Japanese Numbers
About Japanese Numbers
Japanese numbers are an essential part of the language, used for counting, ordering, and more. This page focuses on the phonetic representation of numbers using Hiragana, along with their pronunciations. Numbers follow a straightforward pattern, but their pronunciation can vary depending on counters or grammatical context.
Basic Numbers (1-10)
Below are the numbers from 1 to 10 written in Hiragana with their pronunciations.
| Number | Hiragana | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | いち | ichi |
| 2 | に | ni |
| 3 | さん | san |
| 4 | し | shi/yon |
| 5 | ご | go |
| 6 | ろく | roku |
| 7 | しち | shichi/nana |
| 8 | はち | hachi |
| 9 | く | kyuu/ku |
| 10 | じゅう | juu |
Note: These are the base forms. Pronunciation may change with counters or context, as explained below.
Numbers Beyond 10 (N5 Level)
For JLPT N5, you should understand numbers up to 999. Japanese uses a simple system to build larger numbers by combining the base numbers. Here's how it works:
- Tens (10-90): Multiply 10 (じゅう, jū) by a number from 1-9. For example:
- 20 = にじゅう (ni-jū) [2 × 10]
- 30 = さんじゅう (san-jū) [3 × 10]
- 50 = ごじゅう (go-jū) [5 × 10]
- 90 = きゅうじゅう (kyū-jū) [9 × 10]
- Tens and Beyond (11-99): Add a single digit to the tens. For example:
- 11 = じゅういち (jū-ichi) [10 + 1]
- 25 = にじゅうご (ni-jū-go) [20 + 5]
- 47 = よんじゅうしち (yon-jū-shichi) [40 + 7] or よんじゅうなな (yon-jū-nana)
- 99 = きゅうじゅうきゅう (kyū-jū-kyū) [90 + 9]
- Hundreds (100-900): Use 百 (ひゃく, hyaku) for "hundred" and multiply it by 1-9. Note some sound changes:
- 100 = ひゃく (hyaku)
- 200 = にひゃく (ni-hyaku)
- 300 = さんびゃく (san-byaku) [sound change: hyaku → byaku]
- 600 = ろっぴゃく (rop-pyaku) [sound change: hyaku → pyaku]
- 800 = はっぴゃく (hap-pyaku) [sound change: hyaku → pyaku]
- Combining Hundreds (101-999): Add tens and ones after the hundreds. For example:
- 123 = ひゃくにじゅうさん (hyaku-ni-jū-san) [100 + 20 + 3]
- 456 = よんひゃくごじゅうろく (yon-hyaku-go-jū-roku) [400 + 50 + 6]
- 789 = ななひゃくはちじゅうきゅう (nana-hyaku-hachi-jū-kyū) [700 + 80 + 9]
Tip: Practice saying these aloud, as N5 often tests listening comprehension of numbers (e.g., prices, ages, or times).
Variations in Sounds
Japanese numbers can have variations in pronunciation depending on the context, especially when used with counters. Here are some key points:
- 4 and 7 Variations: The number 4 can be pronounced as "shi" (し) or "yon" (よん), and 7 as "shichi" (しち) or "nana" (なな). The choice depends on the counter or to avoid confusion (e.g., "shi" sounds like "death").
- Counters: When counting specific items, the number's ending may adjust:
- For people (with counter 〜人, e.g., にん): 1 is "hitori" (ひとり), 2 is "futari" (ふたり), and 3+ follows the base form (e.g., "san-nin" for 3).
- For flat objects (e.g., sheets with counter 〜枚, e.g., まい): 1 is "ichi-mai" (いちまい), 2 is "ni-mai" (にまい), etc.
- Compound Numbers: For numbers beyond 10, combine the base numbers (e.g., 11 is "juu-ichi" じゅういち, 20 is "ni-juu" にじゅう).
- Dialects: Slight pronunciation differences may occur in some regions, but the standard forms are widely accepted.
Practice these variations with native speakers or resources to get comfortable!