Japanese Numbers: Discover the Logic and Hidden Secrets
Dive into the fascinating world of Japanese numbers! From basic numbers 1-100 to large numbers in the 10,000-based system. Practical everyday applications and the unique features that make the Japanese number system so special.
How Japanese Numbers Are Structured
The Japanese number system is highly logical and regular. It's based on Chinese characters (kanji) and has two reading systems: the Sino-Japanese reading (On'yomi) and the native Japanese reading (Kun'yomi). For pure counting, the Sino-Japanese numbers are typically used.
- 1-10
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Basic numbers: 一 (ichi), 二 (ni), 三 (san), 四 (shi/yon), 五 (go), 六 (roku), 七 (shichi/nana), 八 (hachi), 九 (kyū/ku), 十 (jū)
These numbers form the foundation and must be memorized. Some numbers have multiple readings, e.g., 4 (yon), 7 (nana), 9 (kyū), to avoid confusion or unlucky associations.
- 11-19
-
Formation with "jū": 十一 (jūichi), 十二 (jūni), 十三 (jūsan), 十四 (jūyon), 十五 (jūgo), 十六 (jūroku), 十七 (jūnana), 十八 (jūhachi), 十九 (jūkyū)
Very simple: jū (10) + basic number. 11 is therefore "ten-one", 12 is "ten-two" etc.
- 20-99
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Formation: tens digit + 十 (jū) + [ones digit]
Tens are formed by placing the tens digit before 十 (jū). 21 is "two-ten-one" 二十一 (nijūichi), 35 is "three-ten-five" 三十五 (sanjūgo).
- 100+
-
Hundred: 百 (hyaku)
The number 100 is called hyaku. At 300, 600, and 800, the pronunciation changes to sanbyaku, roppyaku, and happyaku.
- Counter Words
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Essential in Japanese: 人 (nin), 本 (hon), 枚 (mai), ...
In Japanese, you attach a counter word (josūshi) to a number, which depends on the type of object being counted. People, long objects, flat items – almost everything has its own counter word.
Japanese Numbers from 1 to 100
All Japanese numbers from 1 to 100 in overview – with kanji and Sino-Japanese readings. Perfect for systematic learning and quick reference.
Test Your Japanese Number Skills
Can you match these numbers correctly? How confident are you with Japanese numbers from 1-100?
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Hundreds, Thousands, and Large Numbers
In Japanese, large numbers – similar to Chinese – are grouped in steps of 10,000. This is a major difference from the English system, which is based on thousands. The unit 万 (man) for 10,000 is the key to understanding. Here are the most important numbers and their formation:
- 100
-
百 (hyaku)
The number 100 is called 百 (hyaku). The pronunciation changes with certain combinations: 300 becomes 三百 (sanbyaku), 600 becomes 六百 (roppyaku), and 800 becomes 八百 (happyaku).
- 1.000
-
千 (sen)
The number 1,000 is called 千 (sen), typically without 一 (ichi) before it. Here too there are sound changes: 3,000 becomes 三千 (sanzen) and 8,000 becomes 八千 (hassen).
- 10.000
-
一万 (ichiman)
Here begins the Japanese system for large numbers. Instead of thousands increments (like 10 x 1,000), the unit 万 (man) is used. So 100,000 is simply 十万 (jūman), meaning "ten times ten thousand".
- 1.000.000
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百万 (hyakuman)
One million follows the same logic: it's expressed as 百万 (hyakuman), which literally means "one hundred times ten thousand".
- 100.000.000
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一億 (ichioku)
For one hundred million, there's the next large unit: 億 (oku).
- 1.000.000.000
-
十億 (jūoku)
One billion is expressed as 十億 (jūoku), meaning "ten times one hundred million".
Common Pitfalls When Learning Numbers
Japanese numbers are logical, but these cases often lead to mistakes:
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Counter words (josūshi) are mandatory:
You can't simply say "two cats." It must be: 猫二匹 (neko nihiki). The counter word changes depending on what's being counted (people, animals, objects, etc.). -
Multiple readings for 4, 7, 9:
4: yon / shi, 7: nana / shichi, 9: kyū / ku. Often yon and nana are preferred, since shi sounds like "death" and ku can sound like "suffering." -
Sound changes (rendaku):
Numbers can change their pronunciation when combined. E.g., roku + hyaku → roppyaku (600), hachi + hyaku → happyaku (800), san + sen → sanzen (3,000).
Understanding and Using Numbers in Daily Life
Numbers are everywhere in daily life in Japan. Here are some examples:
-
Times:
Watch out for 4, 7, and 9 o'clock!
四時 (yoji) = four o'clock
七時 (shichiji) = seven o'clock
九時 (kuji) = nine o'clock
二時半 (niji han) = half past two (2:30) -
Money amounts (Yen/円):
千円 (sen en) = 1,000 yen
六百五十円 (roppyaku gojū en) = 650 yen -
Years:
1998年 → sen kyūhyaku kyūjū hachi nen
2025年 → nisen nijū go nen -
Basic arithmetic:
8 + 4 = 12 → hachi tasu yon wa jūni
15 - 5 = 10 → jūgo hiku go wa jū
3 × 7 = 21 → san kakeru nana wa nijūichi
20 ÷ 4 = 5 → nijū waru yon wa go -
Fractions and decimals:
½ → nibun no ichi
¼ → yonbun no ichi
0.8 → rei ten hachi
Unique Features of Japanese Numbers
The Japanese number system has fascinating peculiarities that go beyond pure calculation:
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The 10,000-based system:
Large numbers are grouped in units of 10,000 (万, man), not thousands. So 150,000 is 十五万 (jūgo man), "15 times 10,000". -
Lucky and unlucky numbers:
The number 4 (shi) is often avoided because it sounds like "death." 9 (ku) resembles "suffering." In contrast, 7 and 8 are considered lucky numbers. -
Number wordplay (goroawase):
Numbers can be used to represent words. A famous example is Nintendo's phone number in Japan: 075-662-9600, where "9600" can be read as "ku-roku-zero-zero," which sounds like "kurosu" (cross) - a reference to the D-pad.
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