# How to Use The 8 Most Common Japanese Counters
> How do you count in Japanese? Japanese counters, of course! Learn how to count people, small objects, machines and so much more with Migaku.
**URL:** https://migaku.com/blog/japanese/japanese-counters
**Last Updated:** 2025-05-26
**Tags:** grammar, fundamentals
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Maybe you’ve been avoiding Japanese counters until now, but you knew your days were numbered…
_(Yes, that was intentional, sorry.)_
Anyway—numbers are a part of daily life and conversation: when you count in Japanese, you use unique combinations of numbers + kanji to count different things. There are unique counters for counting everything from people and days and small animals to flat, cylindrical, or 3D objects.
Suffice it to say that if you want to [learn Japanese](/learn-japanese), you'll need to know counters.
This post will help you get started.
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> This article assumes that you can already read hiragana. If not, we applaud your go-getter spirit. Before you read this article, you may want to take a detour to first check out [what hiragana is used for](blog/japanese/the-japanese-alphabets), then read this article while referencing [our hiragana cheat sheet](/blog/japanese/the-japanese-language-hiragana).
---
## **What are Japanese counters?**
Put simply, a Japanese counter—known as 助数詞 (じょすうし) —is a fancy linguistic term that refers to a word you use to count something. They are modified versions of Japanese numbers that indicate the type of object you're counting.
In other words, counters are used to count things.
Observe:
- Normal number: 一 、二 、三
- Counting number: 一つ 、二つ 、三つ
You use normal numbers when you're "generally" counting (say, from 1 to 10, when playing hide & seek), but you use counting numbers when counting specific things.
Before you panic, know that we also use counters in English, too—such as one _can_ of soup, two _sheets_ of paper, or three _gaggles_ of geese. (Okay, you might not have said the last example before, but see what we mean? Counters aren't unique to the Japanese language.)
Importantly:
> Your choice of counter word can significantly alter your meaning, such as referring to a _slice_ of bread vs a _loaf_ of bread.
Japanese counters are exactly the same concept as our English counters, but whereas we use them for only some things in English, they’re used for _everything_ in Japanese. They’re also mandatory; you _must_ use them whenever you count something, and it'll be super noticeable/jarring if you don't.
## How many Japanese counters are there?
There are about 500 different counters in Japanese. (I’m not joking.)
The good news is that, like [any other vocabulary word](/blog/japanese/how-to-learn-japanese-vocabulary), some are used much, much more commonly than others. Even native Japanese speakers don’t know all of the counters because it's only the super common counters that really get used in everyday life.
You’ll learn more counters as you go, but to get you started, we’ll cover the super common. If you learn to use the counters we talk about in this blog post, you'll be able to:
- Order food or drinks at a restaurant
- Ask for a bag at a store
- Say how many people are in your group
- Talk about time and dates
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## **8 most useful counters in Japanese**
Before we get started, I'm just going to pop in with one last heads up that the Japanese counting system is pretty complex. It's OK if you find this difficult. Everybody does. Hang in there, and it'll click before long 💪
### 1. **～つ: If in doubt, go with this one**
**～つ is a general counter used to count small objects**, and is kind of a saving grace for Japanese counters. It can often be used if you don’t know the specific counter for something.
> ～つ is the most important Japanese counter: if you aren't sure what the correct counter for something is, you can pretty much always just use this one instead. _(Don't get into a habit of doing this, though; it's kind of like saying "eight things of water" instead of "eight cups of water".)_
**What can this counter be used for?** ～つ is used to count a wide range of smaller objects—pretty much everything from dishes in a restaurant to miscellaneous objects you see around you to intangible things like ideas.
| Number | Counter | Romaji | Meaning |
| :----: | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :-------: | :----------: |
| 1 | 一つ | Hitotsu | One thing |
| 2 | 二つ | Futatsu | Two things |
| 3 | 三つ | Mittsu | Three things |
| 4 | 四つ | Yottsu | Four things |
| 5 | 五つ | Itsutsu | Five things |
| 6 | 六つ | Muttsu | Six things |
| 7 | 七つ | Nanatsu | Seven things |
| 8 | 八つ | Yattsu | Eight things |
| 9 | 九つ | Kokonotsu | Nine things |
> Note
For whatever reason, ～つ is generally only used to count things up to nine. If there are more than nine of something, you should use the "proper" counter, if possible.
