Counters With Sino-Japanese Numbers II: ～名・羽・部・戸・発・軒・人前・丁・点・泊・通・ 尾・巻・隻・錠
In this second installment on counters used with Sino-Japanese numbers, we will learn 15 more frequently used counters to get you closer to mastering counters in daily conversation.
Because some counter expressions have multiple pronunciations, ON readings will be in katakana to indicate that a word is a (Sino-Japanese) loan word, and KUN readings will be in hiragana to indicate native words. Furthermore, all 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, which is the leading authority on standard pronunciation in accordance with the times1. Preferred readings in the spoken language are noted in bold for visibility.
Chart Note: “?” in the charts stands for how to say “how many #.”
The Counter ～名
The counter ～名 is used to count people in formal settings.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イチメイ | LHLL | 2 | ニメイ | HLL |
| 3 | サンメイ | HLLL | 4 | よんメイ | HLLL |
| 5 | ゴメイ | HLL | 6 | ロクメイ | LHLL |
| 7 | ななメイ シチメイ | LHLL | 8 | ハチメイ | LHLL |
| 9 | キュウメイ | HLLL | 10 | ジュウメイ | HLLL |
| 14 | ジュウよんメイ | LHHLLL | 100 | ヒャクメイ | LHLL |
| 1000 | センメイ | HLLL | 10000 | イチマンメイ | LHHHHH |
| ? | なんメイ | HLLL |
In the service industry, it is very common to hear the honorific ending of address ～様 after ～名, but it is worth noting that ～様 is appropriate in this situation when asking the customers themselves about how many people there are, not when you are talking about a certain number of customers to coworkers.
1. 何名様でしょうか。
How many of you are there?
2. 小型の旅客機が墜落して五名の方が亡くなりました。
A small passenger plane crashed, leaving five people dead.
3. チャンネル登録者数が１万名を突破しました！
The number of people subscribed to my channel has passed 10,000 people!
The Counter ～羽
The counter ～羽 is used to count birds and rabbits. This includes large birds and small birds that do not fly such as ostriches and penguins. However, large birds are sometimes counted with ～頭. Rabbits may still be counted with ～匹, but they are most often also counted with ～羽2.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イチワ | LHL | 2 | ニワ | HL |
| 3 | サンバ サンワ | HLL | 4 | よんワ よんバ | HLL |
| 5 | ゴワ | HL | 6 | ロクワ ロッパ | LHL HLL |
| 7 | ななワ シチワ | LHL | 8 | ハチワ ハッパ | LHL HLL |
| 9 | キュウワ | HLL | 10 | ジュウワ | HLL |
| 14 | ジュウよんワ | LHHLL | 100 | ヒャクワ ヒャッパ | LHL HLL |
| 1000 | センバ センワ | HLL | 10000 | イチマンバ イチマンワ | LHHHH |
| ? | なんバ なんワ | HLL | | |
In recent decades, utilizing the regular ワ pronunciation over its various post-sound change forms has become more common.
4. ニワトリ合わせて68羽が死んでいるのが見つかりました。
A total of 68 chickens were found dead.
5. 電線に鳥が10羽止まっていました。
Ten birds were stopped on the electric lines.
6. カモメが6羽並んで止まっていました。
There were six seagulls stopped and lined up together.
7. 建物の横の堀には、アヒルが3羽いました。
There were three ducks in the ditch on the side of the building.
The Counter ～部
The counter ～部 is used to count copies of printed materials such as magazines and newspapers. It may also count packets of paper.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イチブ | LHL | 2 | ニブ | HL |
| 3 | サンブ | HLL | 4 | よんブ | HLL |
| 5 | ゴブ | HL | 6 | ロクブ | LHL |
| 7 | ななブ | LHL | 8 | ハチブ | LHL |
| 9 | キュウブ | HLL | 10 | ジュウブ | HLL |
| 14 | ジュウよんブ | LHHLL | 100 | ヒャクブ | LHL |
| 1000 | センブ | HLL | 10000 | イチマンブ | LHHHH |
| ? | なんブ | HLL | | |
Phrase Note: 一部 is commonly used to also mean “one part/portion.”
8. 一日で1000部売りました。
I sold 1000 copies in a day.
