Japanese Counters Guide: How to Count Everything in Japanese (2026)
Master Japanese counters with this complete guide. Learn how to count people, objects, animals, and more with charts, examples, and practice exercises.
In English, counting is simple: one apple, two apples, three apples. In Japanese, it's different – you need special "counter words" that change depending on what you're counting. This sounds complicated, but once you understand the system, it's actually quite logical!
This guide teaches you the essential Japanese counters you'll use every day, from counting people to ordering food to telling time.
What Are Japanese Counters?
Counters (助数詞 - josuushi) are words that attach to numbers when counting specific things. English has a few of these too – "sheets" of paper, "heads" of cattle, "slices" of bread – but Japanese uses them for everything.
English vs Japanese:
| English | Japanese |
|---|---|
| Two books | 本を二冊 (nihon wo nisatsu) |
| Three people | 三人 (sannin) |
| Five dogs | 犬が五匹 (inu ga gohiki) |
The number + counter forms a unit placed after (or sometimes before) the noun.
The Universal Counter: つ (tsu)
When in doubt, use つ! This general-purpose counter works for most small objects and is your safety net.
| Number | Counter | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一つ | hitotsu |
| 2 | 二つ | futatsu |
| 3 | 三つ | mittsu |
| 4 | 四つ | yottsu |
| 5 | 五つ | itsutsu |
| 6 | 六つ | muttsu |
| 7 | 七つ | nanatsu |
| 8 | 八つ | yattsu |
| 9 | 九つ | kokonotsu |
| 10 | 十 | too |
Note: After 10, つ isn't used. Switch to specific counters or use 個 (ko).
Examples:
- りんごを三つください。(Ringo wo mittsu kudasai.) – Three apples, please.
- ふたつ買いました。(Futatsu kaimashita.) – I bought two.
Essential Counters for Daily Life
人 (nin/ri) – People
The most important counter! Note the irregular readings for 1 and 2.
| Number | Counter | Romaji | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 一人 | hitori | Irregular! |
| 2 people | 二人 | futari | Irregular! |
| 3 people | 三人 | sannin | Regular from here |
| 4 people | 四人 | yonin | |
| 5 people | 五人 | gonin | |
| 6 people | 六人 | rokunin | |
| 7 people | 七人 | shichinin/nananin | |
| 8 people | 八人 | hachinin | |
| 9 people | 九人 | kyuunin/kunin | |
| 10 people | 十人 | juunin |
How many? 何人 (nannin) – How many people?
Examples:
- 四人家族です。(Yonin kazoku desu.) – It's a family of four.
- 一人で来ました。(Hitori de kimashita.) – I came alone.
個 (ko) – General Objects
A versatile counter for small, compact objects. Great fallback for things without specific counters.
| Number | Counter | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一個 | ikko |
| 2 | 二個 | niko |
| 3 | 三個 | sanko |
| 4 | 四個 | yonko |
| 5 | 五個 | goko |
| 6 | 六個 | rokko |
| 7 | 七個 | nanako |
| 8 | 八個 | hakko/hachiko |
| 9 | 九個 | kyuuko |
| 10 | 十個 | jukko |
How many? 何個 (nanko)
Use for: Apples, eggs, balls, boxes, generally round or small objects
本 (hon) – Long, Cylindrical Objects
For anything long and thin: pens, bottles, trees, roads, movies.
| Number | Counter | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一本 | ippon |
| 2 | 二本 | nihon |
| 3 | 三本 | sanbon |
| 4 | 四本 | yonhon |
| 5 | 五本 | gohon |
| 6 | 六本 | roppon |
| 7 | 七本 | nanahon |
| 8 | 八本 | happon |
| 9 | 九本 | kyuuhon |
| 10 | 十本 | juppon |
Sound changes: Notice how ほん (hon) changes to ぽん (pon) and ぼん (bon) with certain numbers!
