How to Count in Japanese: Numbers 1–100 and Counting Things

Hello, I’m Kodak.

At first, counting in Japanese looks simple:

Then you discover that 4 can be yon or shi, 7 can be nana or shichi, and “one apple” may be hitotsu or ikko.

This article explains:

What Does “To Count” Mean in Japanese?

一から十まで数えてください。
Ichi kara jū made kazoete kudasai.
Please count from one to ten.

箱の中のりんごを数えました。
Hako no naka no ringo o kazoemashita.
I counted the apples in the box.

How to Count from 0 to 10 in Japanese

For a beginner-friendly everyday sequence, use:

How Do You Say Zero in Japanese?

Both zero and rei can represent 0.

スコアはゼロ対ゼロです。
Sukoa wa zero tai zero desu.
The score is zero to zero.

零下三度です。
Reika sando desu.
It is three degrees below zero.

Why Do 4, 7, and 9 Have Two Readings?

Japanese kanji often have both Sino-Japanese readings and native Japanese readings. Number words preserve more than one of these readings.

For ordinary counting and many counters, yon, nana, and kyū are safe defaults. Fixed expressions may require the alternatives.

Detailed guide: Yon vs Shi—Why 4 Can Be Unlucky in Japan

Detailed guide: Nana vs Shichi—How to Read 7 in Japanese

How to Count from 11 to 19 in Japanese

Numbers from 11 to 19 are formed as:

How to Count by Tens from 20 to 100

For 20, 30, 40, and so on, place the number of tens before jū.

How to Build Any Number from 21 to 99

Use the pattern:

Japanese Numbers 1–100: Complete List

The following list uses beginner-friendly default readings: yon, nana, and kyū.

1–10

11–20

21–30

31–40

41–50

51–60

61–70

71–80

81–90

91–100

Japanese Has More Than One Counting System

Two systems are especially important for beginners.

Counting General Things: Hitotsu, Futatsu, Mittsu

This system is useful for food, objects, questions, reasons, problems, and other general units.

りんごを三つ買いました。
Ringo o mittsu kaimashita.
I bought three apples.

質問が二つあります。
Shitsumon ga futatsu arimasu.
I have two questions.

ハンバーガーを一つください。
Hanbāgā o hitotsu kudasai.
One hamburger, please.

Detailed guide: Hitotsu, Futatsu Counting and the -Tsu Counter

Counting Things in Japanese: What Are Counter Words?

Japanese counter words are called 助数詞 (josūshi). They follow a number and classify what is being counted by shape, type, or conventional category.

Three Essential Counters: Ko, Mai, and Hon

Common Japanese Counter Words List

Detailed guide: Japanese Counters Explained—Hon, Mai, Ko, and More

Why Does Counter Pronunciation Change?

Some number-counter combinations become easier to pronounce by changing or shortening sounds.

How to Count People in Japanese

People use the counter 人.

家族は四人です。
Kazoku wa yonin desu.
There are four people in my family.

部屋に七人います。
Heya ni shichinin imasu.
There are seven people in the room.

How to Count Animals in Japanese

Small animals commonly use 匹 (hiki / piki / biki).

猫を三匹飼っています。
Neko o sanbiki katte imasu.
I have three cats.

How to Count Books, Paper, Bottles, and Machines

本を二冊読みました。
Hon o nisatsu yomimashita.
I read two books.

チケットを三枚買いました。
Chiketto o sanmai kaimashita.
I bought three tickets.

水を一本ください。
Mizu o ippon kudasai.
One bottle of water, please.

車が二台あります。
Kuruma ga nidai arimasu.
There are two cars.

Japanese Quantity Word Order

The most useful beginner pattern is:

りんごを三個買いました。
Ringo o sanko kaimashita.
I bought three apples.

机の上に紙が五枚あります。
Tsukue no ue ni kami ga gomai arimasu.
There are five sheets of paper on the desk.

How to Ask “How Many?” in Japanese

The question word changes according to the counting system or counter.

りんごはいくつありますか。
Ringo wa ikutsu arimasu ka.
How many apples are there?

チケットは何枚必要ですか。
Chiketto wa nanmai hitsuyō desu ka.
How many tickets do you need?

何人来ますか。
Nannin kimasu ka.
How many people are coming?

How to Count Age in Japanese

Age usually uses the counter 歳 (sai).

娘は七歳です。
Musume wa nanasai desu.
My daughter is seven years old.

How to Count Time in Japanese

Clock hours use 時 (ji).

七時に起きます。
Shichiji ni okimasu.
I wake up at seven o’clock.

How to Count Dates and Months in Japanese

Months use 月 (gatsu), but 4, 7, and 9 have fixed readings:

Many days of the month also use special native readings:

四月七日に日本へ行きます。
Shigatsu nanoka ni Nihon e ikimasu.
I will go to Japan on April 7.

How to Count Money in Japanese

Japanese yen uses 円 (en).

これは百円です。
Kore wa hyaku-en desu.
This is 100 yen.

全部で千五百円です。
Zenbu de sengohyaku-en desu.
The total is 1,500 yen.

How to Say Ordinal Numbers: First, Second, and Third

Japanese has several ways to express order.

Dai + Number: Formal or Labeled Order

第一章を読んでください。
Dai-isshō o yonde kudasai.
Please read Chapter 1.

