Japanese Counters: Complete Guide to Counting in Japanese
Master Japanese counters (助数詞 josūshi): the special words you must use when counting objects, people, animals, and more. Learn which counter to use for flat things (枚), long things (本), small animals (匹), and over 15 more essential counters with kanji, readings, and examples.
What Are Japanese Counters?
Why Counters Exist
In Japanese, you can't just say "three cats" or "two books." You need a counter word between the number and the noun. Think of it like English "three sheets of paper", but Japanese uses counters for almost everything.
How They Work
The pattern is: Number + Counter + の + Noun or Noun を Number + Counter. For example: 猫を三匹 (neko o sanbiki) = "three cats." The counter 匹 tells you we're counting small animals.
The Universal Counter
Good news: the つ (tsu) counter works for almost anything when you're unsure. Use ひとつ (1), ふたつ (2), みっつ (3), よっつ (4), いつつ (5) up to とお (10). Beyond 10, you'll need specific counters.
Essential Japanese Counters
These are the most commonly used counters in everyday Japanese. Master these and you'll handle 90% of counting situations.
| Counter | Reading | Used For | Example | JLPT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| つ | つ tsu | General / anything | りんごをみっつください (3 apples please) | N5 |
| 人 | にん nin | People | 三人で行きます (3 people will go) | N5 |
| 個 | こ ko | Small objects | 卵を五個買いました (bought 5 eggs) | N5 |
| 本 | ほん hon | Long/cylindrical things | ペンを二本持っています (have 2 pens) | N5 |
| 枚 | まい mai | Flat/thin things | 紙を三枚ください (3 sheets of paper please) | N5 |
| 匹 | ひき hiki | Small animals | 猫が二匹います (there are 2 cats) | N5 |
| 台 | だい dai | Machines/vehicles | 車が三台あります (there are 3 cars) | N4 |
| 冊 | さつ satsu | Books/bound volumes | 本を四冊読みました (read 4 books) | N4 |
| 杯 | はい hai | Cups/glasses/bowls | コーヒーを一杯飲みます (drink 1 cup of coffee) | N4 |
| 回 | かい kai | Times/occurrences | 三回行きました (went 3 times) | N4 |
| 階 | かい kai | Floors/stories | 五階に住んでいます (live on the 5th floor) | N4 |
| 歳 | さい sai | Age (years old) | 二十歳です (I am 20 years old) | N5 |
| 頭 | とう tou | Large animals | 牛が十頭います (there are 10 cows) | N3 |
| 羽 | わ wa | Birds/rabbits | 鳥が三羽飛んでいます (3 birds are flying) | N3 |
| 足 | そく soku | Pairs of footwear | 靴を二足買いました (bought 2 pairs of shoes) | N3 |
| 着 | ちゃく chaku | Clothing items | シャツを三着持っています (have 3 shirts) | N3 |
| 軒 | けん ken | Houses/buildings | この通りに家が十軒あります (10 houses on this street) | N2 |
| 通 | つう tsuu | Letters/emails | メールを五通送りました (sent 5 emails) | N2 |
All Japanese Counters Explained
Each counter with its kanji, readings, counting patterns, and example sentences.
Example:
りんごをみっつください。
Ringo o mittsu kudasai.
Three apples, please.
Example:
家族は四人です。
Kazoku wa yonin desu.
There are four people in my family.
Example:
おにぎりを三個食べました。
Onigiri o sanko tabemashita.
I ate three rice balls.
Example:
傘を二本持っています。
Kasa o nihon motte imasu.
I have two umbrellas.
Example:
切手を五枚ください。
Kitte o gomai kudasai.
Five stamps, please.
Example:
犬を三匹飼っています。
Inu o sanbiki katte imasu.
I have three dogs.
Example:
パソコンを二台使っています。
Pasokon o nidai tsukatte imasu.
I use two computers.
Example:
今月は本を三冊読みました。
Kongetsu wa hon o sansatsu yomimashita.
I read three books this month.
Example:
毎朝コーヒーを二杯飲みます。
Maiasa koohii o nihai nomimasu.
I drink two cups of coffee every morning.
Example:
日本に三回行きました。
Nihon ni sankai ikimashita.
I have been to Japan three times.
Example:
エレベーターで五階に行きます。
Erebeetaa de gokai ni ikimasu.
I take the elevator to the fifth floor.
Example:
妹は十五歳です。
Imouto wa juugosai desu.
My younger sister is 15 years old.
Example:
動物園に象が二頭います。
Doubutsuen ni zou ga nitou imasu.
There are two elephants at the zoo.
Example:
庭に鳥が五羽来ました。
Niwa ni tori ga gowa kimashita.
Five birds came to the garden.
Example:
新しい靴を一足買いました。
Atarashii kutsu o issoku kaimashita.
