Counters W/ Native Numbers I

Counters W/ Native Numbers I: ~文字・クラス・品・桁・切れ・玉・房・株・袋・箱・棟・組み・皿・束・通り・駅

In this installment on counters, we will learn about 16 counters which utilize native numbers beyond 4 and 7, especially 1-3. First, let’s review the native numbers and the Sino-Japanese numbers for 1-10.

NO.NATIVE NUMBERSINO-JAPANESE NUMBER
1ひとイチ
2ふた
3サン
4よ(ん)
5いつ
6ロク
7ななシチ
8ハチ
9ここのキュウ・ク
10とおジュウ
?いく1なん

Chart Note: “?” in the charts stands for how to say “how many…”

These native numbers are hardly used equally. As stated, 1-3, also colloquially referred to as ひふみ, are used at a higher rate than 5-6, 8-10. However, counters that are generally used with several native numbers tend to have the ability of being used with most native numbers from 1-10.

Curriculum Note: Just as in prior lessons on counters, because some counter expressions have multiple pronunciations, ON readings will be in Katakana and KUN readings will be in Hiragana. Notes on intonation and variant acceptance are largely in accordance with the 2016 edition of the NHK 日本語発音アクセント新辞典. Preferred readings in the spoken language are noted in bold for visibility.

Chart Note: ※An intonation with this mark becomes unaccented (flat = LHH…) when the expression is used adverbially.

The Counters ~文字・字

The counters ~文字2 and ~字 are both used to count characters as in written symbols, but they are not entirely interchangeable. Whereas ~字 may refer to any symbol, including non-letter symbols such as punctuation marks, ~文字 exclusively counts written symbols with phonetic value.

Due to their similarity in meaning, both are mentioned here, but only ~文字 is seen used with more native numbers, as is demonstrated by the following two charts.

■~字

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1イチジLHL2ニジHL
3サンジHLL4よんジ
よジ
HLL
HL
5ゴジHL6ロクジLHL
7ななジ
シチジ
LHL8ハチジLHL
9キュウジHLL10ジュウジHLL
14ジュウよんジ
ジュウよジ
LHHLL
HL-HL
100ヒャクジLHL
1000センジHLL10000イチマンジLHHHH
?なんジHLL

■~文字

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとモジLHLL2ふたモジLHLL
3サンモジHLLL4よんモジHLLL
5ゴモジHLL6ロクモジLHLL
7ななモジLHLL8ハチモジLHLL
9キュウモジHLLL10ジュウモジHLLL
14ジュウよんモジLHHLLL100ヒャクモジLHLL
1000センモジHLLL10000イチマンモジLHHHHH
?なんもじHLLL

1. 字数制限じすうせいげんいち万字まんじ拡大かくだいしました。
I/we expanded the character limit to 10,000 letters.

2. その内容ないよう英語えいご100ひゃくまとめてください。
Please summarize the content in 100 characters in English.

3. 英語えいごでは、曜日ようびつき3さん文字もじ省略しょうりゃくしてくことがあります。
In English, you often abbreviate the days of the week and the months to three letters when writing.

4. 1いっぷんめる300さんびゃく文字もじ
300 letters that can be read in a minute

The Counter ~クラス

The counter ~クラス is used to count classes in a school setting. Despite being a loanword, it is used heavily with the native words for 1-2. However, as is the case with many of the counters showcased in this lesson, it is not actually imperative to use these native numbers with this counter.

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1イチクラス
ひとクラス
LHHLL
LHHLL
2ニクラス
ふたクラス
LHLL
LHHLL
3サンクラスLHHLL4よんクラスLHHLL
5ゴクラスLHLL6ロックラスLHHLL
7ななクラスLHHLL8ハチクラス
ハックラス
LHHLL
9キュウクラスLHHLL10ジュックラス
ジックラス
LHHLL
?なんクラスLHHLL

5. みなさんのおさんがかよ小学校しょうがっこうなんクラスありますか。
How many classes do the elementary schools that everyone’s children go to have?

6. わたし私立高校しりつこうこうですが、15じゅうごクラスあります。
I (go to) a private school, but [there are/I have] fifteen classes.

Counter Note: When referring to individual home rooms, the counter ~学級 may be used instead. There are no sound changes with this counter.

The Counter ~品(ヒン・しな)

The counter ~品(ヒン・しな) is used to count “dishes of food.” The KUN reading is preferred in the restaurant industry, but both sets of readings are utilized. Of these two sets of readings, it is the latter which utilizes native numbers.

