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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Are typhoons more commonly referred to by number or name?

Do Japanese ever assign a name to a typhoon, or are they always numbered? In most countries the name is more commonly used.
Jack Bosma's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
697 views

Mixed Fractions/Mixed Numerals in Japanese

So I know how to read normal fractions (like 1/2) in Japanese but I was wondering how to read mixed fractions (such as 3 1/2). Would one just say 三と二分の一? Thanks.
Turtwig's user avatar
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Question about the characters on Japanese Yen banknotes

Apologies in advance if this is not the best place for this question. Apologies also that I couldn't "tag" this question very well as I had to fight with the tagging system for 5 minutes before I ...
Sean W.'s user avatar
  • 11
12 votes
2 answers
2k views

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
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Pitch accent for numbers?

I haven't been able to find a good source online, so I'm asking you guys. What is the pitch-accent rule for numbers? Is 十五 (じゅうご) a 0 or a 1 or a 3 or what? Is there a general pattern? I realize that ...
Akiva Weinberger's user avatar
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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3 votes
1 answer
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Reading and translation for "1日目", "2日目", "3日目", etc

I have a list referring to days of classes that reads this way: 1日目 - Ichinichime - Day 1 2日目 - Futsukame - Day 2 3日目 - Mikkame - Day 3 4日目 - Yokkame - Day 4 5日目 - Itsukame - Day 5 And so on (until ...
Stealth's user avatar
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1 answer
256 views

How do I say 2100 and 2210 in terms of the 100 and the 10?

Is 2100 nisen hyaku or nisen yihyaku ? Similarly for 2210, nisen nihyaku juu or nisen nihyaku yijuu ?
Kantura's user avatar
  • 2,402
5 votes
1 answer
372 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
2 votes
1 answer
236 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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2 votes
2 answers
3k views

Why is 九時 (9 o'clock) pronounced "Ku-ji" and not "Kyu-ji"?

Why, when saying times in Japanese, does the pronunciation for 九 (9) change? I recently had to figure this out when my Siri wouldn't recognize it when I asked him to set an alarm for 9 o'clock, he ...
IneffaWolf's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
132 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
2 votes
1 answer
258 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
3 votes
2 answers
417 views

Filling out a cheque - 金

I'm watching a drama and there's a scene with a closeup of a cheque. It shows the box where you would write the amount to pay, which I've parsed as below. What is 金 used for and how is it read? 金額 ...
MisterM2402's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
301 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
4 votes
1 answer
646 views

Why the same counter word is used for cups and octopuses?

Me and my fellow coworker have been discussing the article on Japanese counter words and this particular case has caught our attention: [Pronunciation]はい hai, ぱい pai, ばい bai; [Spelling]杯, [Use] ...
shabunc's user avatar
  • 175
3 votes
1 answer
10k views

Hifumi vs Ichi Ni San

一二三 in Japanese is read as ichi ni san to mean, one two three. But it can also be read as hifumi. What does hifumi mean? From http://quest-for-japan.com/others/one-to-ten-in-japanese-2/ , it says it ...
alvas's user avatar
  • 177
2 votes
1 answer
102 views

Meaning of プレミアついて20万

Context: two high school girls talk about an expensive ring. Girl A:  花江!そのリングどうしたの?それ 今 全然手に入らなくてネットでプレミアついて20万くらいするんだよ。 花江:  知り合いから転売してもらったんだよね。30万で。 I found on dictionaries that プレミアついて ...
Marco's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
4k views

Numbering pages (ex. PAGE ONE)

Although it might seem a tad pointless, I am trying to number pages in a document without using Arabic numerals (0, 1, 2 etc.). I would like the reading to similar to "PAGE ONE" or "FIRST PAGE." I'm ...
HatakeKazuko's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
212 views

日本人は日本語で番号を書くなら、アメリカの小数点かヨーロッパのを書きますの?

皆さん、こんにちは! 日本人は日本語に番号を書くことを学びますなら、 アメリカ風の小数点(1.0)か、ヨーロッパ風の(1,0)を書くことを学びますか? 日本語だけで尋ねてみたいですよ。 でも私の日本語もよくないんで、すみません。:) ありがとう!:D エディット:今、日本語だけで、英語じゃないです。
Tirous's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
833 views

Do Roman numerals have on and kun readings?

I know that kanji numbers can be read using on and kun readings. Does the same apply to Roman numerals?
Jack Bosma's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
154 views

How to pronounce 5,60年?

I came across this sentence: 5,60年後の人々の生活がどう変わっているかとても想像できません。 I cannot imagine how the lifestyles of people will change after fifty, sixty years. I am wondering how to pronounce the 5,60年 ...
Sweeper's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
197 views

How to refer to a place by number

Suppose I'm at a bank and all the service counters are numbered. How can you say something like: Please come to counter number 2. If all the counters were active and numbered in order then I guess ...
user3856370's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
3k views

How to read 24-hour clock format

There are a lot of topics on forums in what case Japanese people use 24-hour clock format. But I have never seen how it should be pronounced. It's not hard to say something like 8:05. This is common ...
へびひめ's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
118 views

Can anybody here substantiate this anecdote in V. I. Arnold's book "Yesterday and long ago"?