I bought a new pair of shoes.
Example:
ドレスを二着持っています。
Doresu o nichaku motte imasu.
I have two dresses.
Example:
隣に新しい家が三軒建ちました。
Tonari ni atarashii ie ga sangen tachimashita.
Three new houses were built next door.
Example:
手紙を二通もらいました。
Tegami o nitsuu moraimashita.
I received two letters.
Which Counter Should I Use?
Not sure which counter fits? This quick-reference guide sorts counters by the type of object you're counting.
| What You're Counting | Counter | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| People | 人 | Friends, family members, customers, students |
| Small objects | 個 | Apples, eggs, balls, stones, rice balls |
| Long/thin objects | 本 | Pens, bottles, umbrellas, bananas, trees, roads |
| Flat/thin objects | 枚 | Paper, plates, shirts, stamps, tickets, photos |
| Small animals | 匹 | Cats, dogs, fish, insects, mice |
| Large animals | 頭 | Horses, cows, elephants, whales |
| Birds & rabbits | 羽 | Sparrows, eagles, chickens, rabbits |
| Books | 冊 | Novels, textbooks, manga, magazines, notebooks |
| Machines/vehicles | 台 | Cars, computers, TVs, washing machines |
| Cups/glasses | 杯 | Coffee, tea, beer, bowls of rice/ramen |
| Times/occurrences | 回 | Trips, attempts, lessons, sessions |
| Building floors | 階 | 1st floor, 3rd floor, basement (地下一階) |
| Age | 歳 | Person's age (5歳 = 5 years old) |
| Footwear pairs | 足 | Shoes, sandals, boots, socks |
| Clothing | 着 | Shirts, dresses, jackets, suits |
| Houses | 軒 | Houses, shops, restaurants, buildings |
| Letters/emails | 通 | Letters, postcards, emails, faxes |
| Anything (unsure) | つ | Use this when you don't know the specific counter! |
Counter Sound Changes (Rendaku)
Why Counters Change Pronunciation
When certain numbers combine with counters, the pronunciation changes to make them easier to say. This is called 連濁 (rendaku). The most common changes happen with numbers 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10.
本 (hon): Long Objects
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)
匹 (hiki): Small Animals
1: いっぴき (ippiki)
2: にひき (nihiki)
3: さんびき (sanbiki)
4: よんひき (yonhiki)
5: ごひき (gohiki)
6: ろっぴき (roppiki)
The Universal Counter: つ (tsu)
When you don't know which counter to use, the つ counter is your safety net. It uses native Japanese numbers (大和言葉 yamato-kotoba) and works for most general objects. It only goes from 1 to 10.
ひとつ
hitotsu
1
ふたつ
futatsu
2
みっつ
mittsu
3
よっつ
yottsu
4
いつつ
itsutsu
5
むっつ
muttsu
6
ななつ
nanatsu
7
やっつ
yattsu
8
ここのつ
kokonotsu
9
とお
too
10
Counters in Japanese Culture
Counters at the Konbini
At convenience stores (コンビニ) and restaurants, staff will ask how many items or how many people. Knowing counters like 個 (ko) for food items, 人 (nin) for people, and 本 (hon) for bottled drinks will make ordering smooth and natural.
Age Counter: 歳/才 (sai)
Asking someone's age uses the counter 歳 (sai): 何歳ですか？ (Nansai desu ka? / How old are you?). The simplified kanji 才 is commonly used in informal writing. At age 20 (二十歳), the special reading はたち (hatachi) is used instead of にじゅっさい.
Fun Fact: 4 and 9 Are Avoided
The number 4 can be read as し (shi), which sounds like 死 (death). The number 9 can be read as く (ku), sounding like 苦 (suffering). In hospitals and hotels, room 4 and room 9 are often skipped. When counting, use よん (yon) for 4 and きゅう (kyuu) for 9 instead.
Tips for Learning Japanese Counters
Start with 5 Counters
Don't try to learn all counters at once. Start with つ (general), 人 (people), 個 (small objects), 本 (long things), and 枚 (flat things). These five cover most daily situations.
Practice with Real Objects
Look around your room and count things with the right counter: pencils (本), papers (枚), books (冊), coins (枚). Physical practice builds faster recall than memorization alone.
Master Sound Changes
Focus on sound changes for 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10. These numbers most commonly trigger pronunciation shifts. Say them aloud repeatedly until the changed forms feel natural.
Collect Counter Cards
Use our gamified card collection to master kanji that appear in counters. Many counter kanji (人, 本, 日, 月) are among the most common kanji you'll encounter.
Ready to Master Japanese Counters?
Learn counter kanji and 100+ more with our gamified card-collection system. Free to start, no signup needed.
Start Collecting · Free