Questions tagged [numbers]

数字. The various spoken and written forms of words and characters covering digits, numbers, numerals, including derived forms such as ordinals.

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How to read: the "~" (tilde) in "3~4 行"

How should I read the "~" mark that stands for range, as described in the title? I saw this in the following sentence: 3~4行ごとに1行あけると読みやすい。
Eric's user avatar
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4 answers
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How to choose between "よん" (yon) vs "し" (shi) for "四" (4) and "しち" (shichi) vs "なな" (nana) for "七" (7)?

Two numbers in Japanese have two pronunciation alternatives. 四 / 4 can be pronounced either "よん" (yon) or "し" (shi) 七 / 7 can be pronounced either "しち" (shichi) or "なな" (nana) I know that "し" (shi) ...
hippietrail's user avatar
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24 votes
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Rules for slang of Japanese numbers

I often hear Japanese using a different method for saying a number like "248" as によんぱ — especially for highways and license plates. While this one is easy to understand, there are others that I don'...
Mark Hosang's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
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Structure: thing を numeral (or numeral and counter) ください

My first question is, are counters always required when counting things? Can't I just slap a number in front of the noun? For example,「いちりんご」for one apple? Secondly, in Lesson 5 of the Japanese For ...
Apple Mango's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
498 views

Do we use odd day pronunciations outside of calendar ranges?

After reading @jkerian's comment in this post, I started thinking about this. Here's the comment in full: On a side note, all days ending in '4' are also irregular, and use ~よっか. So the 14th is じゅう・...
istrasci's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
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Are kanji typically used in times and dates?

Are kanji typically for numbers used in times and dates? For example, would "七" and "十五" in the first sentence, and "九" and "三" in the second sentence be normal Japanese? (I'm aware that the ...
Golden Cuy's user avatar
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10 votes
1 answer
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How do you do a countdown?

For example, when JAXA launches a rocket, or people count the seconds to the New Year, do they use し or よん to count 4? do they use しち or なな to count 7?
Louis Waweru's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
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What is the correct syntax for large numbers in kanji?

Say I was trying to write the number 3,476,521,893,421 in kanji. How would I go about this? My guess was 三万四千七百六十五億二千百八十九万三千四百二十一 but it looks really wrong to me because it feels too Western to be ...
Kelyn Ferguson's user avatar
38 votes
4 answers
13k views

Differences between 度 and 回 when counting occurrences

What are the differences between using 度 and 回 when used to count number of occurrences? For example: そんなことは一度もしたことがない そんなことは一回もしたことがない Are there any restrictions on what kind of actions referred ...
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18 votes
3 answers
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About writing numbers using Japanese numerals vs using Arabic numerals

I noticed that even though Japanese language has kanji characters for numbers (e.g. 十、百、千、万 etc), there are many places where Arabic numerals are used instead, for example, prices for shop items are ...
Lukman's user avatar
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9 votes
2 answers
530 views

Numbers and Counters

I am still in a very early stage in learning Japanese, and just I have just learnt some numbers and my first counter words, such as the ones for telling time and まい. Do you ever use "regular" numbers ...
JNat's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
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Reading a number range [duplicate]

I have a bottle of 洗顔料(facial soap), and the instructions are: ご使用量の目安 ポンプ1~2回 (use about 1 to 2 pumps) If I were to read 1~2 aloud, how would I do it?
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4 answers
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Pronunciation of 九

The dictionary I'm using lists two common pronunciations of 「九」: 「きゅう」 and 「く」. I've usually heard it as 「きゅう」 before, but when saying 「9時」, it always seems to be 「くじ」. Is there a rule to this?
Rurfs's user avatar
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2 answers
345 views

Why is 1st floor written as ikkai いっかい?

Should it not be い かい as I thought the counter for floors was -kai ?
Alan's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
726 views

In conversation can you just say "万円です" or must you say "一万円です"?

I'm pretty sure it's natural to say "百{ひゃく}円です" as a casual abbreviation of "一百{いっぴゃく}円です" in a conversation. Same with "千{せん}円" vs. "一千{いっせん}円". This is similar in English conversation where it is ...
Just Someone's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
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Placing a quantifier between a noun and particle?

this is my first question here so please bare with me. Until the other day I was aware of two different ways use counters As an adverb. ペンを3本買いました。 As a noun. 3本のペンを買いました。 The ...
Razzek's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
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壱, 弐, 参 vs 一, 二, 三

Can you tell me the difference between 壱 and 一, 弐 and 二, 参 and 三? Do these pairs have the same meaning? If yes, why do we use different Kanji? If no, what is the difference in their meanings? Can ...
hkBattousai's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
832 views

Confusion about 一千億 and 一千兆

I recently created a web app called Kazu which aims to help speakers of Japanese and English learn to read numbers in both languages. I found a web page which said that 'for numbers over 1万, "1000" ...
sebu's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
1k views

When to read 一人 and 二人 as いちにん and ににん?

