jo (help, assist)
sû (number, figures)
shi (part of speech, words)
josûshi (counters for various categories, counter suffix)
ji

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❖ Used along with numbers to count things, actions, and events
❖ There are several hundred different counters in Japanese
❖ Counters are not independent words and always appear with a number
(or question word like when, what, where, etc) before them
❖ Counters generally occur after the noun (following particles)
❖ If counters are used before the noun, they emphasize the quantity

dai (big, large)
ji (character, letter, word)
daiji (large character, alternative kanji used for numbers)

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❖ Mostly used in legal, financial or old documents
❖ Unlike some modern kanji numerals, can not be easily changed to look other kanji
– usually to a larger amount
e.g. adding a line to the top of jû (ten) to change it to sen (thousand)

(one)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal and financial documents

---

(number one)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(two)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal and financial documents

---

(two)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(three)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal and financial documents

---

(three)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(four)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal and financial documents

---

(four)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(five)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal and financial documents

---

(five)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(six)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal and financial documents

---

(six)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(seven)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal and financial documents

---

(seven)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents
❖ Also pronounced shichi

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(number seven)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(eight)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal and financial documents

---

(eight)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(nine)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal documents

---

(nine)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(ten)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(hundred)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, and financial documents

---

(hundred)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(thousand)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, and financial documents

---

(thousand)

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❖ Less common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(ten thousand)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, and financial documents

---

(ten thousand)

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❖ Common daiji
❖ Usually used in legal, financial and old documents

(counter for long cylindrical things)
(counter for long narrow things)
(counter for films, TV shows, etc.)
(counter for goals, home runs, etc.)

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❖ Used with on'yomi pronunciation of numbers
❖ See sûji

ip | ichi (one)
pon | hon (counter for long narrow things)
ippon (one long narrow thing)

ni (two)
hon (counter for long narrow things)
nihon (two long narrow things)

san (three)
bon | hon (counter for long narrow things)
sanbon (three long narrow things)

yon (four)
hon (counter for long narrow things)
yonhon (four long narrow things)

go (five)
hon (counter for long narrow things)
gohon (five long narrow things)

rop | roku (six)
pon | hon (counter for long narrow things)
roppon (six long narrow things)

nana (seven)
hon (counter for long narrow things)
nanahon (seven long narrow things)

hap | hachi (eight)
pon | hon (counter for long narrow things)
happon (eight long narrow things)

kyû (nine)
hon (counter for long narrow things)
kyûhon (nine long narrow things)

jup | jû (ten)
pon | hon (counter for long narrow things)
juppon (ten long narrow things)

---

jip | jû (ten)
pon | hon (counter for long narrow things)
jippon (ten long narrow things)

---

❖ Correctly pronounced as jippon, juppon is heard more often

jun (obey, order, turn, right, docility, occasion)
jo (order, precedence)
sû (number, strength, fate, law, figures)
junjosû (ordinal numbers)

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❖ Numbers denoting rank and precedence
❖ kun'yomi ordinal numbers only go up to ninth rank
❖ on'yomi ordinal numbers are used for tenth rank and beyond

(ordinal prefix, no., residence)

ichi (one)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
ichibanme (the first)

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❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ Also called hitotsume

hito.tsu (one)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
hitotsume (first, one-eyed)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

ni (two)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
nibanme (second)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ Also called futatsume

futa.tsu (two) me (class, eye, look, care, favor) futatsume (second)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

san (three)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
sanbanme (third)

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❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ Also called mittsume

mit.tsu | mitsu.tsu (three)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
mittsume (third)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

yon (four)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
yonbanme (fourth)

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❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ Also called yottsume

yot.tsu | yotsu.tsu (four)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
yottsume (fourth)

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❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

go (five)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
gobanme (fifth)

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❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ Also called itsutsume

itsu.tsu (five)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
itsutsume (fifth)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

roku (six)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
rokubanme (sixth)

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❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ Also called muttsume

muttsu | mutsu.tsu (six)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
muttsume (sixth)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

nana (seven)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
nanabanme (seventh)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ Also called nanatsume

nana.tsu (seven)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
nanatsume (seventh)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

hachi (eight)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
hachibanme (eighth)

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❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ Also called yattsume

yat.tsu | yatsu.tsu (eight)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
yattsume (eighth)

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❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

kyû (nine)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
kyûbanme (nineth)

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❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ Also called kokonotsume

kokono.tsu (nine)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
kokonotsume (nineth)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

jû (ten)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
jûbanme (tenth)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

hyaku (hundred)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
hyakubanme (hundredth)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

sen (thousand)
ban (turn, number in a series)
me (class, eye, look, care, favor)
senbanme (thousandth)

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❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number

(counter for thin flat objects – e.g. sheets of paper)

