Counters (助数詞 — Josūshi)

Numbers cannot exist alone when counting physical objects. You must use counters, and each type of object has a different one!

Counter For What? Example Phrase ～人 (にん) People 三人 (さんにん) — 3 people ～枚 (まい) Flat things 一枚の紙 (いちまいのかみ) — 1 sheet of paper ～個 (こ) Small items 一個のりんご (いっこのりんご) — 1 apple ～匹 (ひき) Small animals 二匹の猫 (にひきのねこ) — 2 cats ～台 (だい) Machines 二台の車 (にだいのくるま) — 2 cars ～冊 (さつ) Books 三冊の本 (さんさつのほん) — 3 books ～歳 (さい) Age 十歳 (じゅっさい) — 10 years old

🗣️ Pronunciation Shifts:

1 book = いっさつ, not いちさつ

1 animal = いっぴき, not いちひき

🔁 Section 6: Practice Makes Perfect — Sample Sentences

Here are real-world examples you can memorize and adapt:

私は三十歳です。

Watashi wa sanjuu-sai desu.

➤ I am 30 years old.

2. りんごを五個ください。

Ringo o go-ko kudasai.

➤ Please give me five apples.

3. 学生が七人います。

Gakusei ga nana-nin imasu.

➤ There are seven students.

4. 本を三冊読みました。

Hon o san-satsu yomimashita.

➤ I read three books.

🎎 Section 7: Cultural Beliefs Around Numbers

Certain numbers carry deep cultural meaning:

4 = “Shi” = Death

Avoid giving gifts in sets of 4.

9 = “Ku” = Suffering

Hospitals often skip room 9.

8 = Prosperity

Its wide base symbolizes stability and growth.

7 = Spirituality and celebration

Seen in Shichi-Go-San, a festival for children ages 3, 5, and 7.

❌ Section 8: Common Mistakes Beginners Make

❗ Using numbers without counters

→ Wrong: Ringo o san kudasai

→ ✅ Correct: Ringo o san-ko kudasai

❗ Using “shi” and “shichi” in informal situations

→ ✅ Use “yon” and “nana” instead

❗ Confusing pronunciation shifts

→ Practice exceptions like sanbyaku, sanzen, happyaku

❗ Writing Western numbers where kanji is needed

→ Use 一, 二, 三 in formal writing