■~品(ヒン)

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1イッピンHLLL※2ニヒンHLL
3サンピンHLLL4よんピン
よんヒン
HLLL
5ゴヒンHLL6ロッピンHLLL
7ななヒンLHLL8ハッピン
ハチヒン
LHLL
9キュウヒンHLLL10ジュッピン
ジッピン
HLLL
14ジュウよんピン
ジュウよんヒン
LHHLLL100ヒャッピンHLLL
1000センピンHLLL10000イチマンピンLHHHHH
?なんピンHLLL

■~品(しな)

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとしなLHLL2ふたしなLHLL
3みしな
サンしな
HLL
HLLL
4よんしな
よしな
HLLL
HLL
5ゴしな
いつしな
HLL
LHLL
6ロクしな
むしな
LHLL
HLL
7ななしなLHLL8ハチしな
ハッしな
やしな
LHLL
HLLL
HLL
9キュウしな
ここのしな
HLLL
LHHLL
10ジュッしな
ジッしな
としな
HLLL
HLL
?なんしなHLLL

~品(しな) is one of a handful of counters with which most speakers are still acutely aware of it traditionally being read with the native numbers 1 through 10.

7. これとこれを二品ふたしなください。
Please give me these two.

8. お豆腐料理とうふりょうり10じゅっつくりました。
I made 10 tofu dishes.

9. 一品料理いっぴんりょうり注文ちゅうもんしました。
I ordered à la carte.

The Counter ~桁

The counter ~桁 is used to count numerical digits.

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとけたLHLL2ふたけたLHLL
3サンけた
みけた
HLLL
HLL
4よんけた
よけた
HLLL
HLL
5ゴけたHLL6ロッけたHLLL
7ななけたLHLL8ハチけた
ハッけた
LHLL
HLLL
9キュウけたHLLL10ジュッけた
ジッけた
HLLL
?なんけたHLLL

10. しも3けた456しーごーろくです。
The last three digits are 456.

11. 値段ねだん一桁ひとけた間違まちがえました。
I mistook the price by one digit.

12. 二桁万円ふたけたまんえん時計とけいさを実感じっかんしました。
I really felt the merit of a watch in the six-figure range.

Word Note: 万 means “ten thousand,” and 二桁万 refers to 100,000~999,999. This is because of how large numbers in Japanese are based on powers of four as opposed to three like in English. As such, 104 = 1万 and 105 = 10万. Two numbers are to the left of the unit 万, thus the phrasing 二桁万.

The Counter ~切れ

The counter ~切れ is used to count slices.

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひときれLHLL2ふたきれLHLL
3みきれ
サンきれ
HLL
HLLL
4よんきれ
よきれ
HLLL
HLL
5ゴきれHLL6ロッきれHLLL
7ななきれLHLL8ハチきれLHLL
9キュウきれHLLL10ジュッきれ
ジッきれ
HLLL
?なんきれHLLL

13. サンドイッチにチーズを2ふたはさみます。
(I’ll) put two slices of cheese in the sandwich.

14. 長男ちょうなんにケーキを1ひとけてあげました。
I cut my oldest son a piece of cake.

15. さけ10じゅっれのにして、パックりにしました。
I cut the salmon into ten slices and packed them.

The Counter ~玉

The counter ~玉 is used to count spherical food items such as tomatoes (トマト), heads of lettuce (レタス), melons (メロン), watermelons (スイカ), garlic (ニンニク), cabbage (キャベツ), onions (玉葱), portions of noodles such as udon (うどん), etc.

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとたまLHLL2ふたたまLHLL
3サンたま
みたま
HLLL
HLL
4よんたまHLLL
5ゴたまHLL6ロクたまLHLL
7ななたまLHLL8ハチたまLHLL
9キュウたまHLLL10ジュッたま
ジッたま
HLLL
?なんたまHLLL

16. おおきめのメロンを1ひとたまいました。
I bought one large-sized melon.

17. あのぞうはスイカを2ふたたままるごとべましたよ。
That elephant ate two watermelons whole.

18. なまうどんを5たまいました。
I bought five servings of fresh udon.

19. ハワイさんのパパイヤを3たまりました。
I sold three papayas from Hawaii. 

The Counter ~房

The counter ~房 is used to count produce that grow in bunches such as grapes (ブドウ) and bananas (バナナ).