---

❖ Used with on'yomi pronunciation of numbers
❖ See sûji

ichi (one)
mai (counter for flat objects)
ichimai (one flat object)

ni (two)
mai (counter for flat objects)
nimai (two flat objects)

san (three)
mai (counter for flat objects)
sanmai (three flat objects)

yon (four)
mai (counter for flat objects)
yonmai (four flat objects)

go (five)
mai (counter for flat objects)
gomai (five flat objects)

roku (six)
mai (counter for flat objects)
rokumai (six flat objects)

nana (seven)
mai (counter for flat objects)
nanamai (seven flat objects)

hachi (eight)
mai (counter for flat objects)
hachimai (eight flat objects)

kyû (nine)
mai (counter for flat objects)
kyûmai (nine flat objects)

jû (ten)
mai (counter for flat objects)
jûmai (ten flat objects)

(counter for people)

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❖ Pronounced -ri when used with hito and futa
❖ One and two are from the hito-futa-mi counting system
❖ See -tsu
❖ The rest are used with on'yomi pronunciation of numbers
❖ Pronounced -nin when used with the on'yomi pronunciation of numbers
❖ See sûji

hito- (one)
ri (counter for people)
hitori (one person)

---

hito- (single, alone)
ri (counter for people)
hitori (one person)

---

hito- (one, traditional Japanese pronunciation of number) *
ri (counter for people)
hitori (one person)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ * Usually used in legal and old documents

futa- (two)
ri (counter for people)
futari (two people)

---

futa- (two, traditional Japanese pronunciation of number) *
ri (counter for people)
futari (two people)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of ordinal number
❖ * Usually used in legal and old documents

san (three)
nin (counter for people)
sannin (three people)

yo (four)
nin (counter for people)
yonin (four people)

go (five)
nin (counter for people)
gonin (five people)

roku (six)
nin (counter for people)
rokunin (six people)

shichi (seven)
nin (counter for people)
shichinin (seven people)

---

nana (seven)
nin (counter for people)
nananin (seven people)

hachi (eight)
nin (counter for people)
hachinin (eight people)

kyû (nine)
nin (counter for people)
kyûnin (nine people)

jû (ten)
nin (counter for people)
jûnin (ten people)

jû (ten)
ichi (one)
jûichi (eleven)
nin (counter for people)
jûichinin (eleven people)

jû (ten)
ni (two
jûni (twelve)
nin (counter for people)
jûninin (twelve people)

sû (number, figures)
ji (character, letter)
sûji (numbers, numerals)

---

❖ Roman numerals are frequenty used instead of kanji, if the text is written horizontally
❖ kanji are frequenty used when the text is written vertically
❖ on'yomi pronunciation of numbers

(one)

---

❖ ichi – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ hitotsu – kun'yomi pronunciation

(two)

---

❖ ni – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ futatsu – kun'yomi pronunciation

(three)

---

❖ san –on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ mittsu – kun'yomi pronunciation

(four)

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❖ yon – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ yottsu – kun'yomi pronunciation
❖ Also pronounced shi, although this is frequently avoided because it sounds
like the word for death

(five)

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❖ go – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ itsutsu – kun'yomi pronunciation

(six)

---

❖ roku – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ muttsu – kun'yomi pronunciation

(seven)

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❖ shichi – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ nanatsu – kun'yomi pronunciation
❖ Also pronounced nana when used in railroad times

hachi

---

❖ hachi – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ yattsu – kun'yomi pronunciation

(nine)

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❖ kyû – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ Also pronounced ku although this is frequently avoided because it sounds like the word for pain and suffering
❖ kokonotsu – kun'yomi pronunciation of number

(ten)

---

❖ jû – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ too – kun'yomi pronunciation

jû (ten)
ichi (one)
jû-ichi (eleven)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

jû (ten)
ni (two)
jû-ni (twelve)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

jû (ten)
san (three)
jû-san (thirteen)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

jû (ten)
yon (four)
jû-yon (fourteen)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ten and kun'yomi pronunciation of four
❖ Also pronounced jû-shi

---

jû (ten)
shi (four)
jû-shi (fourteen)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

jû (ten)
go (five)
jû-go (fifteen)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

jû (ten)
roku (six)
jû-roku (sixteen)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

jû (ten)
shichi (seven)
jû-shichi (seventeen)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ Also pronounced jû-nana