9. 履歴の一部だけ削除した。
I deleted only a part of my history.
10. パンフレットを10部送りました。
I sent ten copies of the pamphlet.
The Counter ～戸
The counter ～戸 is used to count household units. For instance, imagine there are 20 apartment units per complex on a street with 3 such complexes as well as 10 freestanding homes. That would equal 70戸.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イッコ | HLL | 2 | ニコ | HL |
| 3 | サンコ | HLL | 4 | よんコ | HLL |
| 5 | ゴコ | HL | 6 | ロッコ | LHL |
| 7 | ななコ | LHL | 8 | ハチコ ハッコ | LHL HLL |
| 9 | キュウコ | HLL | 10 | ジュッコ ジッコ | HLL |
| 14 | ジュウよんコ | LHHLL | 100 | ヒャッコ | HLL |
| 1000 | センコ | HLL | 10000 | イチマンコ | LHHHH |
| ? | なんコ | HLL | | |
11. 10戸はまだ空いています。
Ten homes are still empty.
12. およそ60戸が停電していました。
Approximately sixty homes had experienced a power outage.
The Counter ～発
The counter ～発 is used to count bullets, explosions, attacks, sneezes, shots of booze, or anything that can colloquially be described as explosive.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イッパツ | LHHH(L)※ | 2 | ニハツ | HLL |
| 3 | サンパツ | HLLL | 4 | よんパツ よんハツ | HLLL |
| 5 | ゴハツ | HLL | 6 | ロッパツ ロクハツ | LHHH(L)※ LHLL |
| 7 | ななハツ | LHLL | 8 | ハッパツ | LHHH(L)※ |
| 9 | キュウハツ | HLLL | 10 | ジュッパツ ジッパツ | HLLL※ |
| 14 | ジュウよんパツ ジュウよんハツ | LHHLLL | 100 | ヒャッパツ | HLLL※ |
| 1000 | センパツ | HLLL | 10000 | イチマンパツ | LHHHHH |
| ? | なんパツ | HLLL | | |
※An intonation with this mark becomes unaccented (flat = LHH…) when the expression is used adverbially.
13. アメリカ軍が原爆を2発投下した。
The U.S. military dropped two nuclear bombs.
14. 健三は弾を10発撃った。
Kenzo shot ten bullets.
15. あのアライグマを2、3発蹴った。
I kicked that raccoon two, three times.
16. くしゃみを5発した後で、鼻血を出した。
I had a nosebleed after sneezing five times.
The Counter ～軒
The counter ～軒 is used to count building structures that serve as homes. Meaning, if you had on the same street two condos, three apartment complexes, and ten single houses, that would make 15軒.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イッケン | HLLL | 2 | ニケン | HLL |
| 3 | サンゲン サンケン | HLLL | 4 | よんケン | HLL |
| 5 | ゴケン | HLL | 6 | ロッケン | LHLL |
| 7 | ななケン | LHLL | 8 | ハチケン ハッケン | LHLL HLLL |
| 9 | キュウケン | HLLL | 10 | ジュッケン ジッケン | HLLL |
| 14 | ジュウよんケン | LHHLL | 100 | ヒャッケン | HLLL |
| 1000 | センゲン センケン | HLLL | 10000 | イチマンゲン イチマンケン | LHHHHH |
| ? | なんゲン なんケン | HLLL | | |
17. ３軒に１軒が空き家になっている。
One in three houses is vacant.
18. 両親は表参道の一軒家に住んでいます。
My parents live in a single house in Omotesando.
19. 甲府市で４００軒が停電しています。
There are 400 housing structures experiencing power outages in Kofu City.
The Counter ～人前
The counter ～人前 is used to count food portions. Though it incorporates the counter ～人 and even features a suffix of native origin, the counter itself does not exhibit the same irregularities for 1-2.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イチニンまえ | LHHHHH | 2 | ニニンまえ | LHHHH |
| 3 | サンニンまえ | LHHHHH | 4 | よニンまえ | LHHHH |
| 5 | ゴニンまえ | LHHHH | 6 | ロクニンまえ | LHHHHH |
| 7 | シチニンまえ ななニンまえ | LHHHHH | 8 | ハチニンまえ | LHHHHH |
| 9 | クニンまえ キュウニンまえ | LHHHHH LHHHHHH | 10 | ジュウニンまえ | LHHHHH |
| 14 | ジュウよニンまえ | LHHHHHH | 100 | ヒャクニンまえ | LHHHHH |
| 1000 | センニンまえ | LHHHHH | 10000 | イチマンニンまえ | LHHHHHHH |
| ? | なんニンまえ | LHHHHH | | |
20. 3人前の量を作りました。
I made three portions worth.