These days, it is more common to see numbers written out via numerals, rather than written out via kanji. For example, in the sentence below, you'll usually see 6 つ rather than 六つ, though both are correct and OK.
**Example:**
- **サンドを六つ**買いました。
_I bought **six sandwiches**._
It's often hard to translate counters into English because we just don't use them when counting many things, but you could think of this as being something like "I bought six {things of} sandwiches"—if there were a word like _batches_ or _stacks_ used to count sandwiches in English.
### 2. **～個: Japanese counter for small things (and more\!)**
**～個 is a general counter for (usually) concrete, tangible objects**. Think of things like fruit, eggs, or individual chocolates; if it’s small enough to hold in one hand, it likely works with ～個.
> After 〜つ, ～個 is probably the next most useful counter as it can be used for many categories of tangible objects.
**What can this counter be used for?** Small objects... but also gigantic objects (boulders), super tiny objects (like cells), and even things without a definite shape (such as stains or bruises).
| Number | Counter | Romaji | Meaning |
| :----: | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :----: | :------------: |
| 1 | 1 個 | Ikko | One \_\_\_\_ |
| 2 | 2 個 | Niko | Two \_\_\_\_ |
| 3 | 3 個 | Sanko | Three \_\_\_\_ |
| 4 | 4 個 | Yonko | Four \_\_\_\_ |
| 5 | 5 個 | Goko | Five \_\_\_\_ |
| 6 | 6 個 | Rokko | Six \_\_\_\_ |
| 7 | 7 個 | Nanako | Seven \_\_\_\_ |
| 8 | 8 個 | Hakko | Eight \_\_\_\_ |
| 9 | 9 個 | Kyuuko | Nine \_\_\_\_ |
| 10 | 10 個 | Jukko | 10 \_\_\_\_ |
> Note
Notice how these numbers suddenly look pretty normal? Japanese has ["Japanese-style" numbers and "Chinese-style" numbers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_numerals#Basic_numbering_in_Japanese). Some counters (such as 〜つ) use Japanese-style numbers, some (such as 〜個) use Chinese-style numbers, and others (such as 〜人 below) use a mix of both. This is unfortunately just something you'll have to remember as you go..
The ～個 counter is much like the ～つ counter in that it can be used for many things. In more formal publications, such as newspapers or journal articles, you'll also likely see 〜個 used in place of 〜つ.
For example, it still works totally fine if we swap out つ for 個 in the sentences below:
- **サンドを６個**買いました。
_I bought **six sandwiches**._
### 3. **～人: Japanese counter for people**
**You count people with ～人** and it comes up often in real life and anime, so you’ll likely learn this one with ease—especially once you get past the unique ways of saying “one person,” “two people,” and “four people.”
**What can this counter be used for?** People.
| Number | Counter | Romaji | Meaning |
| :----: | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :--------: | :----------: |
| 1 | 一人 | **Hitori** | One person |
| 2 | 二人 | **Futari** | Two people |
| 3 | 三人 | San-nin | Three people |
| 4 | 四人 | **Yo-nin** | Four people |
| 5 | 五人 | Go-nin | Five people |
| 6 | 六人 | Roku-nin | Six people |
| 7 | 七人 | Shichi-nin | Seven people |
| 8 | 八人 | Hachi-nin | Eight people |
| 9 | 九人 | Kyuu-nin | Nine people |
| 10 | 十人 | Juu-nin | Ten people |
There's a few things worth noticing here:
- You use Japanese-style numbers for one–two people (ひとり and ふたり, not いちにん and ににん)
- You use Chinese-style numbers when counting three or more people
- There's a sound shift: the ん from よん is dropped here, becoming よにん (not よんにん)
We'll only mention this here, but you'll run into similar situations with many counters, so pay attention!
