Japanese Numbers: Counting from 1 to 100 with Readings
Japanese numbers from 1 to 10: いち (ichi — 1), に (ni — 2), さん (san — 3), し/よん (shi/yon — 4), ご (go — 5), ろく (roku — 6), しち/なな (shichi/nana — 7), はち (hachi — 8), きゅう/く (kyuu/ku — 9), じゅう (juu — 10). Further numbers are built like a construction set: 11 — juuichi, 20 — nijuu. In Japanese Zen, numbers are learned in the dictionary and quizzes.
Counting in Japanese is like folding origami: a few basic folds, and everything is born from them. Learn ten numbers — you get a hundred. Master a hundred — thousands follow. Ten simple movements open up the infinity of counting.
Japanese Numbers from 1 to 10
| Number | Kanji | Hiragana | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一 | いち | ichi |
| 2 | 二 | に | ni |
| 3 | 三 | さん | san |
| 4 | 四 | し / よん | shi / yon |
| 5 | 五 | ご | go |
| 6 | 六 | ろく | roku |
| 7 | 七 | しち / なな | shichi / nana |
| 8 | 八 | はち | hachi |
| 9 | 九 | きゅう / く | kyuu / ku |
| 10 | 十 | じゅう | juu |
How to Count Beyond Ten?
- 11–19 are 'ten + unit': 11 = じゅういち (juuichi), 15 = じゅうご (juugo).
- Tens are 'unit + ten': 20 = にじゅう (nijuu), 30 = さんじゅう (sanjuu).
- Compound numbers are added: 42 = よんじゅうに (yonjuuni).
- 100 is ひゃく (hyaku), 1000 is せん (sen): the same principle continues.
Why Four and Seven Have Two Readings
For 4 (し/よん) and 7 (しち/なな), readings compete: し sounds like the word 'death' (死), so in everyday speech よん is preferred, and しち is confused with いち by ear — hence なな. In phone numbers and addresses, よん and なな are almost always used.
Special Cases and Pitfalls
- 4, 7, and 9 have two readings. Often よん (4), なな (7), きゅう (9) are preferred — they sound clearer.
- The number 4 (し) sounds the same as the word 'death', so よん is safer and more polite.
- For counting objects, counter suffixes are added (for people, flat things, long things, etc.).
- In dates and times, some numbers are read specially — they are memorized separately.
How to Reinforce Numbers
Numbers stick best in speech: say prices, times, and numbers out loud. In Japanese Zen, numbers and counter suffixes can be practiced in the dictionary with audio and in quizzes, so they come to mind automatically rather than being recalculated in your head.
What Are Counter Suffixes?
Japanese counts objects with an indication of their type: 一つ for things, 一人 for people, 一本 for long objects, 一枚 for flat ones. For beginners, the universal ～つ and ～人 are enough — the rest are picked up as needed.
FAQ
- Why does the number 4 have two readings?
- 4 has readings し (shi) and よん (yon). し sounds like the word 'death', so in everyday speech よん is more common. Similarly, 7 (しち/なな) and 9 (きゅう/く).
- What are counter suffixes?
- They are particles added to numbers when counting objects: different ones for people, flat, long, and small things. For example, people are counted with the suffix 〜人 (nin).
- How do you say large numbers?
- In blocks: 100 is hyaku, 1000 is sen, 10000 is man. An important feature: large numbers are grouped by four zeros (ten thousands), not by three as we do.
- How to quickly learn Japanese numbers?
- First, firmly learn 1–10, then understand the principle of building tens and hundreds — further numbers build themselves. It helps to say prices and times out loud every day.
Updated: 2026-06-25