第105課: Counters VI: 羽, 部, 戸, 発, 軒, 人前, 丁, 本, 点, 泊, 通, 尾, 駅, 億, & 兆
In this lesson on counters, we will learn about fifteen more counters used very frequently. With a total of fifteen more counters in your repertoire, you’ll be closer to properly counting most of what you’d need to count in daily conversation.
Counters Covered in this Lesson
1. –wa 羽
2. –bu 部
3. –ko 戸
4. –hatsu 発
5. –ken 軒
6. –nimmae 人前
7. –chō 丁
8. –hon 本
9. –ten 点
10. –haku 泊
11. –tsū 通
12. –bi 尾
13. –eki 駅
14. –oku 億
15. –chō 兆 Counter expressions, when there are multiple readings, are listed from most to least common. Options are put in bold to mark the most commonly used form whenever there is ambiguity concerning this.
More Sino-Japanese Counters
–wa 羽
The counter –wa 羽 counts birds and rabbits. This includes large birds and small birds that don’t fly such as ostriches and penguins. However, large birds are sometimes counted with –tō 頭.
Rabbits can alternatively be counted with –hiki 匹 but can be counted with –wa 羽 due to being treated as rabbits in traditional Buddhist beliefs so that their meat along with poultry wouldn’t be outlawed.
| 1 | いちわ | 2 | にわ | 3 | さんわ さんば | 4 | よんわ よんば |
| 5 | ごわ | 6 | ろっぱ ろくわ | 7 | ななわ しちわ | 8 | はちわ はっぱ |
| 9 | きゅうわ | 10 | じゅっぱ じゅうわ じっぱ | 100 | ひゃっぱ ひゃくわ | 1000 | せんば せんわ |
| 10000 | いちまんば いちまんわ | ? | なんわ なんば |
Reading Note: There are some expressions with set readings that utilize one reading over other options (Ex. 千羽鶴: String of 1000 paper cranes).
1. 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。
Niwatori awasete rokujūhachiwa ga shinde iru no ga mitsukarimashita.
A total of 68 chickens were found dead.
Spelling Note: Niwatori is occasionally spelled as 鶏.
2. 電線に鳥が10羽止まっていました。
Densen ni tori ga juppa tomatte imashita.
Ten birds were stopped on the electric lines.
3. カモメが6羽並んで止まっていました。
Kamome ga roppa narande tomatte imashita.
There were six seagulls stopped and lined up together.
Spelling Note: Kamome is occasionally spelled as 鴎･鷗.
4. 建物横の堀には、アヒルが3羽いました。
Tatemono yoko no hori ni wa, ahiru ga sanwa imashita.
There were three ducks in the ditch on the side of the building.
Spelling Note: Ahiru is only seldom spelled as 家鴨.
–bu 部
The counter –bu 部 counts copies of printed materials such as magazines and newspapers. It may also count packets of paper.
| 1 | いちぶ | 2 | にぶ | 3 | さんぶ | 4 | よんぶ |
| 5 | ごぶ | 6 | ろくぶ | 7 | ななぶ | 8 | はちぶ |
| 9 | きゅうぶ | 10 | じゅうぶ | 100 | ひゃくぶ | ? | なんぶ |
Phrase Note: Ichibu 一部 is commonly used to also mean “one part/portion.”
5. 一日で1000部売りました。
Ichinichi de sembu urimashita.
I sold 1000 copies in a day.
6. 履歴の一部だけ削除した。
Rireki no ichibu dake sakujo shita.
I deleted only a part of my history.
7. パンフレットを10部送りました。
Panfuretto wo jūbu okurimashita.
I sent ten copies of the pamphlet.
–ko 戸
The counter –ko 戸 counts houses.
| 1 | いっこ | 2 | にこ | 3 | さんこ | 4 | よんこ |
| 5 | ごこ | 6 | ろっこ | 7 | ななこ | 8 | はっこ はちこ |
| 9 | きゅうこ | 10 | じゅっこ じっこ | 100 | ひゃっこ | ? | なんこ |
8. 10戸はまだ空いています。
Jukko wa mada aite imasu.
Ten homes are still empty.
9. およそ60戸が停電していました。
Oyoso rokujukko ga teiden shite imashita.
Approximately sixty homes had experienced a power outage.
