Master Japanese Numbers
Japanese uses two parallel number systems: Sino-Japanese numbers (borrowed from Chinese over a thousand years ago) and native Japanese numbers (wago). Sino-Japanese numbers are used for most counting, dates, and math, while native Japanese numbers are limited to counting small quantities (1–10) of certain objects. Japanese also requires counter words — you can't just say "three apples," you need the right classifier for the object's shape and type.
Watch the videos below, then download the Foreign Numbers app and practice what you've learned!
There are two number systems used in Japanese; the Sino-Japanese and the native Japanese. The Sino-Japanese numbers are used with counting things; except when counting people. The native numbers are generally only used from 1 - 10.
| Numeral | Sino-Japanese | Native Japanese | Ordinal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 零 (rei) 〇 (zero) 〇 (nuru) | ||
| 1 | 一 (ichi) | 一つ (hitotsu) | 一つ (hitotsu) |
| 2 | 二 (ni) | 二つ (futatsu) | 二つ (futatsu) |
| 3 | 三 (san) | 三つ (mittsu) | 三つ (mittsu) |
| 4 | 四 (shi/yon) | 四つ (yottsu) | 四つ (yottsu) |
| 5 | 五 (go) | 五つ (itsutsu) | 五つ (itsutsu) |
| 6 | 六 (roku) | 六つ (muttsu) | 六つ (muttsu) |
| 7 | 七 (shichi/nana) | 七つ (nanatsu) | 七つ (nanatsu) |
| 8 | 八 (hachi) | 八つ (yattsu) | 八つ (yattsu) |
| 9 | 九 (kyū/ku) | 九つ (kokonotsu) | 九つ (kokonotsu) |
| 10 | 十 (jū) | 十 (tō) | 十 (tō) |
| 11 | 十一 (jū ichi) | 十余り一つ (tō amari hitotsu) | 十余り一つ (tō amari hitotsu) |
| 12 | 十二 (jū ni) | 十余り二つ (tō amari futatsu) | 十余り二つ (tō amari futatsu) |
| 13 | 十三 (jū san) | 十余り三つ (tō amari mittsu) | 十余り三つ (tō amari mittsu) |
| 14 | 十四 (jū yon) | 十余り四つ (tō amari yottsu) | 十余り四つ (tō amari yottsu) |
| 15 | 十五 (jū go) | 十余り五つ (tō amari itsutsu) | 十余り五つ (tō amari itsutsu) |
| 16 | 十六 (jū roku) | 十余り六つ (tō amari muttsu) | 十余り六つ (tō amari muttsu) |
| 17 | 十七 (jū nana) | 十余り七つ (tō amari nanatsu) | 十余り七つ (tō amari nanatsu) |
| 18 | 十八 (jū hachi) | 十余り八つ (tō amari yattsu) | 十余り八つ (tō amari yattsu) |
| 19 | 十九 (jū kyū) | 十余り九つ (tō amari kokonotsu) | 十余り九つ (tō amari kokonotsu) |
| 20 | 二十 (ni-jū) | 廿 (hatachi) | 廿 (hatachi) |
| 30 | 三十 (san-jū) | 卅 (miso/misoji) | 卅 (miso/misoji) |
| 40 | 四十 (yon-jū) | 四十 (yoso/yosoji) | 四十 (yoso/yosoji) |
| 50 | 五十 (go-jū) | 五十 (iso/isoji) | 五十 (iso/isoji) |
| 60 | 六十 (roku-jū) | 六十 (muso/musoji) | 六十 (muso/musoji) |
| 70 | 七十 (nana-jū) | 七十 (nanaso/nanasoji) | 七十 (nanaso/nanasoji) |
| 80 | 八十 (hachi-jū) | 八十 (yaso/yasoji) | 八十 (yaso/yasoji) |
| 90 | 九十 (kyū-jū) | 九十 (kokonoso/kokonosoji) | 九十 (kokonoso/kokonosoji) |
| 100 | 百 (hyaku) | 百 (momo) | 百 (momo) |
| 200 | 二百 (nihyaku) | 二百 (futao) | 二百 (futao) |
| 300 | 三百 (sanbyaku) | 三百 (mio) | 三百 (mio) |
| 400 | 四百 (yonhyaku) | 四百 (yō) | 四百 (yō) |
| 500 | 五百 (gohyaku) | 五百 (io) | 五百 (io) |
| 600 | 六百 (roppyaku) | 六百 (muo) | 六百 (muo) |
| 700 | 七百 (nanahyaku) | 七百 (nanao) | 七百 (nanao) |
| 800 | 八百 (happyaku) | 八百 (yao) | 八百 (yao) |
| 900 | 九百 (kyūhyaku) | 九百 (kokonō) | 九百 (kokonō) |
| 1,000 | 千 (sen) 一千 (issen) | 千 (chi) | 千 (chi) |
| 2,000 | 二千 (nisen) | 二千 (futachi) | 二千 (futachi) |
| 3,000 | 三千 (sanzen) | 三千 (michi) | 三千 (michi) |
| 4,000 | 四千 (yonsen) | 四千 (yochi) | 四千 (yochi) |
| 5,000 | 五千 (gosen) | 五千 (ichi) | 五千 (ichi) |
| 6,000 | 六千 (rokusen) | 六千 (muchi) | 六千 (muchi) |
| 7,000 | 七千 (nanasen) | 七千 (nanachi) | 七千 (nanachi) |
| 8,000 | 八千 (hassen) | 八千 (yachi) | 八千 (yachi) |
| 9,000 | 九千 (kyūsen) | 九千 (kokonochi) | 九千 (kokonochi) |
| 10,000 | 一万/萬 (ichiman) | 万/萬 (yorozu) | 万/萬 (yorozu) |
| 20,000 | 二万 (niman) | 二万 (futayorozu) | 二万 (futayorozu) |
| 30,000 | 三万 (sanman) | 三万 (miyorozu) | 三万 (miyorozu) |
| 40,000 | 四万 (yonman) | 四万 (yoyorozu) | 四万 (yoyorozu) |
| 50,000 | 五万 (goman) | 五万 (iyorozu) | 五万 (iyorozu) |
| 60,000 | 六万 (rokuman) | 六万 (muyorozu) | 六万 (muyorozu) |
| 70,000 | 七万 (nanaman) | 七万 (nanayorozu) | 七万 (nanayorozu) |
| 80,000 | 八万 (hachiman) | 八万 (yayorozu) | 八万 (yayorozu) |
| 90,000 | 九万 (kyūman) | 九万 (kokonoyorozu) | 九万 (kokonoyorozu) |
| 100,000 | 十万 (jūman) | 十万 (tōyorozu) | 十万 (tōyorozu) |
| 1 million | 百万 (hyakuman) | 百万 (momoyorozu) | 百万 (momoyorozu) |
| 10 million | 千万 (senman) 一千万 (issenman) | 千万 (chiyorozu) | 千万 (chiyorozu) |
| 100 million | 一億 (ichioku) | ||
| 1 trillion | 一兆 (itchō) | ||
| 10 trillion | 十兆 (jutchō) |
Number data and information courtesy of Omniglot.