It can be found on page 124 of the edition I own and it goes as follows: The abstract idea of a number (independent of what is counted) is not evident, and abstract numbers do not exist in some ...
José Hdz. Stgo.'s user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
239 views

数詞 + も suitable location

How should I determine which place I need to locate 「数詞{すうし} + も」? From my text book example: 1: 毎年{まいとし}何百枚{なんびゃくまい}も年賀状{ねんがじょう}を出{だ}します 数詞も is now located in front of the noun 年賀状. 2: 卵{たまご}...
Denise's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
303 views

How egregious a mistake is it to use the wrong reading for a number when counting?

I've learned that the readings for numbers in the context of counting have many irregularities to them (like 二十日 for example). I'm wondering how noticeable it would be to get them wrong. For instance,...
temporary_user_name's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
644 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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1 vote
2 answers
288 views

Reading numbers in Japanese numeral-by-numeral instead of as a number

I was taught that generally numbers in Japanese should be read as: 123 => ひゃく にじゅう さん However, I was wonder if there is any case where the numbers are read one-by-one, like: 123 => いち に さん I ...
Locksleyu's user avatar
  • 6,002
2 votes
1 answer
9k views

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
  • 21
2 votes
2 answers
304 views

How to count with rare counters

How do you pronounce "1–10 + some counter"? I have seen lists of common counters, but they may not contain less common counters, such as ~話 or ~膳. How do I know how to count with rare counters?
user3379275's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
233 views

How Could One Read 4649?

In the Japanese version of Smash 4 for the Wii U, if you let the game come up with a name for you, one of the names it pops out is 4649. I'm assuming this is some joke based on the readings of the ...
Kurausukun's user avatar
  • 2,359
1 vote
1 answer
254 views

How would you say "please give me 10 of this"?

for example, これを一つください is please give me 10 of this. then how should I say if it were 10, 11, 12, and more...?
Kit's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
290 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
  • 720
5 votes
1 answer
628 views

What dialect are these numbers from?

In the ending for the anime "Kumamiko: Girl Meets Bear", there's a line where the backup singers (aka the residents of Kumade Village) say いず ぬっ さん すう でーじぇーへーうぃーごー Which I haven't seen translated, ...
ConMan's user avatar
  • 1,560
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Reading of 七時: why しちじ and not ななじ [duplicate]

Why does 7時「七時」use "しちじ" and not use "ななじ" ?
Nguyen Ngoc Quy's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
288 views

つ at the end of a number

I just recently started to learn Japanese and I am a bit confused with some numbers. For example, what is the difference between 七 (なな) and 七つ (ななつ). Is there no difference? Is it just another way of ...
a25bedc5-3d09-41b8-82fb-ea6c353d75ae's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
2k views

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
14 votes
3 answers
23k views

How do I read 100°C in Japanese?

In English, I just read it "one hundred degrees Celsius". In Japanese, I don't know how to read it.
user avatar
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
6 votes
1 answer
378 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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3 votes
1 answer
218 views

Counter for ordinal dates?

More information about ordinal dates here. Say I have the ordinal date 2016-162 (the 162nd day of the year 2016, which would be Friday, June 10, 2016). Could I write it like this in Japanese: ...
アリスター's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
155 views

How do you call different methods for writing numbers (notations)?

Are there proper terms for the methods of writing numbers in kanji (literal vs powers-of-10)? 千五百三十六 vs 一五三六 If not (or the terms are too scientific) how to differentiate between them in ...
macraf's user avatar
  • 6,517
5 votes
1 answer
6k views

How do people in Japan count with their fingers?

In the US, there isn't really a standard way of counting from 1 to 5 on your fingers - numbering the fingers starting with 1 = thumb through 5 = little finger, some people will raise their fingers in ...
senshin's user avatar
  • 5,625
4 votes
3 answers
6k views

Trying to understand numbers

I started learning Japanese not long ago and I'm quite confused about two numbers. Seven and nine, I have learned that seven is shichi and that nine is ku. But I also know that seven is nana, and ...
David Limkys's user avatar
19 votes
1 answer
3k views

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
  • 485
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

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
  • 287
7 votes
4 answers
766 views

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
  • 83
0 votes
2 answers
253 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
6 votes
3 answers
1k views

How do you refer to items in a list?

Given a list of things... dog cat fish How would you say... the second item in the list: 2目番? all three of them: 全部三つ? two of them (not regarding the position in the list): 2匹 or 2目? Is this ...
discardthis's user avatar