–hatsu 発
The counter –hatsu 発 counts bullets, explosions, attacks, sneezes, and anything that can colloquially be described as explosive.
| 1 | いっぱつ | 2 | にはつ | 3 | さんぱつ | 4 | よんぱつ |
| 5 | ごはつ | 6 | ろっぱつ | 7 | ななはつ | 8 | はっぱつ |
| 9 | きゅうはつ | 10 | じゅっぱつ じっぱつ | 100 | ひゃっぱつ | ? | なんぱつ |
10. アメリカ軍が原爆を2発投下した。
Amerika-gun ga gembaku wo nihatsu tōka shita.
The U.S army dropped two nuclear bombs.
11. 彼は弾を10発撃った。
Kare wa tama wo juppatsu utta.
I shot ten bullets.
12. あのアライグマを2、3発蹴った。
Ano araiguma wo ni, sampatsu ketta.
I kicked that raccoon two, three times.
13. くしゃみを5発した後で、鼻血を出した。
Kushami wo gohatsu shita ato de, hanaji wo dashita.
I had a nosebleed after sneezing three times.
–ken 軒
The counter –ken 軒 counts individual houses that are not connected to each other. This is different from –ko 戸, which generically counts homes.
| 1 | いっけん | 2 | にけん | 3 | さんけん さんげん | 4 | よんけん |
| 5 | ごけん | 6 | ろっけん | 7 | ななけん | 8 | はっけん |
| 9 | きゅうけん | 10 | じゅっけん じっけん | 100 | ひゃっけん | ? | なんけん なんげん |
14. 3軒に１軒が空き家になっている。
Sanken ni ikken ga akiya ni natte iru.
One in three houses are vacant.
15. 昨日の地震で、10軒中４軒壊れました。
Kinō no jishin de, jukken-chū yonken kowaremashita.
Four out of ten houses were destroyed in yesterday’s earthquake.
16. 四川大地震で７万軒以上が倒壊して２人が死亡しました。
Shisen Ōjishin de nanamanken ijō ga tōkai shite futari ga shibō shimashita.
Over 70,000 houses collapsed and two people died in the Great Sichuan Earthquake.
–nimmae 人前
The counter –nimmae 人前 counts food portions. Despite beginning with 人, its readings are all regular.
| 1 | いちにんまえ | 2 | ににんまえ | 3 | さんにんまえ | 4 | よにんまえ |
| 5 | ごにんまえ | 6 | ろくにんまえ | 7 | しちにんまえ ななにんまえ | 8 | はちにんまえ |
| 9 | きゅうにんまえ くにんまえ | 10 | じゅうにんまえ | 100 | ひゃくにんまえ | ? | なんにんまえ |
17. 3人前の量を作りました。
San’nimmae no ryō wo tsukurimashita.
I made three portions worth.
18. 餃子を10人前買ってきました。
Gyōza wo jūnimmae katte kimashita.
I’ve come back with ten portions of gyoza.
19. （お）そばを2人前注文しました。
(O-)soba wo ninimmae chūmon shimashita.
I ordered two portions of soba.
Spelling Note: Soba is only seldom spelled as 蕎麦.
–chō 丁
The counter –chō 丁 counts the following items: Tofu, guns, konnyaku, servings at a restaurant (especially ramen), scissors, candles on a candlestick, saws, town blocks, violins, guitars, ink sticks, palanquins, photo attempts, rickshaws, etc.
| 1 | いっちょう | 2 | にちょう | 3 | さんちょう | 4 | よんちょう |
| 5 | ごちょう | 6 | ろくちょう | 7 | ななちょう | 8 | はっちょう |
| 9 | きゅうちょう | 10 | じゅっちょう じっちょう | 100 | ひゃくちょう | ? | なんちょう |
20. 警察は拳銃6丁と実弾250発を押収しました。
Keisatsu wa kenjū rokuchō to jitsudan nihyakugojuppatsu wo ōshū shimashita.
The police confiscated six handungs and 250 live bullets.
21. 私は今日、豆腐を3丁も食べました！
Watashi wa kyō, tofu wo sanchō mo tabemashita!
I ate three things of tofu today!
22. こんにゃく１丁をタオルにくるみました。
Kon’nyaku itchō wo taoru ni kurumimashita.
I tucked one block of konnyaku into a towel.
Spelling Note: Kon’nyaku is only seldom spelled as 蒟蒻.
23. ハサミは１丁も持っていません。
Hasami wa itchō mo motte imasen.
I don’t own a single pair of scissors.
24. ノコギリを2丁買ってきました。
Nokogiri wo nichō katte kimashita.
I bought two saws.
Spelling Note: Nokogiri is occasionally spelled as 鋸.