Use for: Pens, pencils, bottles, umbrellas, bananas, trees, roads, phone calls, movies
枚 (mai) – Flat Objects
For thin, flat things: paper, tickets, shirts, plates.
| Number | Counter | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一枚 | ichimai |
| 2 | 二枚 | nimai |
| 3 | 三枚 | sanmai |
| 4 | 四枚 | yonmai |
| 5 | 五枚 | gomai |
| 6 | 六枚 | rokumai |
| 7 | 七枚 | nanamai |
| 8 | 八枚 | hachimai |
| 9 | 九枚 | kyuumai |
| 10 | 十枚 | juumai |
How many? 何枚 (nanmai)
Use for: Paper, tickets, photos, stamps, plates, CDs, shirts, slices of bread
冊 (satsu) – Books/Volumes
For bound publications: books, magazines, notebooks.
| Number | Counter | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一冊 | issatsu |
| 2 | 二冊 | nisatsu |
| 3 | 三冊 | sansatsu |
| 4 | 四冊 | yonsatsu |
| 5 | 五冊 | gosatsu |
| 8 | 八冊 | hassatsu |
| 10 | 十冊 | jussatsu |
Use for: Books, magazines, notebooks, manga volumes
Counters for Living Things
匹 (hiki) – Small/Medium Animals
For most animals: dogs, cats, fish, insects.
| Number | Counter | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一匹 | ippiki |
| 2 | 二匹 | nihiki |
| 3 | 三匹 | sanbiki |
| 4 | 四匹 | yonhiki |
| 5 | 五匹 | gohiki |
| 6 | 六匹 | roppiki |
| 7 | 七匹 | nanahiki |
| 8 | 八匹 | happiki |
| 9 | 九匹 | kyuuhiki |
| 10 | 十匹 | juppiki |
Sound changes: Note the ぴき (piki) and びき (biki) changes!
Use for: Dogs, cats, fish, insects, mice, frogs (small/medium animals)
頭 (tou) – Large Animals
For large animals: horses, cows, elephants.
| Number | Counter | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一頭 | ittou |
| 2 | 二頭 | nitou |
| 3 | 三頭 | santou |
Use for: Horses, cows, elephants, whales, large zoo animals
羽 (wa) – Birds & Rabbits
For birds and traditionally rabbits too!
| Number | Counter | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一羽 | ichiwa |
| 2 | 二羽 | niwa |
| 3 | 三羽 | sanba/sanwa |
Fun fact: Rabbits use 羽 because Buddhist monks weren't allowed to eat meat, so they classified rabbit as "bird" to eat it legally!
Time and Date Counters
時 (ji) – O'Clock (Hours)
| Time | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | 一時 | ichiji |
| 2:00 | 二時 | niji |
| 3:00 | 三時 | sanji |
| 4:00 | 四時 | yoji |
| 5:00 | 五時 | goji |
| 6:00 | 六時 | rokuji |
| 7:00 | 七時 | shichiji |
| 8:00 | 八時 | hachiji |
| 9:00 | 九時 | kuji |
| 10:00 | 十時 | juuji |
| 11:00 | 十一時 | juuichiji |
| 12:00 | 十二時 | juuniji |
Note irregular: 4時 (yoji), 7時 (shichiji), 9時 (kuji)
分 (fun/pun) – Minutes
| Minutes | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1 min | 一分 | ippun |
| 2 min | 二分 | nifun |
| 3 min | 三分 | sanpun |
| 4 min | 四分 | yonpun |
| 5 min | 五分 | gofun |
| 6 min | 六分 | roppun |
| 7 min | 七分 | nanafun |
| 8 min | 八分 | happun |
| 9 min | 九分 | kyuufun |
| 10 min | 十分 | juppun |
Example: 3:15 = 三時十五分 (sanji juugofun)
日 (nichi/ka) – Days of the Month
The first 10 days have special readings:
| Day | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 一日 | tsuitachi |
| 2nd | 二日 | futsuka |
| 3rd | 三日 | mikka |
| 4th | 四日 | yokka |
| 5th | 五日 | itsuka |
| 6th | 六日 | muika |
| 7th | 七日 | nanoka |
| 8th | 八日 | youka |
| 9th | 九日 | kokonoka |
| 10th | 十日 | tooka |
| 14th | 十四日 | juuyokka |
| 20th | 二十日 | hatsuka |
After the 10th (except 14th and 20th), use regular number + にち:
- 11th → 十一日 (juuichinichi)