WWWJDIC lists いちにん and ににん as alternative readings of 一人 {ひとり} and 二人 {ふたり}, but I can't recall anywhere I heard those readings except when counting more than 10 people for example 三十一人 {さんじゅういちにん}. ...
Lukman's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
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Leaving away the 目 suffix for ordinal numbers

I've seen 「1ページ」 refer to "page 1" of e.g. a book. Wouldn't this technically mean "one page" and 「1ページ目」 be correct for "page 1"? Is leaving away the 目 when referring to ...
user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
398 views

The yomikata of 十三

This has been obsessing me for quite a while. While 十三 is normally pronounced ジュウサン, it is often pronounced ジュウゾウ in people's names and also pronounced ジュウソウ in names of places. I am wondering how ...
Weijun Zhou's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
143 views

Writing the decimal part of a number after the unit of measurement

日本の記録は2分53秒89で、オリンピックの新しい記録になりました。 The Japanese result was 2 minutes 53.89 seconds and became a new Olympic record. I haven't seen this way of writing a decimal number before, by putting the unit ...
user3856370's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is this 10^40 thing?

While checking out "正" (as in 正坐, specifically) I found that apparently one of the associated meaning would be 10^40 (i.e. 10 elevated at the 40th power). Example -taken from Tangorin.com: sei 【正】 ...
p.marino's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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mittsu vs san - what's the difference and what are these two forms called?

I am trying to learn the numbers and I see there are two different translations for the number 3 (and other numbers). When should I use one and when should I use the other? Is there a name for the ...
warrenG's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
462 views

Is a の said after the first three digtis of 10 phone number?

Lets say my phone number is (123)456-7890. Should I pronounce it as: いちにさん よんごろくの ななはちきゅうゼロ or いちにさんの よんごろくの ななはちきゅうゼロ
FabulousGlobe's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
331 views

How are numbers pronounced in (movie) titles? (i.e. ジョーズ3)

For example, ジョーズ3 (i.e. "Jaws Three") is in a list of movies. Would the "3" be pronounced "さん"? Typically, counter words follow after a number in Japanese. And sometimes the number's reading ...
Dan Puza's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
258 views

Why use 「一〇点」 instead of 「十点」 and how do I read it?

I'm reading the Japanese version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. When Oliver Wood is explaining Quidditch rules to Harry, he says: 輪に入るたびに一〇点だ。 Why say 「一〇点」 instead of 「十点」? How do I ...
muru's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
4k views

What is the correct way of saying "third" in different contexts?

What would be the correct way of saying "third" in the following contexts: Chronologically (This is the third time this happens) Ranked (I am the third best player in the world) Other? Maybe other ...
Madara's Ghost's user avatar
38 votes
2 answers
8k views

Why is 二十歳 pronounced はたち?

二十歳 is a (to me) bizarre exception to the usual number+さい rule for discussing age. Is this rooted in 20 being the Japanese age of majority? Added: To be more specific: why isn't it pronounced にじゅうさい ...
sartak's user avatar
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18 votes
3 answers
5k views

Are there native Japanese numbers greater than 10? What use are they?

Most people who've taken a Japanese 101 class know the 10 native Japanese numbers (一つ、二つ・・・十). It's always seemed odd that a system would stop at 10 when so many things in life need larger numbers. ...
Kaji's user avatar
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16 votes
1 answer
2k views

Temperature abbreviations?

A certain dialog in my book has a man describing the symptoms of his cold to the doctor. It reads thus: 医者:熱はありますか。 患者:はい、きのうから。夕べはぞくぞく寒気がしたので、高熱が出るんじゃないかとひやひやしたんですが、今のところ7度8分【なな・ど・はち・ぶ】...
istrasci's user avatar
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15 votes
2 answers
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What is the correct expression of 10/20, 20/30, 30/40 etc?

