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 installation on counters used with Sino-Japanese numbers, we will be learning 15 more of some of the most frequently used counters. With 15 more counters in your repertoire, you will be even 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 died.
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 |
| ? | ナンバ ナンワ | 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 | HLL |
| 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 |
| ? | ナンブ | 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 households.
| 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 |
| ? | ナンコ | 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 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 |
| ? | ナンパツ | 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 army dropped two nuclear bombs.
14. 彼は弾を10発撃った。
I 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 three times.
The Counter ～軒
The counter ～軒 is used to count individual houses that are not connected to each other. This is different from ～戸, which generically counts households.
| 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 |
| ? | ナンゲン ナンケン | HLLL | ? | | |
17. 3軒に１軒が空き家になっている。
One in three houses are vacant.
18. 昨日の地震で、10軒中４軒壊れました。
Four out of ten houses were destroyed in yesterday’s earthquake.
19. 四川大地震で７万軒以上が倒壊して二人が死亡しました。
Over 70,000 houses collapsed and two people died in the Great Sichuan Earthquake.
The Counter ～人前
The counter ～人前 is used to counts food portions. Though it incorporates the counter ～人 and even features a suffix of native origin, the counter itself is read normally with exception to シチ for 7 and ク for 9 being preferred with it.
| NO. | READING(S) | PITCH | NO. | READING(S) | PITCH |
| 1 | イチニンまえ | LHHHHH | 2 | ニニンまえ | LHHHHH |
| 3 | サンニンまえ | LHHHH | 4 | よニンまえ | LHHHHH |
| 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 | 10 | ジュウニンまえ | LHHHHH |
| 14 | ジュウよニンまえ | LHHHHHHH | 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 |
| ? | ナンニンまえ | 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 with 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 things 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 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 ～拍 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 |
| ? | ナンパク | 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 one 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 for one with 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 as in handwritten letters, e-mails, notes, as well as written reports.
| 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 |
| ? | ナンビ | 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 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
Counting fish is no easy task. Dead or alive, most fish are counted with ～匹. However, when fish are lined up from head to tail fin, then they’re counted with ～本. If referring to slices of fish, then you use ～枚. When presented as 刺し身, however, you then use ～切れ. When fish are dried out, they’re counted with ～枚. When fish are gutted with their heads and spines taken out, they’re counted with ～丁.
Cuts of fish cut into rectangular shapes are counted with ～冊（さく） (which uses native number for 1 and 2). Simply from their appearance, certain fish are counted with ～本 by default for being long: amberjack (ブリ・鰤), Pacific saury (サンマ・秋刀魚), bonito (カツオ・鰹), tuna (マグロ・鮪), etc. Flat fish are counted with ～枚: flounder (ヒラメ・平目), right-eye flounder (カレイ・鰈), etc. Similarly, very thin fish are often counted with –jō 条: halfbeak (サヨリ 細魚), icefish (シラウオ ・白魚), etc.
Eel (ウナギ・鰻) are counted with either ～匹 or ～本. However, when broiled into 蒲焼, you use ～枚. When served on a skewer, you’d count them with ～串 (which uses native numbers for 1-4, 7). This works for other fish as well. Although seldom done so today, very large fish may be counted with ～喉. This character means “throat” and in this context, it refers to large fish being carried whilst hanging from rope through their throats. Moreover, there is ～尾, which is used for fish used as bait, high-class fish, or fish when (being sold and or used) for cooking.
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 as in 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 |
| ? | ナンカン | 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 |
| ? | ナンセキ | 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 |
| ? | ナンジョウ | 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 medicine you take two pills at once not work if you only take one of the pills?