- 25th → 二十五日 (nijuugonichi)
月 (gatsu) – Months
| Month | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| January | 一月 | ichigatsu |
| February | 二月 | nigatsu |
| March | 三月 | sangatsu |
| April | 四月 | shigatsu |
| May | 五月 | gogatsu |
| June | 六月 | rokugatsu |
| July | 七月 | shichigatsu |
| August | 八月 | hachigatsu |
| September | 九月 | kugatsu |
| October | 十月 | juugatsu |
| November | 十一月 | juuichigatsu |
| December | 十二月 | juunigatsu |
Note irregular: 4月 (shigatsu), 7月 (shichigatsu), 9月 (kugatsu)
Counters for Food & Drink
杯 (hai) – Cups/Glasses/Bowls
| Number | Counter | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一杯 | ippai |
| 2 | 二杯 | nihai |
| 3 | 三杯 | sanbai |
| 6 | 六杯 | roppai |
| 8 | 八杯 | happai |
| 10 | 十杯 | juppai |
Use for: Cups of coffee/tea, glasses of water, bowls of rice/ramen
Example: コーヒー三杯飲みました。(Koohii sanbai nomimashita.) – I drank three cups of coffee.
皿 (sara) – Plates/Servings
For plates of food:
Example: お寿司二皿ください。(Osushi nisara kudasai.) – Two plates of sushi, please.
Counter Quick Reference Chart
| Counter | For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| つ | General objects | りんご三つ |
| 人 (nin) | People | 三人 |
| 個 (ko) | Small objects | 卵5個 |
| 本 (hon) | Long things | ペン二本 |
| 枚 (mai) | Flat things | 紙一枚 |
| 冊 (satsu) | Books | 本三冊 |
| 匹 (hiki) | Small animals | 猫二匹 |
| 頭 (tou) | Large animals | 象一頭 |
| 羽 (wa) | Birds | 鳥三羽 |
| 台 (dai) | Vehicles/machines | 車一台 |
| 杯 (hai) | Drinks | ビール一杯 |
| 回 (kai) | Times/occurrences | 二回 |
| 階 (kai) | Floors | 三階 |
| 歳/才 (sai) | Age | 20歳 |
Common Situations
At a Restaurant
ビールを三杯ください。 Biiru wo sanbai kudasai. Three beers, please.
二人です。 Futari desu. (Table for) two people.
Shopping
りんごを五つください。 Ringo wo itsutsu kudasai. Five apples, please.
この本を二冊買います。 Kono hon wo nisatsu kaimasu. I'll buy two of this book.
Telling Time
今、三時半です。 Ima, sanji han desu. It's 3:30 now.
十分待ってください。 Juppun matte kudasai. Please wait 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I use the wrong counter?
You'll still be understood! Japanese people might smile, but they won't be confused. Using つ as a fallback is always acceptable.
Do I need to memorize all counters?
Focus on the 10-15 essential ones first. You'll naturally learn others through exposure to Japanese content.
Why do some counters have sound changes?
Certain number + counter combinations are difficult to pronounce quickly, so the sounds changed over time for ease of speech. You'll internalize these with practice.
How do I ask "how many"?
Replace the number with 何 (nan):
- 何人 (nannin) – how many people?
- 何個 (nanko) – how many objects?
- 何本 (nanbon) – how many [long things]?
Conclusion: Start Counting with Confidence!
Japanese counters might seem overwhelming, but remember:
Key takeaways: ✅ Start with つ – it works for most things ✅ Master 人 (people) and 個 (objects) first ✅ Learn counters through usage, not memorization ✅ Sound changes become natural with practice ✅ Mistakes are okay – you'll still be understood!
Your next step: The best way to learn counters is in context! Practice essential vocabulary with KanaDojo and see counters used naturally.
何個覚えましたか？(Nanko oboetmashita ka?) – How many did you learn?
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