Kanji for Numbers and Counting: A Guide for Japanese Learners
Kanji for Numbers and Counting: A Guide for Japanese Learners
Learning a new language can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. Japanese is no exception, especially when it comes to numbers and counting. Unlike many other languages, Japanese has two sets of number systems: one is based on Chinese characters, called Kanji, and the other is based on Japanese words, called Hiragana. In this article, we will focus on the former and guide you through the basics of using Kanji for numbers and counting.
Basic Kanji for Numbers
To begin with, let's start with the basic Kanji for numbers from 1 to 10:
一 (いち) - ichi
二 (に) - ni
三 (さん) - san
四 (し/ よん) - shi/yon
五 (ご) - go
六 (ろく) - roku
七 (しち/なな) - shichi/nana
八 (はち) - hachi
九 (きゅう/く) - kyuu/ku
十 (じゅう) - juu
As you can see, there are two readings for some of the Kanji, such as "shi" and "yon" for four and "shichi" and "nana" for seven. This is because certain readings are considered unlucky due to their similarity to other words with negative connotations.
Kanji for Numbers 11-100
Next, let's move on to the kanji for numbers 11-100.
十一 (じゅういち) - eleven
十二 (じゅうに) - twelve
十三 (じゅうさん) - thirteen
十四 (じゅうし) - fourteen
十五 (じゅうご) - fifteen
十六 (じゅうろく) - sixteen
十七 (じゅうしち) - seventeen
十八 (じゅうはち) - eighteen
十九 (じゅうきゅう) - nineteen
二十 (にじゅう) - twenty
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三十 (さんじゅう) - thirty
四十 (しじゅう) - forty
五十 (ごじゅう) - fifty
六十 (ろくじゅう) - sixty
七十 (しちじゅう) - seventy
八十 (はちじゅう) - eighty
九十 (きゅうじゅう) - ninety
百 (ひゃく) - one hundred
Counting with Kanji
Once you have familiarized yourself with the basic Kanji for numbers, you can start using them for counting. In Japanese, counting varies depending on the object being counted. For example, you use a different counter for counting books than you do for counting people.
Here are some examples of common counters in Japanese:
To use Kanji for counting, simply combine the Kanji for the appropriate number with the Kanji for the counter. For example, to say "three books," you would use the Kanji for "three" (三) and the counter for books (冊), resulting in 三冊 (さんさつ).
一つ (ひとつ) - one (small object)
二つ (ふたつ) - two (small objects)
三つ (みっつ) - three (small objects)
一人 (ひとり) - one person
二人 (ふたり) - two people
三人 (さんにん) - three people
一冊 (いっさつ) - one book
二冊 (にさつ) - two books
三冊 (さんさつ) - three books
Note that some of these kanji also have different pronunciations depending on the context in which they are used. For example, the kanji for "one person" is pronounced "hitori" when used as a noun, but is pronounced "ichi-nin" when used as a counter for people.
Conclusion
Kanji for numbers and counting can seem overwhelming at first, but with practice and familiarity, it becomes second nature. By learning the basic Kanji for numbers, familiarizing yourself with common counters, and understanding exceptions to the rule, you'll be well on your way to mastering Japanese counting. Keep practicing and before you know it, you'll be able to count in Japanese with ease!