～番目: Position in an Ordered Sequence

～つ目: The First, Second, or Third General Item

How to Read Phone Numbers and Codes

Phone numbers, room codes, and serial numbers are usually read one digit at a time rather than as one large mathematical number.

What Happens After 100?

The main target of this article is 1–100, but these next forms are useful:

A Beginner Strategy for Learning Japanese Numbers

Common Beginner Mistakes

Mistake 1: Saying Ichijū or Ichihyaku

Mistake 2: Using Yon, Nana, and Kyū in Every Fixed Expression

Mistake 3: Saying Ichi Tsu, Ni Tsu, and San Tsu

Mistake 4: Forgetting the Counter

Mistake 5: Pronouncing Every 本 as Hon

Mistake 6: Adding a Second Object Marker After the Quantity

Mistake 7: Treating Every Number String as a Quantity

Read codes and phone numbers digit by digit. Read quantities by their place value.

Natural Example Sentences for Japanese Counting

一から十まで数えてください。
Ichi kara jū made kazoete kudasai.
Please count from one to ten.

このクラスには二十五人います。
Kono kurasu ni wa nijūgonin imasu.
There are 25 people in this class.

りんごを三個買いました。
Ringo o sanko kaimashita.
I bought three apples.

紙を四枚ください。
Kami o yonmai kudasai.
Please give me four sheets of paper.

鉛筆を六本使いました。
Enpitsu o roppon tsukaimashita.
I used six pencils.

猫が七匹います。
Neko ga nanahiki imasu.
There are seven cats.

本を八冊読みました。
Hon o hassatsu yomimashita.
I read eight books.

車を二台持っています。
Kuruma o nidai motte imasu.
I own two cars.

コーヒーを二杯飲みました。
Kōhī o nihai nomimashita.
I drank two cups of coffee.

この映画を三回見ました。
Kono eiga o sankai mimashita.
I watched this movie three times.

質問が二つあります。
Shitsumon ga futatsu arimasu.
I have two questions.

七時に駅で会いましょう。
Shichiji ni eki de aimashō.
Let’s meet at the station at seven o’clock.

七月七日は七夕です。
Shichigatsu nanoka wa Tanabata desu.
July 7 is Tanabata.

息子は四歳です。
Musuko wa yonsai desu.
My son is four years old.

これは九百八十円です。
Kore wa kyūhyaku hachijū-en desu.
This is 980 yen.

Mini Quiz: Count in Japanese

FAQ About Counting in Japanese

How do you count from 1 to 10 in Japanese?

A beginner-friendly sequence is ichi, ni, san, yon, go, roku, nana, hachi, kyū, jū.

How do you count from 1 to 100 in Japanese?

Memorize 1–10, then combine the number of tens with jū and the ones digit. For example, 23 is nijūsan, 58 is gojūhachi, and 99 is kyūjūkyū. One hundred is hyaku.

Is 4 yon or shi?

Both readings are correct, but yon is a useful default for ordinary counting and many counters. Fixed words may require shi, as in shigatsu for April.

Is 7 nana or shichi?

Both readings are correct. Nana is a useful default for many numbers and counters, while fixed expressions include shichigatsu, shichiji, and shichinin.

Is 9 kyū or ku?

Both are readings of 九. Kyū is the useful default in ordinary numbers, while ku appears in fixed expressions such as kugatsu and kuji.

Why is 10 jū instead of ichijū?

Japanese omits “one” before ten. Ten is simply jū. Similarly, one hundred is hyaku and one thousand is sen.

What are hitotsu and futatsu?

Hitotsu and futatsu are native Japanese forms meaning one general thing and two general things. The sequence continues through tō for ten.

What are Japanese counter words?

Counter words, or josūshi, follow numbers and classify what is being counted by shape or category. Examples include ko, mai, hon, nin, and hiki.

What counter should I use if I do not know the correct one?

For many general non-human things from one to ten, the native ～つ system is useful. 個 (ko) also works for many individual objects, including quantities above ten, but neither replaces every specific counter.

Why do counters change pronunciation?

Sounds combine historically and phonetically. This produces forms such as ikko, ippon, sanbon, and roppiki. Frequent combinations are best learned as complete forms.

How do you ask “how many?” in Japanese?

Use the question form that matches the counter: ikutsu, nanko, nanmai, nanbon, nannin, or another appropriate form.

How do you say first, second, and third in Japanese?

Common patterns include dai-ichi, dai-ni, dai-san; ichibanme, nibanme, sanbanme; and hitotsume, futatsume, mittsume. The best form depends on context.

How do you read 100 in Japanese?

100 is 百 (hyaku), not ichihyaku.

Summary: How to Count in Japanese

Continue Learning Japanese Numbers

References

• The Japan Foundation, Minna no Kyōzai: Numbers — lists 0–20, tens, hundreds, thousands, number construction, and the alternative readings of 4, 7, and 9.
• The Japan Foundation, Minna no Kyōzai: Counters — explains number + counter structure, counter selection, word order, questions, and sound changes.
• The Japan Foundation, Minna no Kyōzai: Counter Reference — provides readings for ～つ, 個, 枚, 本, 人, 匹, 冊, 台, 杯, 回, 階, 歳, and other counters.
• The Japan Foundation, Minna no Kyōzai: Clock Time — explains number + 時, 何時, and common time expressions.
• National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics: Why 匹 Has Hiki, Biki, and Piki Readings — explains Japanese counters and historical H/P/B sound alternation.