On a news report, I heard the phrase 四五{しご}十{じゅう}メートル and it got me thinking about how to express other number approximations. Are the following correct? 10 or 20 meters じゅうにじゅうメートル 20 or 30 ...
kandyman's user avatar
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12 votes
2 answers
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What is the equivalent in arabic numbers of 3.2千

Sorry if this question seems to be stupid, but I'm not a japanese speaker, yet I have to "translate" Japanese numbers to Arabic numbers. I have a problem with the chain 3.2千 : according to https://...
Damien Prot's user avatar
11 votes
4 answers
3k views

Range of numbers

How would one express a range of numbers regarding an action? Example: I usually study anywhere between 2 to 4 hours a day. Would the からーまで grammar structure be appropriate here? 一日に普段2から4時間までを勉強する。...
Leo's user avatar
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11 votes
2 answers
542 views

How to read the X in 5X4間?

A book about architecture I'm trying to read (it's a bit of a slog what with the technical jargon and such) contained this description of a temple building: 二重、初重5X4間、裳階 (もこし) つき、上重4X3間. So it's two ...
rdb's user avatar
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10 votes
1 answer
402 views

How do you read zeros in abbreviated years? (i.e. 03年)

I came across 03年度 and 09年度, and while the meaning is clear I didn't know the actual way of reading it. My first reaction was ゼロさんねんど, but I have no way of checking if that's right. I thought it might ...
silvermaple's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
1k views

Listing things off: Using Hitotsu repeatedly

I've seen shows where they list things (etc rules, principles) with hitotsu for every point. I would expect hitotsu, futatsu... etc, to be the norm but it doesn't seem so. It didn't seem to be a ...
shoryuu's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
421 views

Are ~つ and ~り the only two counters that can occur with the native Japanese numbers (ひと~, ふた~, etc)?

Please go easy on me if this seems too basic and obvious, I'm a beginner. I always had the impression that there were counters that went with the native Japanese numbers and counters that went with ...
hippietrail's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
405 views

Prefixing `一` to numbers

It seems to me that 千 is exceptional in having it prefixed with 一. As for 一, 十, 百, they work together with 千 to describe the numbers from 1 to 9999, so they compete with one another, or are ...
user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

How to say 24 divided by 8 equals 3

Pretty sure you have to use 割 but I don't know which pronunciation to use and how to say "equals" in this context.
buskila's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
390 views

Maths sentences: 足す and 掛ける

I noticed a lack of case marking particles in mathematical sentences: 1足す2は3である。 3掛ける4は12である。 足す and 掛ける are verbs, does subject and object analysis apply to this? Do they take on the ...
Flaw's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
2k views

List of Japanese counter words [closed]

What are the essential Japanese counter words? For example -dai for machines, -mai for papers and stuff like that. What else to expect/know? Thank you
Herr's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
1k views

Why some tutorials teach writing Japanese numbers with Hiragana when they are actually written with Katakana (as on-yomi) in dictionaries?

I've just began learning some Kanji by looking-up how the numbers are written (and read) and suddenly bumped into confusion while watching some tutorials. I can hear the tutors pronouncing a number in ...
Ben's user avatar
  • 151
3 votes
2 answers
288 views

gemination orthography

In this sentence ミサイルは高【たか】さ100kmより低【ひく】い所【ところ】を東【ひがし】に750km飛【と】びました The missile flew 750 kilometers east at a height lower than 100 kilometers. appearing here https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/...
Ned Reif's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
351 views

Use of 以上 and 以下 with negative numbers

On the temperature in eastern Russia: 気温がいつもの年より10℃以上低い-50℃以上になっている所がたくさんあります。 There are many places that have reached less than -50℃, which is 10℃ lower than usual years. Firstly, I was ...
user3856370's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
142 views

Meaning of "1部2万"

たかが感想文とはいえ、ほどほどにリアルな文体と内容が好評で、今では俺の量産する感想文は現在1部2万で取引されている。 speaker talking about his trivial job of writing feedback for literature aimed at elementary schoolers, how many is 1部2万 exactly?
charu's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
362 views

Using 次 as a counter

In cases such as [第二次全世界戦争]{だいにじぜんせかいせんそう} or [第二次]{だいにじ}スーパーロボット[大戦]{たいせん}, is [次]{じ} effectively just acting the way a number followed by st/nd/rd/th would in English?
Kaji's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
265 views

What does it mean when a number is followed by こ

れいぞうこ の なか に ケーキ は 3こ ありました. せんしゅう 、かんじ を 20こ おぼえ ました. In the above examples, why does こ come after the number? Is it a counter? If yes, at what instances can it be used? If not, please advise how ...
Swati's user avatar
  • 11
0 votes
1 answer
268 views

The day of the month

I've learned that the 1st to 10th day of the month is always read specially. However, when I converted these by using my computer typing "いちにち、ににち、さんにち、よんにち、ごにち、ろくにち、ななにち、はちにち、きゅうにち、じゅうにち、じゅうよんにち、...
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