21. 餃子を10人前買ってきました。
I’ve come back having bought ten portions of gyoza.
22. （お）そばを2人前注文しました。
I ordered two portions of soba.
The Counter ～丁
The counter ～丁 is used to count the following items: tofu, guns, konjac, servings at a restaurant (especially ramen), scissors, candles on a candlestick, saws, town blocks, violins, guitars, ink sticks, palanquins, photo attempts, rickshaws, etc.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イッチョウ | HLLL | 2 | ニチョウ | HLL |
| 3 | サンチョウ | HLLL | 4 | よんチョウ | HLLL |
| 5 | ゴチョウ | HLL | 6 | ロクチョウ | LHLL |
| 7 | ななチョウ | LHLL | 8 | ハッチョウ | HLLL LHLL |
| 9 | キュウチョウ | HLLL | 10 | ジュッチョウ ジッチョウ | HLLL |
| 14 | ジュウよんチョウ | LHHLLL | 100 | ヒャクチョウ | LHLL |
| 1000 | センチョウ | HLLL | 10000 | イチマンチョウ | LHHHHH |
| ? | なんチョウ | HLLL | | |
23. 警察は拳銃6丁と実弾250発を押収しました。
The police confiscated six handguns and 250 live bullets.
24. きょう、豆腐を3丁も食べました！
I ate three servings of tofu today!
25. こんにゃく１丁をタオルにくるみました。
I tucked one block of konjac into a towel.
26. ハサミは１丁も持っていません。
I don’t own a single pair of scissors.
27. ノコギリを2丁買ってきました。
I’ve come back having bought two saws.
The Counter ～点
The counter ～点 is used to counts points or commodities as in merchandise. One thing unique about this counter is that pitch differs depending on meaning. To differentiate below, its pitch when meaning “points” will be marked with ① and its pitch when meaning “commodities/merchandise” will be marked with ②.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イッテン | LHHL① HLLL② | 2 | ニテン | LHL① HLL② |
| 3 | サンテン | LHHL※① HLLL② | 4 | よんテン | LHHL※① HLLL② |
| 5 | ゴテン | LHL※① HLL② | 6 | ロクテン | LHHL※① LHLL② |
| 7 | ななテン | LHHL※① LHLL② | 8 | ハッテン ハチテン | LHHL※① HLLL② LHHL※① LHLL② |
| 9 | キュウテン | LHHL※① HLLL② | 10 | ジュッテン ジッテン | LHHL※① HLLL② |
| 14 | ジュウよんテン | LHHHHL※① LHHLLL② | 100 | ヒャクテン | LHHL※① LHLL② |
| 1000 | センテン | LHHL※① HLLL② | 10000 | イチマンテン | LHHHHH |
| ? | なんテン | LHHL※① HLLL② | | |
※An intonation with this mark becomes unaccented (flat = LHH…) when the expression is used adverbially.
28. 彼は十点満点（を）取りました。
He got a perfect ten.
29. 10万円の商品を月（に）100点売っています。
I sell 100 pieces of merchandise worth 100,000 yen a month.
30. ノート5冊と万年筆2本と消しゴム3個、合わせて10点のお買い上げですね。
You’re buying five notebooks, two fountain pens, and three erasers for a total of ten items, yes?
The Counter ～泊
The counter ～泊 is used to count nights of a stay.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イッパク | LHHL※ | 2 | ニハク | HLL |
| 3 | サンパク | HLLL | 4 | よんパク よんハク | HLLL |
| 5 | ゴハク | HLL | 6 | ロッパク ロクハク | HLLL LHLL |
| 7 | ななハク | LHLL | 8 | ハッパク ハチハク | HLLL LHLL |
| 9 | キュウハク | HLLL | 10 | ジュッパク ジッパク | LHHL※ |
| 14 | ジュウよんパク ジュウよんハク | LHHLLL | 100 | ヒャッパク | HLLL |
| 1000 | センパク | HLLL | 10000 | イチマンパク | LHHHHH |
| ? | なんパク | HLLL | | |
※An intonation with this mark becomes unaccented (flat = LHH…) when the expression is used adverbially.
