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Japanese counter word

In Japanese counter words or counters (josūshi 助数詞) are used along with numbers to count objects and events.

In Japanese, as in Chinese and Korean, numerals cannot quantify nouns by themselves (except, in certain cases, for the numbers from one to ten; see below). For example, to express the idea "two dogs" in Japanese one must say inu nihiki (犬二匹, literally "dog two-small-animal"). Here inu 犬 means "dog", ni 二 is the number 2, and hiki 匹 is the counter for small animals. The counters are not independent words and always appear with a number before them.

Counter words are similar in function to the word "sheet" in "two sheets of paper" or "cup" in "two cups of coffee," but in Japanese, all nouns require a counter. In this sense, all Japanese nouns are mass nouns. This grammatical feature can result in situations where one is unable to express the number of a particular object in a grammatically correct way because one does not know, or cannot remember, the appropriate counting word. The problem is partially solved for the numbers from one to ten by using the traditional numbers (see below) which can be used to quantify some nouns by themselves. For example, "four apples" is ringo o yonko (リンゴを四個) where ko (個) is the counter, but can also be expressed using the traditional numeral four as ringo o yottsu (リンゴを四つ). These traditional numerals cannot be used to count all nouns, however; some, including people and animals, require the proper counter.

Counters can also be intentionally misused for humourous, sarcastic, or insulting effect. For example, one might say 男一匹なのに ("I am only one man..."). Using the counter hiki (匹), the counter for small animals, humourously suggests a person overtowered by massive obstacles.

Some of the more common counters may be used instead of less common ones. For example, 匹 hiki (see below) is often used for all animals, regardless of size. However, many speakers will correct themselves and use the traditionally "correct" counter, 頭 , when speaking of, for example, horses.

Just as in English, different counters for the same thing can be used to convey different meanings. In English, one can say one loaf of bread or one slice of bread, and the referent is different. In Japanese, the same effect is made by saying パン一斤 pan ikkin, literally "bread one-loaf" versus パン一枚 pan ichimai, literally "bread one-flat piece."

Contents

Table of the traditional numerals

Numeral Japanese Pronunciation
1 一つ hitotsu
2 二つ futatsu
3 三つ mittsu
4 四つ yottsu
5 五つ itsutsu
6 六つ muttsu
7 七つ nanatsu
8 八つ yattsu
9 九つ kokonotsu
10
20 二十 hatachi (used for age)

List of counters

This is an incomplete list. It also includes counters which are rarely used or not widely known.

Pronunciation Japanese Use
ba Sections of a play
ban Nights
ban Sumo matches, (Sports) matches
bi Fishes (obscure; usually hiki is used instead)
bu Copies of a magazine or newspaper
bun Sentences
chaku 着, 著 Suits of clothing
chō Guns, sticks of ink, palanquins, rickshaws
chō Tools, scissors, saws, pistols, cakes of tofu, servings of noodles, town blocks
chō Town blocks
chō Measures of powdered medicine
chōme 丁目 Wards, blocks
dai Generations, periods, reigns
dai Cars, machines, mechanical devices
danraku 段落 Paragraphs
do Occurrences, number of times; also degrees (see also: kai)
fuku Bowls of matcha (powdered green tea); packets or doses of powdered medicine
fuku Hanging scrolls (kakejiku)
furi Swords
gatsu Months of the year (see also: kagetsu)
go Words, languages
gon , also koto Words
gu Suits of armour, sets of furniture
gyō Lines of text
haku Nights of a stay
hai Cups, glasses, spoonfuls, cuttlefish, octopuses, crabs
hai losses (sumo bouts)
hari Umbrellas, Parasols
hashira Gods, Memorial tablets
hatsu Gunshots
heya 部屋 Rooms
hiki, piki Small animals, insects, fish
hin, pin Parts of a meal, courses (see also: shina)
ho, po Number of (foot)steps
hon Long, thin, cylindrical objects; ties, pencils, bottles, guitars; also, metaphorically, telephone calls, movies (see also: tsūwa). Note that one of the meanings of 本 is "book," but the counter for books is satsu.
ji Letters, kanji, kana
ji Hours
jikan 時間 Hour-long periods
Tatami mats. 畳 is also read tatami and is the same one used for the mats. Room size in Japan is often given as a number of mats, for example 4½
ka Chapters of a book
ka Frames
kabu Stocks; nursery trees
kagetsu ヶ月 Month-long periods (see also: gatsu)
kakoku ヶ国 Countries
kakokugo ヶ国語 (National) languages
kaku strokes in kanji
kai Occurrences, number of times (see also: do)
kai Number of floors, storeys
kan Warships
ken Abstract matters and cases
ken Houses
ki Aircraft, machines
ki Graves, wreaths, CPUs, reactors
kire 切れ Slices (of bread, cake, etc.; pieces of sushi)
ko 個,箇,个, or ヶ General measure word, used when there is no specific counter
ko Houses
Schools
ku Sections, city districts
ku Haiku, Senryu
kuchi (Bank) accounts, donations
kumi Groups
kurasu クラス School classes
kyaku Desks, Chairs
kyoku Pieces of music
kyoku Boardgame matches (chess, Igo, Shogi, Mahjong); radio stations
mai Thin, flat objects, sheets of paper, shirts, photographs
maki Rolls, scrolls
maku Theatrical acts
mei People (polite)
men Mirrors, boards for Boardgames (chess, Igo, Shogi), stages of computer games
mon Cannons
mon Questions
nichi Days of the month (but see table of exceptions below)
nin People (but see table of exceptions below)
pēji ページ、頁 Pages
rin Wheels, Flower
ryō Railway cars
sai 才、歳 Years of age
sao Chests of drawers, flags
satsu Books
seki Seats, Rakugo show, (drinking) parties
shina Parts of a meal, courses (see also: hin)
shō wins (sumo bouts)
shu Tanka
shurui or shu 種類 or 種 Various types of things
soku Pairs of footwear or pants
tai Images, person's remains
tawara Bags of rice
ten Points, dots
Large animals, cattle, elephants (頭 means "head")
tsū Letters
tsūwa 通話 Telephone calls (see also: hon)
toki Time periods, a sixth of either day or night (in the traditional, obsolete way of telling time)
wa Birds, rabbits
wa Bundles
zen Pairs of chopsticks; bowls of rice

Exceptions

The traditional numbers are used by and for young children to give their ages, instead of using the age counter sai.

Some counters, notably nichi 日 and nin 人 use the traditional numerals for small numbers; exceptional cases for these counters are given in the table below.

Counters beginning with h~ (including fu~) undergo regular changes in sound, when preceded by the numerals 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10. The table below illustrates the process for hon 本 but the same changes apply to fun 分, hai 杯, hiki 匹 etc.

Numeral nichi 日 nin 人 hon 本 kai 階
1 tsuitachi* hitori ippon ikkai
2 futsuka futari
3 mikka sanbon sangai
4 yokka yonin
5 itsuka
6 muika roppon
7 nanoka shichinin
8 yōka happon
9 kokonoka
10 tōka jippon** jikkai**
14 jūyokka
20 hatsuka
24 nijūyokka

* But when counting number of days rather than days of the month, ichinichi is used.

** is changed into /jiQ/ (じっ) before voiceless plosive or /s/

See also

Last updated: 05-15-2005 22:18:45