Floors · 〜階
In Japan, 一階 (いっかい) is the ground-level floor, usually labeled 1F. This matches US numbering; in the UK and some other countries, the first floor is one level higher. The counter resembles 〜回, but 三階 has the readings さんがい and さんかい, and 何階 is commonly なんがい.
- When to use it
- Saying which floor something is on or how many floors a building has.
- How many?
- 何階なんがい — which floor?
Rows in yellow are irregular forms that do not follow the counter’s usual pattern.
- 1一階いっかい
- 2二階にかい
- 3三階さんがいAlso さんかい; both readings are used
- 4四階よんかい
- 5五階ごかい
- 6六階ろっかい
- 7七階ななかいAlso しちかい
- 8八階はっかいAlso はちかい
- 9九階きゅうかい
- 10十階じっかいAlso じゅっかい
- ?何階なんがいAlso なんかい
Check the floor number
Japanese 一階 is the ground-level floor. 二階 (にかい) is the level above it: the second floor in US usage, or the first floor in UK usage. Use the building's floor labels to avoid confusion.
Notes
- 地下(ちか)一階(いっかい) = the first basement level (B1).
- 屋上(おくじょう) = the rooftop.
Examples
- トイレは三階(さんがい)です。 — The restroom is on floor 3 (3F).
- この建物(たてもの)は何階(なんがい)ありますか。 — How many floors does this building have?