**Example:**
- **一人**で旅行したくないよ！
_I don't want to travel **alone** (as one person)!_
> **Particles**: Using the particle **で** after the amount of people means that you are doing something _with_ that many people. So, 一人**で** refers to doing something by yourself.
>
> → **Find out more:** [Mastering the Basics of Japanese Particles](/blog/japanese/japanese-particles-guide)
### 4. **～本: Japanese counter for long or stick-shaped things**
This might be where counters start to feel a little overwhelming, but stick with us. You don’t have to remember _all_ of the uses for ～本 right now. At its core, **～本 is used to count long or stick-shaped things**.
Anything that is taller than it is wide (for the most part) can use this counter.
**What can this counter be used for?** Plastic bottles, beer bottles, pencils, pens, skyscrapers, towers, strings, laces, cords, umbrellas, cigarettes, ties, and tree branches, to name a few.
| Number | Counter | Romaji | Meaning |
| :----: | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :------: | :------------: |
| 1 | 1 本 | Ippon | One \_\_\_\_ |
| 2 | 2 本 | Nihon | Two \_\_\_\_ |
| 3 | 3 本 | Sanbon | Three \_\_\_\_ |
| 4 | 4 本 | Yonhon | Four \_\_\_\_ |
| 5 | 5 本 | Gohon | Five \_\_\_\_ |
| 6 | 6 本 | Roppon | Six \_\_\_\_ |
| 7 | 7 本 | Nanahon | Seven \_\_\_\_ |
| 8 | 8 本 | Hachihon | Eight \_\_\_\_ |
| 9 | 9 本 | Kyuuhon | Nine \_\_\_\_ |
| 10 | 10 本 | Juppon | 10 \_\_\_\_ |
> Notice how this is よんほん, not よほん. The ~ん dropping with counters mentioned in the previous section isn't something that happens all the time.
**Example:**
- 昨夜は**ビールを１０本**も飲みました。頭が痛いですよ！
_I drank **10 bottles of beer** last night! My head hurts…_
**What is も doing?** If you'd said ビールを〜１０本飲みました, you'd just be stating how many beers you drank with no additional nuance. Inserting も adds emphasis—this person drank _ten_ bottles of beer, and they think that's a lot. (Their hangover would agree!)
### 5. **～枚: Japanese counter for flat things**
**～枚 is the Japanese counter for flat things**, and it covers a wide variety of everyday objects.
_(‼️ Teeeeechnically the counter for books and notebooks is 冊 (さつ), but we couldn't resist. 枚 would be used to count each of the pages within that book or notebook)._
**What can this counter be used for?** Paper, photos, t-shirts, pants, credit cards, CDs and DVDs, contact lenses, newspapers, magazines, towels, notes (cash), and walls. Interestingly, [it can also be used to count servings of soba or gyoza](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1049966310), as the plate they come on is flat.
| Number | Counter | Romaji | Meaning |
| :----: | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :-------: | :------------: |
| 1 | 1 枚 | Ichi-mai | One \_\_\_\_ |
| 2 | 2 枚 | Ni-mai | Two \_\_\_\_ |
| 3 | 3 枚 | San-mai | Three \_\_\_\_ |
| 4 | 4 枚 | Yon-mai | Four \_\_\_\_ |
| 5 | 5 枚 | Go-mai | Five \_\_\_\_ |
| 6 | 6 枚 | Roku-mai | Six \_\_\_\_ |
| 7 | 7 枚 | Nana-mai | Seven \_\_\_\_ |
| 8 | 8 枚 | Hachi-mai | Eight \_\_\_\_ |
| 9 | 9 枚 | Kyuu-mai | Nine \_\_\_\_ |
| 10 | 10 枚 | Juu-mai | 10 \_\_\_\_ |
**Example:**
- **切手を５枚**お願いします。
_Could I have **five stamps**, please?_
_(Stamps, five {of them} please)_
### 6. **～台: Japanese counter for machines (and platforms you can put things on)**
**～台 is the Japanese counter for machines** and platforms you can put things on, such as a table or bed. If you love _Gundam_ or car anime, this is one for you to remember\!