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとふさLHLL2ふたふさLHLL
3みふさ
サンふさ
HLL
HLLL
4よんふさHLLL
5ゴふさHLL6ロクふさLHLL
7ななふさLHLL8ハチふさLHLL
9キュウふさHLLL10ジュウふさ
ジュッふさ
ジッふさ
とふさ
HLLL
HLLL
HLLL
HLL
?なんふさHLLL

20. みせに、1ひとふさ8はっぽんいたバナナを1ひとふさ100ひゃくえん20にじゅうふさ仕入しいれました。
For the store, I procured 20 bunches of bananas for 100 yen per bunch with 8 bananas in each bunch.

21. うつわにミカンを2ふたふされました。
I put two bunches of mandarin oranges into the bowl.

22. あおいブドウを3ふさ冷蔵庫れいぞうこれました。
I put three bunches of green grapes into the refrigerator.

The Counter ~株

The counter ~株 is used to count heads of produce such as cabbage (キャベツ), Chinese cabbage (白菜), broccoli (ブロッコリー), cauliflower (カリフラワー), bok choy (チンゲン菜), spinach (ほうれん草), Japanese mustard spinach (小松菜), etc. connected at the stem. It may even be used to count stocks in the stock exchange (株式市場).

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとかぶLHLL2ふたかぶLHLL
3サンかぶ
みかぶ
HLLL
HLL
4よんかぶHLLL
5ゴかぶHLL6ロッかぶHLLL
7ななかぶLHLL8ハチかぶLHLL
9キュウかぶHLLL10ジュッかぶ
ジッかぶ
HLLL
?なんかぶHLLL

23. 1ひとかぶ8はち万円まんえんかぶ6ろっ株買かぶかいました。
I bought six stocks at 80,000 yen per stock.

24. 自家製じかせい担々麺たんたんめんにチンゲンさいを2株入れてべました。
I added two heads of bok choy into the homemade dandan noodles I ate.

25. ほうれんそう3かぶ収穫しゅうかくしました。
I harvested three bundles of spinach.

The Counter ~袋(ふくろ・タイ)

The counter ~袋(ふくろ・タイ)is used to count bagfuls and is frequently used with words such as tea (お茶), cement (セメント), wheat flour (小麦粉), etc. that are sold in bagfuls. In business settings, the ON reading is preferred, but in everyday speech, the KUN reading is preferred.

■~袋(ふくろ)

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとふくろLHHLL2ふたふくろLHHLL
3みふくろ
サンふくろ
LHLL
LHHLL
4よんふくろ
よふくろ
LHHLL
LHLL
5ゴふくろLHLL6ロクふくろLHHLL
7ななふくろLHHLL8ハチふくろLHHLL
9キュウふくろLHHLL10ジュッぷくろ
ジッぷくろ
LHHLL
14ジュウよんふくろLHHHHLL100ヒャクふくろ
ヒャッぷくろ
LHHLL
LHHLL
?なんふくろLHHLL

■~袋(タイ)

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1イッタイHLLL2ニタイHLL
3サンタイHLLL4よんタイHLLL
5ゴタイHLL6ロクタイLHLL
7ななタイLHLL8ハチタイ
ハッタイ
LHLL
HLLL
9キュウタイHLLL10ジュッタイ
ジッタイ
HLLL
14ジュウよんタイLHHLLL100ヒャクタイLHLL
?なんタイHLLL

26. いた玉葱たまねぎ一袋入ひとふくろいれました。
I put in a bagful of sautéed onions.

27. ポテチを一袋食ひとふくろたべました。
I ate a bag of potato chips.

28. のうを100ひゃく袋くらいめています。
We have about 100 sandbags stored.

The Counter ~箱

The counter ~箱 is used to count boxes. Its readings are noticeably in major flux in modern speech, with speakers still being acutely aware of its traditional use with all native numbers from 1 to 10, but in reality, its relationship with Sino-Japanese numbers now largely mirrors counters of Sino-Japanese origin.

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとはこ
イッぱこ
LHLL
HLLL
2ふたはこ
二はこ
LHLL
HLL
3みはこ
サンばこ
サンぱこ
サンはこ
HLL
HLLL
HLLL
HLLL
4よんはこ
よはこ
よんぱこ
HLLL
HLL
HLLL
5ゴはこ
いつはこ
HLL
LHLL
6ロクはこ
ロッぱこ
むはこ
LHLL
HLLL
HLL
7ななはこLHLL8ハチはこ
ハッぱこ
やはこ
LHLL
HLLL
HLL
9キュウはこ
ここのはこ
HLLL
LHHLL
10ジュッぱこ
ジッぱこ
とはこ
HLLL
HLLL
HLL
14ジュウよんはこLHHLLL100ヒャッぱこ
ヒャクはこ
HLLL
LHLL
?なんばこ
なんぱこ
HLLL

29. きなほんを一箱にみました。
I crammed the books I liked into one box.

