Japanese language uses counters for specifying the amount of objects. For example, instead of saying one apple, in Japanese it will be “one piece of apple”. Different counters are used for different types of objects. In this lesson, we are going to take a look at five most common Japanese counters.

Counter mai

Counter mai is used to count flat, thin objects, such as shirts, paper, plates, etc.

1. いちまい ichimai
2. にまい nimai
3. さんまい sanmai
4. よんまい yonmai
5. ごまい gomai
6. ろくまい rokumai
7. ななまい nanamai
8. はちまい hachimai
9. きゅうまい kyuumai
10. じゅうまい juumai

Examples of how counter mai is used in sentences:

• きっぷをにまいください。
  Kippu o nimai kudasai.
  Two tickets please.
• おさらをじゅうまいかいました。
  Osara o juumai kaimashita.
  I bought ten plates.

Counter hon

Counter hon is used to count long, thin objects, such as bottles, umbrellas, neckties, etc.

1. いっぽん ippon
2. にほん nihon
3. さんぼん sanbon
4. よんほん yonhon
5. ごほん gohon
6. ろっぽん roppon
7. ななほん nanahon
8. はっぽん happon
9. きゅうほん kyuuhon
10. じゅっぽん juppon

Examples of how counter hon is used in sentences:

• バナナをさんぼんたべました。
  Banana o sanbon tabemashita.
  I ate three bananas.
• かさがはっぽんあります。
  Kasa ga happon arimasu.
  There are eight umbrellas.

Counter ko

Counter ko is used to count small, compact objects, such as apples, erasers, eggs, etc.

1. いっこ ikko
2. にこ niko
3. さんこ sanko
4. よんこ yonko
5. ごこ goko
6. ろっこ rokko
7. ななこ nanako
8. はっこ hakko
9. きゅうこ kyuuko
10. じゅっこ jukko

Examples of how counter ko is used in sentences:

• みかんをろっこください。
  Mikan o rokko kudasai.
  Six tangerines please.
• けしごむがさんこあります。
  Keshigomu ga sanko arimasu.
  There are three erasers.

Counter nin

Counter nin is used to count people. Note that there are special words used for one person and two persons.

1. ひとり hitori
2. ふたり futari
3. さんにん sannin
4. よにん yonin
5. ごにん gonin
6. ろくにん rokunin
7. しちにん sichinin
8. はちにん hachinin
9. きゅうにん kyuunin
10. じゅうにん juunin

Examples of how counter nin is used in sentences:

• おんなのこがふたりいます。
  Onna no ko ga futari imasu.
  There are two girls.
• なんにんさまですか。
  ひとりです。
  Nan nin sama desu ka.
  Hitori desu.
  For how many people?
  One person.

General Counter

And finally, there is the general counter. This is handy when you are not sure which counter to use.  Pay attention to counter 10 as it does not end in つ like 1 to 9.

1. ひとつ hitotsu
2. ふたつ futatsu
3. みっつ mitsu
4. よっつ yottsu
5. いつつ itsutsu
6. むっつ muttsu
7. ななつ nanatsu
8. やっつ yattsu
9. ここのつ kokonotsu
10. とお too

Examples of how the general counter is used in sentences:

• いすがいつつあります。
  Isu ga itsutsu arimasu.
  There are five chairs.
• ハンバーガーをふたつください。
  Hanbaagaa o futatsu kudasai.
  Two hamburgers please.

There are around 500 Japanese counters. Worry not, only around 30 are commonly used in daily conversation. You can learn more about Japanese counters when you sign up for a Japanese class with ALS.