31. 税別で1泊15万ウォンでした。
It was 150,000 won for a one-night stay excluding tax.
32. 料金は管理費など全て込みで1泊1名様（につき）1万円です。
The charge is 10,000 yen per person per night with all-fees-in-price including management costs.
33. ツインルーム1部屋で3泊です。
Three nights in 1 twin-sized room.
34. フランスのマルセイユに5泊しました。
I stayed five nights in Marseille, France.
The Counter ～通
The counter ～通 is used to count letters – handwritten letters, e-mails, notes, written reports, etc.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イッツウ | LHHL※ | 2 | ニツウ | HLL |
| 3 | サンツウ | HLLL | 4 | よんツウ | HLLL |
| 5 | ゴツウ | HLL | 6 | ロクツウ | LHLL |
| 7 | ななツウ | LHLL | 8 | ハッツウ | HLLL |
| 9 | キュウツウ | HLLL | 10 | ジュッツウ ジッツウ | HLLL |
| 14 | ジュウよんツウ | LHHLLL | 100 | ヒャクツウ | LHLL |
| 1000 | センツウ | HLLL | 10000 | イチマンツウ | LHHHHH |
| ? | なんツウ | HLLL | | |
35. 同じ内容の文書を3通送りました。
I sent three documents with the same content.
36. LINEを1通送りました。
I sent one LINE (message).
37. 返事の手紙を2通送りました。
I sent two letters in reply.
38. 受信メールを何通か消した。
I deleted several received e-mails/texts.
The Counter ～尾
The counter ～尾 is used to count small fish and shrimp. It is also used in industries to refer to high-quality fish or simply when fish go from being caught to now being treated as ‘food.’
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イチビ | LHL | 2 | ニビ | HL |
| 3 | サンビ | HLL | 4 | よんビ | HLL |
| 5 | ゴビ | HL | 6 | ロクビ | LHL |
| 7 | ななビ シチビ | LHL | 8 | ハチビ | HLL |
| 9 | キュウビ | HLL | 10 | ジュウビ | HLL |
| 14 | ジュウよんビ | LHHLL | 100 | ヒャクビ | LHL |
| 1000 | センビ | HLL | 10000 | イチマンビ | LHHHH |
| ? | なんビ | HLL | | |
39. 雑魚の名前を5尾書いてください。
Please write the names of five small fish.
40. 今回は特大（サイズ）の冷凍剥き海老6尾使いました。
This time, I used six extra-large, frozen shelled shrimp.
41. 外国産のウナギも20尾売れました。
Twenty foreign-produced eels also sold.
42. メバルの稚魚を（１）千尾ほど川に放流した。
(They/we) stocked into the river around a thousand rockfish juveniles.
Other Counters for Fish
Dead or alive, fish may simply be counted with ～匹. However, various other counters can be used depending on the kind of fish or how the fish is presented. Some of the counters listed below are native counters, which we will learn more about in the following lesson, so to identify which is which etymologically, the counters below will be labeled as either “Sino” or “Nat.” in parentheses.
| Purpose | Counter | Native Numbers For3… |
| Long Fish (eel, tuna, bonito, etc.) | ～本 (Sino) | 4 & 7 |
| Flat Fish (flounder, etc.) | ～枚 (Sino) | 4 & 7 |
| Very Thin Fish (icefish, halfbeak, etc.) | ～条 (Sino) | 4 & 7 |
| Small Fish for Bait | ～尾 (Sino) | 4 & 7 |
| Fish as Merchandise | ～尾 (Sino) | 4 & 7 |
| Fish for (Fine) Dining | ～尾 (Sino) | 4 & 7 |
| Huge Fish in Transport | ～喉（こん）(Sino) | 4 & 7 |
| Fileted Fish | ～枚 (Sino) | 4 & 7 |
| Filets/Cuts of Fish | ～切れ (Nat.) | 1-4 & 7 |
| Rectangular Cuts of Fish | ～冊（さく）(Nat.4) | 1-2, 4, & 7 |
| Gutted Fish (no head or tail) | ～丁 (Sino) | 4 & 7 |
| Skewers of Fish | ～串 (Nat.) | 1-4 & 7 |
| Square Filets of Eel (kabayaki) | ～枚 (Sino) | 4 & 7 |
Lesson Note: For counters mentioned here that have not been formally introduced, it is okay not to memorize them until they are properly discussed.
