Japanese Numbers 1 to 100: How to Count Fast in Japanese Learning

Learning to count is one of the first things you'll tackle when starting to learn Japanese, and honestly, it's way more straightforward than you might think. The Japanese number system follows a super logical pattern once you get the basics down. Sure, there are a couple of pronunciation quirks to watch out for (4 and 7), but overall, counting from 1 to 100 in Japanese is actually easier than dealing with French numbers or English's weird "eleven" and "twelve" situation. Let's break down everything you need to know.

Basic numbers 1 to 10 in Japanese

Here's where everything starts. Master these ten numbers, and you've basically unlocked the entire counting system up to 100.

Notice how 4, 7, and 9 have alternative readings? This is where things get interesting. The number 4 can be read as either "shi" or "yon," and you'll hear both in everyday conversation. However, "shi" sounds identical to the word for death (), so many people in Japan prefer using "yon" to avoid that association. Same deal with 7, where "nana" often gets used instead of "shichi" because it's just easier to distinguish in speech.

The kanji for these numbers are actually pretty common in written Japanese, so you'll see them everywhere once you start reading. Even if you're focusing on hiragana as a complete beginner, getting familiar with number kanji early on helps a ton.

How Japanese numbers 10 to 20 work

The Japanese language has this beautiful logic to its counting system. Once you know 1 through 10, building numbers up to 100 becomes a simple formula.

For the teens (11-19), you literally say "ten-one" for 11, "ten-two" for 12, and so on:

See the pattern? You're just stacking the kanji (and sounds) together. Notice how 14 typically uses "yon" instead of "shi," and 17 usually goes with "nana" rather than "shichi." These aren't strict rules, but they're what you'll hear most often.

Counting in Japanese from 20 to 100

The tens are where this system really shows off its simplicity. You say "two-ten" for 20, "three-ten" for 30, and keep going:

For any number in between, you just combine them. Want to say 23? That's "two-ten-three" or (ni-juu-san). How about 77? That's (nana-juu-nana). The construction pattern stays consistent all the way up.

Here are some more examples to drive this home:

The number 100 and beyond

When you hit 100, you get a new kanji: (hyaku). This one's super common in Japanese vocabulary and you'll see it all the time when dealing with prices, addresses, or just about anything involving quantities.

The hundreds follow the same multiplication pattern you've already learned:

Those pronunciation variations at 300, 600, and 800 happen because of something called rendaku in the Japanese language, where certain sounds shift to make words easier to say. You don't need to memorize the linguistic rules, just practice saying them out loud a few times and your mouth will figure it out.

Complete reference chart for numbers in Japanese 1 to 100

Here's a compact table showing all the key numbers you need. I'm including the kanji, romaji reading, and some notes on pronunciation where relevant.

Can you count Japanese numbers 1 to 100 now? If you understand the pattern, you absolutely can. The system builds on itself in a way that makes sense once you see it laid out.

Pronunciation tips and common mistakes

The reading variations for 4, 7, and 9 trip people up at first. Here's the practical breakdown:

When you're learning to count to 100 in Japan, pronunciation matters more than you might think. Japanese has relatively few sounds compared to English, so getting them right helps people understand you way better. The double vowels (Like the "uu" in "juu" or "kyuu") should be held slightly longer than single vowels. It's a subtle thing, but it makes a difference.

Can you read Japanese numbers in real contexts

Reading numbers gets you pretty far when you're actually in Japan or consuming Japanese content. Prices, addresses, dates, times - they all use these same basic building blocks. A price tag showing breaks down as "three-thousand-five-hundred-yen" once you know the pattern extends beyond 100 (Thousand is or "sen").

The number system also shows up in tons of Japanese vocabulary. Restaurant names, product names, historical periods - numbers are everywhere. Getting comfortable with counting from 1 to 100 gives you a foundation that extends way beyond just saying how many apples you want.

How to practice and learn Japanese numbers 1 to 100

Knowing the pattern is one thing, but you want this stuff to become automatic.

If you're serious about building your Japanese vocabulary beyond just numbers, immersion makes everything stick better. Reading Japanese text and hearing native pronunciation in context beats drilling flashcards any day.

Anyway, if you want to level up your Japanese learning with real content, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up words instantly while watching shows or reading articles. Makes immersion way more practical than pausing every two seconds to check a dictionary. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.

FAQs

The phase of hearing the number but failing to react fast

It happens to every learner. Even if you learn all the numbers and how to count in Japanese, and you can hear there is something related to numbers in the conversations, you may still not be able to react to which number it is, not to mention number-related info, like dates, prices, etc. Extensive listening can't help you much. In this case, you need to pause and take a second to actively recall what the number is that you just heard.

Active recall - that's your way out.