–hon 本
The counter –hon 本 counts long, thin items: pencils, string, laces, cans, roads, movies, train lines, phone calls, home runs, rivers, moves in martial arts, etc.
| 1 | いっぽん | 2 | にほん | 3 | さんぼん | 4 | よんほん |
| 5 | ごほん | 6 | ろっぽん | 7 | ななほん | 8 | はっぽん |
| 9 | きゅうほん | 10 | じゅっぽん じっぽん | 100 | ひゃっぽん | ? | なんぼん |
25. 鉛筆を3本取ってください。
Empitsu wo sambon totte kudasai.
Please three pencils.
26. 道一本隔てた寺に参拝した。
Michi ippon hedateta tera ni sampai shita.
I visited a temple a road away.
27. アニメを10本見ました。
Anime wo juppon mimashita.
I watched ten anime.
28. 彼は指を5本折った。
Kare wa yubi wo gohon otta.
He broke five fingers.
-ten 点
The counter –ten 点 counts points, commodities, or merchandise.
| 1 | いってん | 2 | にてん | 3 | さんてん | 4 | よんてん |
| 5 | ごてん | 6 | ろくてん | 7 | ななてん | 8 | はってん はちてん |
| 9 | きゅうてん | 10 | じゅってん じってん | 100 | ひゃくてん | ? | なんてん |
29. 彼は十点満点（を）取りました。
Kare wa juttenmanten (wo) torimashita.
He got a perfect ten.
30. 10万円の商品を月（に）100点売っています。
Jūman’en no shōhin wo tsuki (ni) hyakuten utte imasu.
I sell 100 pieces of merchandise worth 100,000 yen a month.
31. 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。
Nōto gosatsu to man’nenhitsu nihon to keshigomu sanko, awasete jutten no o-kaiage desu ne?
You’re buying five notebooks, two fountain pens, and three erasers for a total of ten items, yes?
–haku 泊
The counter –haku 拍 counts nights of a stay.
| 1 | いっぱく | 2 | にはく | 3 | さんぱく | 4 | よんぱく |
| 5 | ごはく | 6 | ろっぱく | 7 | ななはく | 8 | はっぱく |
| 9 | きゅうはく | 10 | じゅっぱく じっぱく | 100 | ひゃっぱく | ? | なんぱく |
32. 税別で1泊15万ウォンでした。
Zeibetsu de ippaku jūgomanwon deshita.
It was 150,000 won for one stay excluding tax.
33. 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。
Ryōkin wa kanrihi nado subete komi de ippaku ichimei-sama ni tsuki ichiman’en desu.
The charge is 10,000 yen per person for one with with all-fees-in-price including management costs.
34. ツインルーム1部屋で3泊です。
Tsuin rūmu hitoheya de sampaku desu.
Three nights in 1 twin-sized room.
35. フランスのマルセイユに5泊しました。
Furansu no maruseiyu ni gohaku shimashita.
I stayed five nights in Merceille, France.
–tsū 通
The counter –tsū 通 counts letters as in tegami 手紙, e-mails, notes, and written reports.
| 1 | いっつう | 2 | につう | 3 | さんつう | 4 | よんつう |
| 5 | ごつう | 6 | ろくつう | 7 | ななつう | 8 | はちつう はっつう |
| 9 | きゅうつう | 10 | じゅっつう じっつう | 100 | ひゃくつう | ? | なんつう |
36. 同じ内容の文書を3通送りました。
Onaji naiyō no bunsho wo santsū okurimashita.
I sent three documents with the same content.
37. LINEを1通送りました。
Rain wo ittsū okurimashita.
I sent one LINE (message).
38. 返事の手紙を2通送りました。
Henji no tegami wo nitsū okurimashita.
I sent two letters in reply.
39. 受信メールを何通か消した。
Jushin mēru wo nantsū-ka keshita.
I deleted several received e-mails/texts.
–bi 尾
The counter –bi 尾 counts 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.’
| 1 | いちび | 2 | にび | 3 | さんび | 4 | よんび |
| 5 | ごび | 6 | ろくび | 7 | ななび | 8 | はちび |
| 9 | きゅうび | 10 | じゅうび | 100 | ひゃくび | ? | なんび |
40. 魚の名前を5尾書いてください。
Sakana no namae wo gobi kaite kudasai.
Please write the names of five fish.
41. 今回は特大（サイズ）の冷凍むき海老6尾使いました。
Konkai wa tokudai (saizu) no reitō mukiebi rokubi tsukaimashita.
This time, I used six extra-large shelled shrimp.
42. 外国産のウナギも20尾売れました。
Gaikokusan no unagi mo nijūbi uremashita.
Twenty foreign-produced eels also sold.