The Counter ～巻
The counter ～巻 is used to count volumes (compilations).
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イッカン | HLLL | 2 | ニカン | HLL |
| 3 | サンカン | HLLL | 4 | よんカン | HLLL |
| 5 | ゴカン | HLL | 6 | ロッカン | HLLL |
| 7 | ななカン | LHLL | 8 | ハチカン ハッカン | LHLL HLLL |
| 9 | キュウカン | HLLL | 10 | ジュッカン ジッカン | HLLL |
| 14 | ジュウよんカン | LHHLLL | 100 | ヒャッカン | HLLL |
| 1000 | センカン | HLLL | 10000 | イチマンカン | LHHHHH |
| ? | なんカン | HLLL | | |
43. 〇〇の小説三巻を読みました。
I read the three volumes of the novel ##.
44. 漫画の巻数って何巻くらいで完結でベストだと思いますか？
So about the number of volumes in a manga, at how many volumes would it be best to have the conclusion?
The Counter ～隻
The counter ～隻 is used to count relatively large ships. For smaller ships, the counter ～艘 is preferred.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イッセキ | LHHH※ | 2 | ニセキ | HLL |
| 3 | サンセキ | HLLL | 4 | よんセキ | HLLL |
| 5 | ゴセキ | HLL | 6 | ロクセキ | LHLL |
| 7 | ななセキ | LHLL | 8 | ハッセキ | LHHH※ |
| 9 | キュウセキ | HLLL | 10 | ジュッセキ ジッセキ | LHHH※ |
| 14 | ジュウよんセキ | LHHLLL | 100 | ヒャクセキ | LHLL |
| 1000 | センセキ | HLLL | 10000 | イチマンセキ | LHHHHH |
| ? | なんセキ | HLLL | | |
※An intonation with this mark becomes unaccented (flat = LHH…) when the expression is used adverbially.
45. 演習中に、二隻が衝突して沈没しました。
Two ships collided and sank during training exercises.
46. 潜水艦が１０隻も目前の桟橋でぷかぷかと浮いている。
Ten submarines are floating in the wharf before my eyes.
The Counter ～錠
The counter ～錠 is used to count doses of medication.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イチジョウ | LHLL | 2 | ニジョウ | HLL |
| 3 | サンジョウ | HLLL | 4 | よんジョウ | HLLL |
| 5 | ゴジョウ | HLL | 6 | ロクジョウ | LHLL |
| 7 | ななジョウ | LHLL | 8 | ハチジョウ | LHLL |
| 9 | キュウジョウ | HLLL | 10 | ジュウジョウ | HLLL |
| 14 | ジュウよんジョウ | LHHLLL | 100 | ヒャクジョウ | LHLL |
| 1000 | センジョウ | HLLL | 10000 | イチマンジョウ | LHHHHH |
| ? | なんジョウ | HLLL | | |
47. 間違えて二錠飲みましたが、腎臓は大丈夫ですかね？
I accidentally took two pills, but do you think my kidneys will be alright?
48. 一回二錠の薬を一錠しか飲まなかったら、効果ないですか？
Does the medicine you take two pills for one dose not work if you take only one pill?
- Obsolete readings are not listed. ↩︎
- Various urban myths exist as to why ～羽 is also used to count rabbits. The most intriguing is how rabbits were akin to birds so that they could be exempt from Buddhist dietary restrictions which forbade the consumption of four-legged animals. ↩︎
- In Modern Japanese, there is a confusing matching of native numbers with Sino-Japanese counters that did not exist in older stages of the language. For the most part, only the native numbers for 4 (よん) and 7 (なな) are paired with Sino-Japanese counters. ↩︎
- While 冊 does have the ON reading of サク, the meaning of “rectangular cut of fish” is from a native word. Thus, writing it as 冊 would be an example of ateji. ↩︎