Numbers 0–9,999
Start with 1–10, then combine them to build larger numbers. Pay attention to the alternative readings of 4, 7, and 9, and to sound changes in some hundreds and thousands.
- When to use it
- The foundation for counters such as 〜人 and 〜時. Learn 1–10 first, then how each counter changes the pattern.
Rows in yellow are irregular forms that do not follow the counter’s usual pattern.
0–10 · The basics
- 0〇 / 零ゼロ / れいゼロ is common; れい is also used, including in formal readings
- 1一いち
- 2二に
- 3三さん
- 4四よん / しよん is common in counting; some expressions require し or よ
- 5五ご
- 6六ろく
- 7七なな / しちなな is common in counting; learn しち in expressions for time and dates
- 8八はち
- 9九きゅう / くきゅう is common; use く in 九時 and 九月
- 10十じゅう
Tens · A regular pattern
- 20二十にじゅう
- 30三十さんじゅう
- 40四十よんじゅう
- 50五十ごじゅう
- 60六十ろくじゅう
- 70七十ななじゅう
- 80八十はちじゅう
- 90九十きゅうじゅう
Hundreds · Sound changes in 300, 600, and 800
- 100百ひゃく
- 200二百にひゃく
- 300三百さんびゃくびゃく, not ひゃく
- 400四百よんひゃく
- 500五百ごひゃく
- 600六百ろっぴゃくThe small っ marks a doubled p sound in ぴゃく
- 700七百ななひゃく
- 800八百はっぴゃくThe small っ marks a doubled p sound in ぴゃく
- 900九百きゅうひゃく
Thousands · Sound changes in 3,000 and 8,000
- 1000千せん
- 2000二千にせん
- 3000三千さんぜんぜん, not せん
- 4000四千よんせん
- 5000五千ごせん
- 6000六千ろくせん
- 7000七千ななせん
- 8000八千はっせんThe small っ marks a doubled consonant
- 9000九千きゅうせん
Putting numbers together
- 11十一じゅういち10 + 1
- 25二十五にじゅうご(2×10) + 5
- 47四十七よんじゅうなな(4×10) + 7
- 108百八ひゃくはち100 + 8
- 372三百七十二さんびゃくななじゅうに300 + 70 + 2 — notice さんびゃく
- 1500千五百せんごひゃく
- 8800八千八百はっせんはっぴゃくBoth parts contain a doubled consonant
- 10000一万いちまんSay いちまん for 10,000, including 一
Pronunciation changes at a glance
- 百 (ひゃく): 300 → さんびゃく · 600 → ろっぴゃく · 800 → はっぴゃく
- 千 (せん): 3,000 → さんぜん · 8,000 → はっせん, with a doubled s sound.
- 万 (まん): to say 10,000, include 一: 一万 (いちまん). Use まん by itself when naming the unit, not when stating this number.
Alternative readings to learn
- 4: よん is common in counting. し is another reading, also heard in 死 (death), but it is not universally avoided. Some counters use よ: 四時 よじ, 四人 よにん.
- 7: なな is common in counting; learn しち in 七時 しちじ and 七月 しちがつ.
- 9: きゅう is common in counting; learn く in 九時 くじ and 九月 くがつ.
Examples
- 三百六十五日(さんびゃくろくじゅうごにち) — 365 days.
- 一万二千円(いちまんにせんえん) — 12,000 yen.