Spelling Note: Unagi is often spelled as 鰻.
43. メバルの稚魚を（１）千尾ほど川に放流した。
Mebaru no chigyo wo (is)sembi hodo kawa ni hōryū shita.
(They/we) stocked into the river around a thousand rockfish juveniles.
Spelling Note: Mebaru is only seldom spelled as 眼張.
Counting Fish
Counting fish is no easy task. Dead or alive, most fish are counted with –hiki 匹. However, when fish are lined up from head to tail fin, then they’re counted with –hon 本. If referring to slices of fish, then you use –mai 枚. When presented as sashimi 刺し身, however, you then use –kire 切れ. When fish are dried out, they’re counted with –mai 枚. When fish are gutted with their heads and spines taken out, they’re counted with –chō 丁.
Cuts of fish cut into rectangular shapes are counted with –saku 冊 (which uses native number for 1 and 2). Simply from their appearance, certain fish are counted with –hon 本 by default for being long: amberjack (buri ブリ・鰤), Pacific saury (samma サンマ・秋刀魚), bonito (katsuo カツオ・鰹), tuna (maguro マグロ・鮪), etc. Flat fish are counted with –mai 枚: flounder (hirame ヒラメ・平目), right-eye flounder (karei カレイ・鰈), etc. Similarly, very thin fish are often counted with –jō 条: halfbeak (sayori サヨリ 細魚), icefish (shirauo シラウオ ・白魚), etc.
Eel (unagi ウナギ・鰻) are counted with either –hiki 匹 or –hon 本. However, when broiled into kabayaki 蒲焼, you use –mai 枚. When served on a skewer, you’d count them with –kushi 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 –kon 喉. This character means “throat” and in this context, it refers to large fish being carried whilst hanging from rope through their throats. Then, moreover you have –bi 尾, which is used for fish being 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.
–eki 駅
Eki 駅 means “stations” and also happens to be the counter for stations.
| 1 | ひとえき | 2 | ふたえき | 3 | さんえき | 4 | よんえき |
| 5 | ごえき | 6 | ろくえき | 7 | ななえき | 8 | はちえき |
| 9 | きゅうえき | 10 | じゅうえき | 11 | じゅういちえき | ? | なんえき |
44. 私は名古屋駅から2駅離れたところに住んでいます。
Watashi wa Nagoya-eki kara futaeki hanareta tokoro ni sunde imasu.
I live somewhere two stations away from Nagoya Station.
45. JRは今年、3駅を廃止した。
Jeiāru wa kotoshi, san’eki wo haishi shita.
JR went away with three stations this year.
46. 埼玉県の人気の100駅に限定しています。
Saitama-ken no ninki no hyakueki ni gentei shite imasu.
It’s limited to the 100 stations popular in Saitama Prefecture.
-oku 億
The numbers 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 are technically counters themselves. After 10,000, each number for ever fourth power is also treated as a counter. The next such unit after 10,000 is for 100 million, which is –oku 億.
| 100 million | いちおく | 1 billion | じゅうおく |
| 10 billion | ひゃくおく | 100 billion | （いっ）せんおく |
| ? | なんおく |
47. 日本は人口規模を1億人に維持することを目指している。
Nihon wa jinkō kibo wo ichiokunin ni iji suru koto wo mezashite iru.
Japan is aiming to maintain its population scale at 100 million people.
48. 中国語は、10億人に通じる言語のひとつです。
Chūgokugo wa, jūokunin ni tsūjiru gengo no hitotsu desu.
Chinese is one language that is understood by a billion people.
-chō 兆
The next power to be treated as a counter is –chō 兆, which stands for trillion.
| 1 | いっちょう | 2 | にちょう | 3 | さんちょう | 4 | よんちょう |
| 5 | ごちょう | 6 | ろくちょう ろっちょう | 7 | ななちょう | 8 | はっちょう |
| 9 | きゅうちょう | 10 | じゅっちょう じっちょう | 100 | ひゃくちょう | Quad. | （いっ）せんちょう |
| ? | なんちょう |
49. 美容整形の世界市場は1兆円に達しています。
Biyōseikei no sekai shijō wa itchōen ni tasshite imasu.
The world cosmetic plastic surgery market has reached one trillion yen.
50. 人の腸内には、100兆匹以上の菌が棲んでいます。
Hito no chōnai ni wa, hyakuchōhiki ijō no kin ga sunde imasu.
There are over 100 trillion bacteria living inside the human intestines.
Counter Note: Incidentally, despite not being animals, bacteria are also frequently counted with –hiki 匹.