Japanese Numbers and Counting System
By Tour in Japan editors · Updated
Japan has two counting systems and different words for counting different objects. Here's what you need to know as a traveler.
Japan has two counting systems and different words for counting different objects. Here's what you need to know as a traveler.
Basic Numbers
| Number | Japanese | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 零 / 〇 | Rei / Maru |
| 1 | 一 | Ichi |
| 2 | 二 | Ni |
| 3 | 三 | San |
| 4 | 四 | Yo / Shi |
| 5 | 五 | Go |
| 6 | 六 | Roku |
| 7 | 七 | Nana / Shichi |
| 8 | 八 | Hachi |
| 9 | 九 | Kyū / Ku |
| 10 | 十 | Jū |
Larger Numbers
| Number | Japanese | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 百 | Hyaku |
| 1,000 | 千 | Sen |
| 10,000 | 万 | Man |
| 100,000 | 十万 | Jū-man |
| 1,000,000 | 百万 | Hyaku-man |
| 10,000,000 | 千万 | Sen-man |
Reading Prices
| Price | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| ¥100 | 百円 | Hyaku-en |
| ¥500 | 五百円 | Gohyaku-en |
| ¥1,000 | 千円 | Sen-en |
| ¥5,000 | 五千円 | Gosen-en |
| ¥10,000 | 一万円 | Ichi-man-en |
| ¥50,000 | 五万円 | Go-man-en |
Counting Words (助数詞)
Japanese uses different counters for different objects:
| Counter | Used For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| つ (tsu) | General/small things | りんご一つ (one apple) |
| 人 (nin) | People | 三人 (three people) |
| 本 (hon) | Long things (bottles, pens) | 二本 (two bottles) |
| 枚 (mai) | Flat things (paper, plates) | 三枚 (three plates) |
| 台 (dai) | Machines, vehicles | 一台 (one car) |
| 匹 (hiki) | Small animals | 二匹 (two cats) |
| 冊 (satsu) | Books, magazines | 三冊 (three books) |
| 杯 (hai) | Cups, glasses | 二杯 (two cups) |
| 階 (kai) | Floors | 三階 (third floor) |
| 番 (ban) | Numbers/ranks | 一番 (number one) |
Useful Numbers for Travelers
| Situation | Number | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| How much? | いくら？ | Ikura? |
| One person | 一人 | Hitori |
| Two people | 二人 | Futari |
| Three people | 三人 | San-nin |
| First floor | 一階 | Ikkai |
| Second floor | 二階 | Nikai |
| Platform 3 | 3番線 | San-ban-sen |
| Gate 5 | 5番口 | Go-ban-guchi |
| Room 101 | 101号室 | Hyaku-ichi-gōshitsu |
Tips
- You don't need to master counting — just learn numbers 1–10 and 100/1,000/10,000
- Point at menus — easier than trying to count in Japanese
- Use your phone — show the number on screen if needed
- Staff will understand — even broken Japanese is appreciated
- Google Translate — handles numbers automatically
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