**What can this counter be used for?** Cars, trucks, motors, washing machines, dryers, microwaves, ovens, large instruments (like a piano, cello, or harp), large furniture (like beds, tables, and couches), mobile phones, and more.
| Number | Counter | Romaji | Meaning |
| :----: | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :-------: | :------------: |
| 1 | 1 台 | Ichi-dai | One \_\_\_\_ |
| 2 | 2 台 | Ni-dai | Two \_\_\_\_ |
| 3 | 3 台 | San-dai | Three \_\_\_\_ |
| 4 | 4 台 | Yon-dai | Four \_\_\_\_ |
| 5 | 5 台 | Go-dai | Five \_\_\_\_ |
| 6 | 6 台 | Roku-dai | Six \_\_\_\_ |
| 7 | 7 台 | Nana-dai | Seven \_\_\_\_ |
| 8 | 8 台 | Hachi-dai | Eight \_\_\_\_ |
| 9 | 9 台 | Kyuu-dai | Nine \_\_\_\_ |
| 10 | 10 台 | Juu-dai | 10 \_\_\_\_ |
**Example:**
- もし宝くじが当たったら Y**車を 10 台**買うだろう。
_If I won the lottery, I’d buy **10 cars**._
### 7. **～日: Japanese counter for days**
**～日 is the Japanese counter for days**, but there are two ways it can be used:
- For giving a calendar date
- For giving an _amount_ of days
Adding in a bit of complexity, the counter is sometimes pronounced differently depending on which of those meanings you're using.
| Number | Counter | Romaji | Meaning |
| :----: | :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | ----------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| 1 | 1 日 | Ichinichi → Tsuitachi | One day → First day of the month |
| 2 | 2 日 | Futsuka | Two days / second day of the month |
| 3 | 3 日 | Mikka | Three days / third day of the month |
| 4 | 4 日 | Yokka | Four days / fourth day of the month |
| 5 | 5 日 | Itsuka | Five days / fifth day of the month |
| 6 | 6 日 | Muika | Six days / sixth day of the month |
| 7 | 7 日 | Nanoka | Seven days / seventh day of the month |
| 8 | 8 日 | Youka | Eight days / eighth day of the month |
| 9 | 9 日 | Kokonoka | Nine days / ninth day of the month |
| 10 | 10 日 | Tooka | 10 days / tenth day of the month |
| 20 | 20 日 | Hatsuka | 20 days / twentieth day of the month |
| 49 | 49 日 | Yonjuukunichi → Shijuukunichi | 49 days → 49 days after someone’s death |
| ? | 何日? | Nan-nichi? | How many days? Which day? |
**Examples:**
- この漫画を描くのに、**20 日**かかりました。
_It took me **twenty days** to draw this comic._
- **来月の一日**から出張に行く予定なんだ。
_I'm scheduled to go on a business trip from **the first of next month**_
**What is のに doing?** This grammar point means “in order to (do something)”, and it is paired with the dictionary form of a verb. In this case, "in order to" draw this comic, it took 20 days.
### 8. **～分: Japanese counter for minutes**
**～分 is the Japanese counter for minutes**. This is an important skill in daily conversation, naturally, and once you’ve mastered a few changes in pronunciation, you’ll be like a walking clock (almost)!