30. しでだんボールばこ10じゅっぱこくらい発送はっそうしました。
I shipped about ten cardboard boxes in moving.

31. かれ一日いちにちにタバコを{2箱・2パック}吸っている。
He smokes two cartons/packs of cigarettes a day.

Counter Notes: The counter ~パック may also be used to count packs. 1 may be rendered as イチ, イッ, ひと, or even ワン, and 2 may be rendered as ニ, ふた, or even ツー.

The Counter ~棟(むね・トウ)

The counter ~棟 is used to count buildings. Historically, only its KUN reading existed. In modern times, its ON reading is specifically used to count large structures such as high-rises, while the KUN reading is preferred for smaller-sized buildings. In the news, however, the KUN reading is solely used for understandability.

■~棟(むね)

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとむねLHLL2ふたむねLHLL
3サンむね
みむね
HLLL
HLL
4よんむね
よむね
HLLL
HLL
5ゴむねHLL6ロクむねLHLL
7ななむねLHLL8ハチむねLHLL
9キュウむねHLLL10ジュウむね
とむね
HLLL
HLL
?なんむねHLLL

■~棟(トウ)

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1イットウLHHL2ニトウLHL
3サントウLHHL4よんトウLHHL
5ゴトウLHL6ロクトウLHHL
7ななトウLHHL8ハットウ
ハチトウ
LHHL
9キュウトウHLLL10ジュットウ
ジットウ
LHHH※
?なんトウHLLL

32. 住宅じゅうたく1ひとむね全焼ぜんしょうしました。
One home burned down.

33. マンションが10棟ならんでいる。
Ten apartment complexes are lined in a row.

34. 菊川きくかわはオフィスビル3さんむね所有しょゆうしている。
Kikukawa owns three office buildings.

The Counter ~組み

The counter ~組み is used to count sets of things as well as what “class” one is in school. In Japan, homerooms are referred to by #組. For this latter meaning, it is spelled without the okurigana み, which is also preferred when it is used to count “groups of people.”

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとくみ
イチくみ
LHLL
LHLL
2ふたくみ
ニくみ
LHLL
HLL
3サンくみ
みくみ
HLLL
HLL
4よんくみ
よくみ
HLLL
HLL
5ゴくみHLL6ロッくみHLLL
7ななくみLHLL8ハチくみLHLL
9キュウくみHLLL10ジュッくみ
ジッくみ
HLLL
?なんくみHLLL

It must be duly noted that the readings イチくみ and ニくみ, サンクミ, and よんくみ must be used when ~組 refers to the number of one’s “class/group” in school. Conversely, for the meaning of “sets” such as items like “socks,” etc., the native numbers ひと (1) and ふた (2) are obligatory.

35. コーヒー茶碗ぢゃわん一組ひとくみを購入こうにゅうしました。
I purchased a coffee cup set.

36. 10じゅっチームを3さんくみけました。
I split ten teams into three groups.

Counter Note: The counter ~チーム may also be used to count “teams.” 1 may be rendered as イッ or ひと, and 2 may be rendered as ニ or ふた.

37. わたし3さんくみです。
I’m in Class 3.

The Counter ~皿

The counter ~皿 is used to count plates of food. When plates have no food and have not been served, the counter ~枚 is used instead. This counter also has a notably higher acceptance of its traditional native readings, but some native numbers such as 6(む) have long fallen out of use with it.

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとさらLHLL2ふたさらLHLL
3サンさら
みさら
HLLL
HLL
4よんさら
よさら
HLLL
HLL
5ゴさら
いつさら
HLL
LHLL
6ロクさらLHLL
7ななさらLHLL8ハチさら
ハッさら
LHLL
HLLL
9キュウさらHLLL10ジュッさら
ジッさら
とさら
HLLL
HLL
?なんさらHLLL

38. わたしあぶりサーモンのにぎ寿司ずし16じゅうろく皿食さらたべきりました。
I completely ate 16 plates of seared salmon nigirizushi.

39. きのう、100ひゃくえん回転寿司かいてんずし8はっ皿食さらたべましたよ。
I ate eight plates of 100-yen conveyor belt sushi yesterday.

40. 回転寿司店かいてんずしてん寿司すし何皿食なんさらたべることがおおいですか。
How many plates of sushi do you eat the most at conveyor belt sushi restaurants?

41. おかえりのかたはエビ天巻てんまき10じゅっ皿分さらぶんかん注文ちゅうもんしました。
The person ordering takeout ordered 10 plates worth/pieces of shrimp tempura rolls.

