Number ＋ Counter
Counting using Japanese counters
Japanese counts things with a number plus a counter word that depends on the kind of thing: books, flat things, long things, machines, animals or people. The number and counter usually come after the noun and its particle.
How to make it
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Noun + を／が + number + counter + verb | 本を三さつ買いました |
| Number + counter + の + noun | 三さつの本 |
| General counter: ひとつ、ふたつ、みっつ… | りんごを三つください |
| Asking how many: なん + counter／いくつ | 何本、何人、いくつ |
Meaning and examples
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1. Counting by shape or type
さつ for books, まい for flat things, 本 (ほん) for long things, だい for machines, ひき for small animals.
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本を三さつ買いました。
ほんをさんさつかいました。
hon o sansatsu kaimashita.
I bought three books.
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きってを五まいください。
きってをごまいください。
kitte o gomai kudasai.
Five stamps, please.
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ペンが二本あります。
ペンがにほんあります。
pen ga nihon arimasu.
There are two pens.
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うちにねこが一ぴきいます。
うちにねこがいっぴきいます。
uchi ni neko ga ippiki imasu.
We have one cat at home.
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駅の前に車が三だいあります。
えきのまえにくるまがさんだいあります。
eki no mae ni kuruma ga sandai arimasu.
There are three cars in front of the station.
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2. Counting people
People use 人. One and two are special: ひとり, ふたり, then さんにん, よにん.
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へやに学生が四人います。
へやにがくせいがよにんいます。
heya ni gakusei ga yonin imasu.
There are four students in the room.
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3. The general counter つ
ひとつ to とお works for many objects, and is a safe choice when you don't know the right counter.
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りんごを三つください。
りんごをみっつください。
ringo o mittsu kudasai.
Three apples, please.
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4. Asking how many
Put なん before a counter (なんまい, なん人), or use いくつ with the つ counter.
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かさは何本ありますか。
かさはなんぼんありますか。
kasa wa nanbon arimasu ka.
How many umbrellas are there?
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Nuance
Sounds often change when a number meets a counter: いっぽん, さんぼん, ろっぽん; いっぴき, さんびき; いっさつ. Learn the common ones as set words. The most natural position is after the particle (本を三さつ), not before the noun. If you forget a counter, つ (ひとつ, ふたつ) is understood for most objects, but never for people.
Compared with
だけ often follows a counter to say only that many: 一つだけ, 二人だけ.
Counters fit into this pattern after が: へやに学生が四人います.
Common mistakes
Wrongねこが三まいいます。
Rightねこが三びきいます。
Small animals take ひき (here びき); まい is for flat things.
Wrong学生が二ついます。
Right学生が二人います。
People are counted with 人, read ふたり for two.
Practice
JLPT style: choose the best answer for （ ）.
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1「つくえの上に本が二（ ）あります。」
Books are counted with さつ. まい is for flat things, だい for machines, and ひき for animals.
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2「きってを五（ ）ください。」
Stamps are flat, so they take まい. 本 is for long things, さつ for books and 人 for people.
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3「こうえんにいぬが三（ ）います。」
Small animals use ひき, which becomes びき after three: さんびき. The others are for machines, flat things and long things.
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4「へやに学生が（ ）います。」
People are counted with 人, so 四人 (よにん) is right. つ, 本 and まい are never used for people.
FAQ
Which Japanese counters do I need for JLPT N5?
The key ones are つ (general), 人 (people), 本 (long things), まい (flat things), さつ (books), だい (machines), ひき (small animals), plus time and money counters like 時, 分, 円 and 年.
What if I don't know the right counter?
For objects, the general counter つ (ひとつ, ふたつ, みっつ) is understood almost everywhere. For people always use 人.
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