**What can this counter be used for?** Minutes.
| Number | Counter | Romaji | Meaning |
| :----: | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :--------: | :-----------: |
| 1 | 1 分 | Ippun | One minute |
| 2 | 2 分 | Nifun | Two minutes |
| 3 | 3 分 | San**p**un | Three minutes |
| 4 | 4 分 | Yon**p**un | Four minutes |
| 5 | 5 分 | Gofun | Five minutes |
| 6 | 6 分 | Roppun | Six minutes |
| 7 | 7 分 | Nanafun | Seven minutes |
| 8 | 8 分 | Happun | Eight minutes |
| 9 | 9 分 | Kyuufun | Nine minutes |
| 10 | 10 分 | Juppun | 10 minutes |
Note how three and four minutes are pronounced san**p**un and yon**p**un, not san(b)un or yon(b)un. P sounds in Japanese normally become a B if they follow an N, but in this case, somewhat unexpectedly, the original P sound is maintained.
**Example:**
- 映画はあと**10 分**で始まります。
_The film will start in **10 minutes**._
#### How to tell time in Japanese
As a quick aside—now that you know how to say the minutes, let's talk about hours in Japanese, so you can tell time. The hours, thankfully, are much easier: you just tack 時 (ji) onto the end of a normal Japanese verb:
- 1 時 → いちじ
- 2 時 → にじ
- 3 時 → さんじ
By putting these together, you can tell the time\!
- 今何時ですか？
_What’s the time?_
- 3 時 15 分ぐらいですよ。
_It’s about 3:15._
## **How to use Japanese counters in a sentence?**
While there are tons of counters, the good news is that they're used in very consistent structures. These are listed out below:
**1\. \[Noun\] を \[Number \+ Counter\] \[Verb\]**
- パンを**3 つ**食べました。
_I ate **three pieces** of bread._
- 映画を**2 本**見た。
_I watched **two** movies._
**2\. \[Number \+ Counter\] の \[Noun\]**
- **2 匹**の猫がいます。
_There are **two** cats._
- **3 人**の学生が図書館にいます。
_**Three** students are in the library._
**3\. \[Noun\] が \[Number \+ Counter\] あります／います**
- 椅子が**5 つ**あります。
_There are **five** chairs._
- 子どもが**2 人**います。
_There are **two** children._
**4\. \[Period of Time\] に \[Number \+ Counter\] \[Verb\]**
- 1 週間に**3 回**運動します。
_I exercise **three times** a week._
- 1 日に**42 時間**勉強します。
_I study **forty-two hours** a day._
**5\. \[Number \+ Counter\] も / しか \[Verb\]**
- メロンソーダを**3 本も**飲んだ！
_I drank **three** melon sodas (and that's a lot)\!_
- **1 人しか**来なかった。
_**Only one person** came._
**6\. \[Question word\] \+ Counter \+ Verb?**
Used to ask how many of something.
- りんごを**何個**食べましたか？
_**How many** apples did you eat?_
- 本は**何冊**ありますか？
_**How many** books are there?_
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## **What’s the best way to learn Japanese counters?**
It's not just you—numbers are scary in any language, and counters doubly so.
**Migaku’s Japanese Academy** teaches hundreds of common grammar points alongside the most common ~1,500 Japanese words. Naturally, we have a lesson on counters:
But we also know that this is a lot of information that won't learn itself, so we follow up each lesson with a few flashcards help you remember what a grammar point means by learning sentences that feature it:
What's so special about our flashcards is that the sentences in them have been very carefully curated—each "next" flashcard will introduce only one word you don't know. From there, we’ll periodically nudge you to review each one, so you’ll eventually remember it.
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## **Numbers in Japanese: Learn Japanese counters**
Learning the numbers in any new language can be difficult, and finding out that Japanese people even categorise their numbers by object can be enough to scare you off entirely… but don’t worry\!
Even just learning the counters in this blog is enough to start noticing them in your favourite shows — and from there, the number of things you’ll learn is unlimited.
As always, just remember:
> If you consume Japanese media, and you understand some of the messages and sentences within that media, you'll make progress. _Period._
Get your **free 10-day trial for Migaku** and see for yourself. In 3, 2, 1…