---

jû (ten)
nana (seven)
jû-nana (seventeen)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of ten and kun'yomi pronunciation of seven

jû (ten)
hachi (eight)
jû-hachi (eighteen)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

jû (ten)
kyû (nine)
jû-kyû (nineteen)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

ni (two)
jû (ten)
ni-jû (twenty)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

san (three)
jû (ten)
san-jû (thirty)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

yon (four)
jû (ten)
yon-jû (forty)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of four and on'yomi pronunciation of ten

go (five)
jû (ten)
go-jû (fifty)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

roku (six)
jû (ten)
roku-jû (sixty)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

nana (seven)
jû (ten)
nana-jû (seventy)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of seven and on'yomi pronunciation of ten

hachi (eight)
jû (ten)
hachi-jû (eighty)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

kyû (nine)
jû (ten)
kyû-jû (ninety)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

hyaku (hundred)

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❖ hyaku – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ momo – kun'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ Usually the hundreds are pronounced with the on'yomi for one, two, three, five, six, eight, and nine; or the kun'yomi for four and seven followed by hyaku except for the irregular pronunciations noted below
❖ The kun'yomi pronunciation of the hundreds is with the kun'yomi for one to nine minus tsu followed by o – e.g. fu from fu.tsu and o: fuo (200), or yo from yo.tsu and o: yô (400)

san (three)
byaku (irregular pronunciation of hundred, hyaku)
san-byaku (three hundred)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

rop | roku (six)
pyaku (irregular pronunciation of hundred, hyaku)
roppyaku (six hundred)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

hap | hachi (eight)
pyaku (irregular pronunciation of hundred, hyaku)
happyaku (eight hundred)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

(thousand)

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❖ sen – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ chi – kun'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ Pronounced issen when preceeded by another number – e.g. 21,000 is ni-man-issen
❖ Usually the thousands are pronounced with the on'yomi for one, two, three, five, six, eight, and nine; or the kun'yomi for four and seven followed by sen except for the irregular pronunciations noted below

san (three)
zen (irregular pronunciation of thousand, sen)
san-zen (three thousand)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

has | hachi (eight)
sen (thousand)
hassen (eight thousand)

---

❖ on'yomi pronunciation of number

(ten thousand, myriad)

---

❖ man – on'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ yorozu – kun'yomi pronunciation of number
❖ Usually the ten thousands are pronounced with the on'yomi for one, two, three, five, six, eight, and nine; or the kun'yomi for four and seven followed by man

(counter for the hito-futa-mi counting system)
(counter for articles)

---

(counter for miscellaneous things)

---

❖ kun'yomi pronunciation of numbers
❖ Pronounced -ko when used with on'yomi pronunciation of numbers

hito- (one)
tsu (counter for miscellaneous thing)
hito.tsu (one miscellaneous thing)

---

hito- (one)
tsu (counter for articles)
hito.tsu (one article)

---

❖ Traditional Japanese pronunciation of number

futa- (two)
tsu (counter for miscellaneous things)
futa.tsu (two miscellaneous things)

---

futa- (two)
tsu (counter for articles)
futa.tsu (two articles)

---

❖ Traditional Japanese pronunciation of number

mit- | mitsu- (three)
tsu (counter for miscellaneous things)
mittsu (three miscellaneous things)

---

mit- | mitsu- (three)
tsu (counter for articles)
mittsu (three articles)

---

❖ Traditional Japanese pronunciation of number

yot- | yotsu- (four)
tsu (counter for miscellaneous thing)
yottsu (four miscellaneous things)

---

yot- | yotsu- (four)
tsu (counter for articles)
yottsu (four articles)

---

❖ Traditional Japanese pronunciation of number

itsu- (five)
tsu (counter for miscellaneous thing)
itsutsu (five miscellaneous things)

---

itsu- (five)
tsu (counter for articles)
itsutsu (five articles)

---

❖ Traditional Japanese pronunciation of number

mut- | mutsu- (six)
tsu (counter for miscellaneous thing)
muttsu (six miscellaneous things)

---

mut- | mutsu- (six)
tsu (counter for articles)
muttsu (six articles)

---

❖ Traditional Japanese pronunciation of number
❖ Also pronounced mutsu

mu (six)
tsu (counter for articles)

nana (seven)
tsu (counter for miscellaneous thing)
nanatsu (seven miscellaneous things)

---

nana- (seven)
tsu (counter for articles)
nanatsu (seven articles)

---

❖ Traditional Japanese pronunciation of number

yat- | yatsu- (eight)
tsu (counter for miscellaneous thing)
yattsu (eight miscellaneous things)

---

yat- | yatsu- (eight)
tsu (counter for articles)
yattsu (eight articles)

---

❖ Traditional Japanese pronunciation of number

kokono- (nine)
tsu (counter for miscellaneous thing)
kokonotsu (nine miscellaneous things)

---

kokono- (nine)
tsu (counter for articles)
kokonotsu (nine articles)

---

❖ Traditional Japanese pronunciation of number

(ten miscellaneous things)

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❖ Traditional Japanese pronunciation of number