Numbers in Japanese: Why Counting to Ten Might Be the Death of You (Literally!)

Have you ever wanted to impress your friends by casually dropping Japanese numbers into a conversation? Maybe you’re planning a trip to Japan, dreaming of ordering ten bowls of ramen (because one is never enough), or trying to flex your anime knowledge beyond just screaming “Nani?!” at inappropriate moments. Whatever your reason, learning numbers in Japanese is essential.

But, oh boy, Japanese numbers come with a few surprises. Some of them even sound like death (more on that later). So buckle up, grab a notepad (or just screenshot like a true millennial), and let’s dive into the fascinating world of counting in Japanese.

The Basics: Counting from 1 to 10

Let’s start simple. Here are the numbers from one to ten in Japanese:

• 1 – Ichi (いち)
• 2 – Ni (に)
• 3 – San (さん)
• 4 – Shi / Yon (し / よん)
• 5 – Go (ご)
• 6 – Roku (ろく)
• 7 – Shichi / Nana (しち / なな)
• 8 – Hachi (はち)
• 9 – Ku / Kyuu (く / きゅう)
• 10 – Juu (じゅう)

Looks simple enough, right? Wrong! Because Japanese loves to keep things interesting.

The Deathly Numbers: Why 4 and 9 Are Superstitious

If you’ve ever watched a horror movie, you know that certain numbers carry bad juju. In Japan, 4 and 9 are those numbers.

• 4 (Shi) sounds like the word for “death” (死 – shi). Not exactly the best number for a birthday cake candle count.
• 9 (Ku) sounds like “pain” or “suffering” (苦 – ku). Perfect for horror movie villains, not so much for hotel room numbers.

Because of this, hospitals and hotels often skip room numbers with 4 or 9, much like how some Western buildings skip the 13th floor. It’s like the universe telling you, Hey, let’s not tempt fate.

Multiple Readings: Why Japanese Numbers Have a Split Personality

Unlike English, where “two” is always “two” (unless you’re trying to spell “too” or “to”—ugh, English), Japanese numbers can have different readings depending on context.

For example:

• 4 can be “shi” OR “yon.”
• 7 can be “shichi” OR “nana.”
• 9 can be “ku” OR “kyuu.”

When counting items, phone numbers, or room numbers, the preferred safer pronunciation is yon (4), nana (7), and kyuu (9) to avoid sounding like a death omen.

Counting Different Things: It’s Not Just “One, Two, Three”

Now, if you thought you could just use ichi, ni, san for everything—oh, my sweet summer child, welcome to Japanese counters.

Japanese numbers change depending on what you’re counting. Yes, you heard that right.

Here are a few examples:

• People: Hitori (one person), Futari (two people), San-nin (three people)
• Small animals: Ippiki (one small animal), Nihiki (two small animals)
• Long objects (like pencils or bottles): Ippon, Nihon, Sanbon
• Flat objects (like sheets of paper): Ichimai, Nimai, Sanmai

See the pattern? No? That’s because Japanese numbers change their form depending on the shape and nature of what you’re counting. Imagine trying to order a beer in Japan:

“Excuse me, can I have… uh… one… I mean… ippai? Ippon? Ichimai? Wait, no—just one beer, please!”

The waiter smiles and brings you two beers. Because obviously.

Counting Beyond Ten: The Easy Part (For Once)

Once you reach 10 (juu), counting becomes easier because you just stack numbers together:

• 11 = Juuichi (じゅういち)
• 12 = Juunii (じゅうに)
• 20 = Nijuu (にじゅう)
• 99 = Kyuujuukyuu (きゅうじゅうきゅう)

See? Japanese throws you into a pit of suffering with counters, but then kindly hands you a ladder when it comes to basic arithmetic.

Fun Facts: Numbers in Japanese Culture

Want to impress your Japanese friends? Drop these fun facts in conversation:

• The number 8 (Hachi) is considered lucky because it looks like the symbol for infinity (∞) and prosperity.
• Phone numbers with lots of 8s cost more in Japan because businesses believe they bring good fortune.
• Some Japanese puns use numbers based on their pronunciation. For example, “4649” (yo-ro-shi-ku) is a way of saying “Nice to meet you!”

The Ultimate Japanese Number Hack: Just Use Your Fingers

After all this, if your brain is on fire, just point at things and hope for the best. In Japan, most people will get what you mean. If you forget how to say “two beers, please,” just hold up two fingers and smile awkwardly.

Or better yet, just download a translation app and let it do the heavy lifting. I won’t judge.

Final Thoughts: Numbers Are Hard, But You Got This!

Learning numbers in Japanese can feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded, but don’t stress. Start with the basics, laugh at the weird ones, and practice with real-life situations.

And hey—now that you know that saying “shi” could accidentally summon bad luck, you’re already ahead of the game.

So, what’s next? Maybe learning how to tell time in Japanese? Or ordering food without accidentally asking for 99 bowls of noodles?

Stay tuned!