In English, we count "one apple, two apples, three apples." Simple. In Japanese, you count "apple one-THING, apple two-THING, apple three-THING"—and the "THING" changes depending on what you're counting.

Welcome to Japanese counters (助数詞 - josūshi), where flat things, long things, small animals, and machinery all get their own special counting words.

The Universal Escape Counter: つ

When you don't know the right counter, use the native Japanese counting system with つ:

Number	Counter	Usage
1	ひとつ	General objects
2	ふたつ	General objects
3	みっつ	General objects
4	よっつ	General objects
5	いつつ	General objects
6	むっつ	General objects
7	ななつ	General objects
8	やっつ	General objects
9	ここのつ	General objects
10	とお	General objects

After 10: Switch to the Chinese-derived system with specific counters or just say the number.

Essential Counters by Category

人 (にん/り) — People

The most important counter! Note the irregular readings:

Number	Reading	Example
1 person	ひとり	一人
2 people	ふたり	二人
3 people	さんにん	三人
4 people	よにん	四人
5+	ごにん, ろくにん...	Regular pattern

個 (こ) — Small Objects (General)

Use for small, roundish, or compact items when you don't know the specific counter:

Number	Reading
1	いっこ
2	にこ
3	さんこ
6	ろっこ
10	じゅっこ

Use for: Apples, eggs, balls, erasers, stones, boxes, gifts

本 (ほん) — Long, Thin Objects

For anything long and cylindrical:

Number	Reading
1	いっぽん
2	にほん
3	さんぼん
4	よんほん
6	ろっぽん

Use for: Pens, pencils, bottles, trees, umbrellas, bananas, roads, rivers, fingers

枚 (まい) — Flat Objects

For thin, flat things:

Number	Reading
1	いちまい
2	にまい
3	さんまい

Use for: Paper, tickets, photos, stamps, plates, shirts, blankets, CDs, pizza (!)

匹 (ひき) — Small Animals

For small to medium animals (not birds, not humans):

Number	Reading
1	いっぴき
2	にひき
3	さんびき
6	ろっぴき
10	じゅっぴき

Use for: Dogs, cats, fish, insects, mice, rabbits

頭 (とう) — Large Animals

For large animals:

Use for: Cows, horses, elephants, whales, lions

動物園に象が三頭います。 (The zoo has three elephants.)

羽 (わ) — Birds and Rabbits

Yes, rabbits use the bird counter! Historical quirk.

Number	Reading
1	いちわ
3	さんば / さんわ

Use for: Birds, chickens, rabbits

台 (だい) — Machines and Vehicles

For mechanical things:

Use for: Cars, computers, TVs, refrigerators, bicycles, beds

車を二台持っています。 (I have two cars.)

杯 (はい) — Cups and Glasses

For drinks in containers:

Number	Reading
1	いっぱい
3	さんばい

Use for: Cups of coffee, glasses of water, bowls of rice/noodles

冊 (さつ) — Bound Volumes

For books, magazines, notebooks:

Number	Reading
1	いっさつ
8	はっさつ

階 (かい) — Floors/Stories

For building floors:

Number	Reading
1F	いっかい
3F	さんがい
8F	はっかい / はちかい

エレベーターで五階に行きます。 (I'll go to the 5th floor by elevator.)

Time Counters

時 (じ) — O'clock

Time	Reading
1:00	いちじ
4:00	よじ
7:00	しちじ
9:00	くじ

分 (ふん/ぷん) — Minutes

Minutes	Reading
1 min	いっぷん
3 min	さんぷん
5 min	ごふん
10 min	じゅっぷん

日 (にち/か) — Days of Month

Extremely irregular! Memorize 1-10:

Day	Reading
1日	ついたち
2日	ふつか
3日	みっか
4日	よっか
5日	いつか
6日	むいか
7日	なのか
8日	ようか
9日	ここのか
10日	とおか
14日	じゅうよっか
20日	はつか
24日	にじゅうよっか

Quick Reference Table

Counter	Meaning	Use For
つ	-	General (1-10 only)
個	individual	Small objects
人	person	People
本	origin	Long things
枚	piece	Flat things
匹	-	Small animals
頭	head	Large animals
羽	feather	Birds, rabbits
台	stand	Machines, vehicles
杯	cup	Drinks, bowls
冊	volume	Books
階	floor	Building floors
歳/才	age	Years old
回	time	Occurrences
番	number	Rankings

Sound Change Patterns (音便)

Many counters change sounds. Here's the pattern:

Number	Changes to...
1, 6, 8, 10	Often double consonant (っ)
3	Often voiced (b, g, d)
What	なん + counter

Example with 本:

• 1本 = いっぽん (h → p)
• 3本 = さんぼん (h → b)
• 6本 = ろっぽん (h → p)

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using つ for People

❌ 三つの学生 (sounds like counting objects) ✅ 三人の学生

Mistake 2: Wrong Animal Counter

❌ 犬が三頭います (頭 is for large animals) ✅ 犬が三匹います

Mistake 3: Forgetting Sound Changes

❌ 一ほん, 三ほん ✅ 一ぽん, 三ぼん

Practice Exercise

Match the item to the correct counter:

1. 01Book → ___
2. 02Dog → ___
3. 03Car → ___
4. 04Person → ___
5. 05Sheet of paper → ___

Answers

1. 01冊 (さつ)
2. 02匹 (ひき)
3. 03台 (だい)
4. 04人 (にん/り)
5. 05枚 (まい)

Conclusion

Japanese counters seem overwhelming at first, but focus on the essential 15-20 and you'll handle 95% of situations.

Your action plan:

1. 01✅ Memorize 人, 個, 本, 枚, 匹 first
2. 02✅ Learn the sound change patterns
3. 03✅ Use つ as your escape hatch
4. 04✅ Practice with real scenarios

Ready to practice? Train your vocabulary with KanaDojo!

数え方を頑張って！(Good luck with counting!)

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