Counter Note: The counter ~貫 is used to count pieces of sushi.

The Counter ~束(たば・ソク)

The counter ~束(たば) is used to count leafy vegetables (葉菜類・葉(物)野菜・菜っ葉) that are in bundles. The ON reading ~ソク tends to be used to indicate quantities of a hundred for vegetables, bamboo (竹), rice plants (稲), firewood (薪), etc. This comes from bundles being treated as units of ten and ~ソク being ten of those bundles.

■~束(たば)

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとたばLHLL2ふたたばLHLL
3サンたば
みたば
HLLL
HLL
4よんたば
よたば
HLLL
HLL
5ゴたばHLL6ロクたばLHLL
7ななたばLHLL8ハチたばLHLL
9キュウたばHLLL10ジュッたば
ジッたば
HLLL
?なんたばHLLL

■~束(ソク)

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1イッソクLHHH(L)2ニソクHLL
3サンソクHLLL4よんソクHLLL
5ゴソクHLL6ロクソクLHHH(L)
7ななソクLHLL8ハッソクLHHH(L)
9キュウソクHLLL10ジュッソク
ジッソク
LHHH(L)
14ジュウよんソクLHHLLL100ヒャクソクLHLL
?なんソクHLLL

42. このお味噌汁みそしる1いっぱいで、ほうれんそう1ひと束分たばぶん鉄分てつぶんれます。
You can get the iron content of a bundle of spinach with one cup of this miso soup. 

43. 業務用ぎょうむよう味付あじつ海苔のり100ひゃくたば発注はっちゅうしました。
I put in an order for 100 bundles of business use, seasoned nori.

44. ながネギ2ほんと、水菜みずな1ひとたばなべつゆ1ひとふくろ、ポンすこしでつくりました。
I made it with two Japanese leeks, one bundle of potherb mustard, a bag of hot pot soup, and a little ponzu sauce.

45. した写真しゃしんのおひたしで春菊しゅんぎく3束分たばぶんです!
In the ohitashi in the picture below, there are three bundles worth of edible chrysanthemum!

Culture NoteOhitashi is boiled greens like spinach, mustard spinach, edible chrysanthemum, etc.

The Counter ~通り

The counter ~通り is used to count “ways/methods” or “sets of things.”

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひととおりLHHHH2ふたとおり
ニとおり
LHHHH
LHHH
3サンとおり
みとおり
LHHHH
LHHH
4よんとおりLHHHH
5ゴとおりLHHH6ロクとおりLHHHH
7ななとおりLHHHH8ハチとおり
ハッとおり
LHHHH
9キュウとおりLHHHH10ジュッとおり
ジッとおり
LHHHH
?なんとおりLHHHH

46. 必要ひつよう道具どうぐ一通ひととおそろっています。
There’s a full lineup of needed tools/instruments.

47. みが2ふたとおりある熟語じゅくごがたくさん存在そんざいします。
There are many compound words that have two readings.

48. 3さんとおりの男性だんせいさそかた紹介しょうかいしていきます。
I am going to introduce to you three ways to lure men.

49. わせは何通なんとおりあるかおしえてください。
Please tell me how many combinations there are.

The phrase 一通り is not only used to mean “one way/method,” but it also means “in general/generally/roughly.”

50. 大学受験だいがくじゅけん一通ひととおわりました。
I’m generally done with taking my college exams.

The Counter ~駅(えき)

The counter ~駅 is used to count stations. Although the word itself is Sino-Japanese in origin, it has been nativized to take on several native numbers.

NO.READING(S)PITCHNO.READING(S)PITCH
1ひとエキLHLL2ふたエキLHLL
3サンエキHLLL4よんエキHLLL
5ゴエキHLL6ロクエキLHLL
7ななエキLHLL8ハチエキLHLL
9キュウエキHLLL10ジュウエキHLLL
100ヒャクエキLHLL?なんエキHLLL

51. 私は名古屋駅から2駅離れたところに住んでいます。
I live somewhere two stations away from Nagoya Station.

52. JRは今年、3駅を廃止した。
JR went away with three stations this year.

53. 埼玉県の人気の100駅に限定しています。
It’s limited to the 100 stations popular in Saitama Prefecture.

  1. The use of いく(幾) for “how many…” is old-fashioned, if not neo-classical to many speakers, but it is still used in set phrases and older writing. For complete coverage, it is shown in this chart, but it does not appear elsewhere due to it no longer being productive. ↩︎
  2. 文字 is etymologically Sino-Japanese, but grammatically speaking, the word has been nativized, which explains its use with native numbers. ↩︎