Japanese Classfiers

   

 Japanese classifiers (also called counters) are a unique feature of the language. They are words that you must use when counting or quantifying nouns. Unlike English, where you can just say “three books” or “five people,” in Japanese you need to insert the right classifier between the number and the noun.

In Japanese:
・You don’t just say "三りんご" for “three apples.”
・Instead, you need a classifier (counter): りんご三個 (ringo san-ko) 　 “three apples.”

Each classifier is chosen based on the type, shape, or nature of the item being counted.


◆Common Japanese Classifiers

1. つ (tsu)

General-purpose counter (used for many objects if you don’t know the proper one).

Used with native Japanese numbers (ひとつ, ふたつ, みっつ, etc. up to ten).


Example:

・りんごを　三つ　食べました。(Ringo wo mittsu tabemashita.) (I ate three apples.)

・五つの　シュークリームが　テーブルの上に　あります。(Itsutsu no shūkurīmu ga tēburu no ue ni  arimasu.) (There are five cream puffs on the table.)


一つ(1)　ひとつ　　hitotsu
二つ(2)　ふたつ　　hutatsu
三つ(3)　みっつ　　mittsu
四つ(4)　よっつ　　yottsu　
五つ(5)　いつつ　　itsutsu
六つ(6)　むっつ　　muttsu
七つ(7)　ななつ　　nanatsu
八つ(8)　やっつ　　yattsu
九つ(9)　ここのつ　kokonotsu
十(10)　　とお　 　tō 


2. 個 (こ, ko)

Counter for small, discrete, usually roundish objects.

Example:

・りんごを　三個　食べました。(Ringo wo sanko tabemashita.) (I ate three apples.)

・五個の　シュークリームが　テーブルの上に　あります。(Goko no sūkurīmu ga tēburu no ue ni  arimasu.) (There are five cream puffs on the table.)


一個(1)　いっこ　　ikko
二個(2)　にこ　　　niko
三個(3)　さんこ　　sanko
四個(4)　よんこ　　yonko
五個(5)　ごこ　　　goko
六個(6)　ろっこ　　rokko
七個(7)　ななこ　　nanako
八個(8)　はちこ　　hachiko（はっこ　hakko）
九個(9)　きゅうこ　kyūko 
十個(10)　じゅっこ　jyukko

十一個(11)　じゅういっこ　jyuuikko
十二個(12)　じゅうにこ　　jyuuniko
・
・
・


◆Japanese Classifiers for Specific Objects

3. 人 (にん, nin)

・Counter for people.

・Irregular forms for 1 and 2:

1 person → ひとり(hitori), 2 people → ふたり(hutari),
3 or more → さんにん(sannin), よにん(yonin), ごにん(gonin) etc.

Example:

教室に　五人　います。(Kyōshitsu ni gonin imasu.)(There are five people in the classroom.)


4. 本 (ほん, hon)

・Counter for long, cylindrical objects (pens, bottles, trees).

・Pronunciation changes with numbers (due to phonetics):

いっぽん(ippon) (1), にほん(nihon) (2), さんぼん(sanbon) (3), よんほん(yonhon) (4), ごほん(gohon)(5), ろっぽん(roppon)(6), ななほん(nanahon)(7), はちほん(hachihon)/はっぽん(happon)(8),きゅうほん(kyuuhon)(9), じゅっぽん(jyuppon)(10)

Example:

ペンを　三本　持っています。(pen wo sanbon motteimasu.) (I have three pens.)


5. 枚 (まい, mai)

・Counter for flat, thin objects (paper, plates, tickets).


Example:

紙を　二枚　ください。(Kami wo nimai kudasai.)(Please give me two sheets of paper.)


6. 匹 (ひき, hiki)

Counter for small animals.

Pronunciation changes:

いっぴき (1), にひき (2), さんびき (3), よんひき (4)…

Example:

猫を二匹飼っています。(noko wo nihiki katteimasu.) (I have two cats.)



【Numbers in Japanese need a classifier (counter), and the choice depends on the object’s shape, type, or category.】


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