Japanese counter word

Template:Short description In Japanese, counter words or counters are measure words used with numbers to count things, actions, and events. Counters are added directly after numbers. There are numerous counters, and different counters are used depending on the kind or shape of nouns that are being described. The Japanese term, , appears to have been literally calqued from the English term auxiliary numeral used by Basil Hall Chamberlain in A Handbook of Colloquial Japanese.

In Japanese, as in Chinese and Korean, numerals cannot quantify nouns by themselves (except, in certain cases, for the numbers from one to ten; see below). For example, to express the idea "two dogs" in Japanese one could say either:

but just pasting and together in either order is ungrammatical. Here Template:Wikt-lang Template:Translit is the number "two", Template:Wikt-lang Template:Translit is the counter for small animals, Template:Wikt-lang Template:Translit is the possessive particle (a reversed "of", similar to the " 's" in "John's dog"), and Template:Wikt-lang Template:Translit is the word "dog".

Counters are not independent words; they must appear with a numeric prefix. The number can be imprecise: Template:Wikt-lang Template:Translit or, less commonly, Template:Wikt-lang Template:Translit, can both be used to mean "some/several/many", and, in questions, "what/how many/how much". For example:

Some nouns prefer Template:Translit, as in:

Template:Translit "how many nights?"

Template:Translit "I was gone for many days."

Counters are similar in function to the word "pieces" in "two pieces of paper" or "cups" in "two cups of coffee". However, they cannot take non-numerical modifiers. So while "two pieces of paper" translates fairly directly as:

"two green pieces of paper" must be rendered as Template:Translit, akin to "two pieces of green paper".

Just as in English, different counters can be used to convey different types of quantity.

There are numerous counters, and depending on the kind or shape of nouns the number is describing, different counters are used.

Grammatically, counter words can appear either before or after the noun they count. They generally occur after the noun (following particles), and if used before the noun, they emphasize the quantity; this is a common mistake for English learners of Japanese. For example:

In contrast:

would only be appropriate when emphasizing the number as in responding with "[I] drank two bottles of beer" to "How many beers did you drink?".

Phrase structure involving numerals and counters

File:Japanese Nominal structure.png

Japanese Nominal Structure as proposed by Akira Watanabe

In generative grammar, one proposed structure of Japanese nominal phrases includes three layers of functional projections: #P, CaseP, and QuantifierP. Here, #P is placed above NP to explain Japanese's lack of plural morphology, and to make clear the # head is the stem of such morphology. This structure relies on movement in order to satisfy agreement via extended projection principle features.Template:Clarifyme

Substitution of counters

In Japanese, virtually all nouns must use a counter to express number because Japanese lacks singular/plural morphology. In this sense, virtually all Japanese nouns are mass nouns. This grammatical feature can result in situations where one is unable to express the number of a particular object in a syntactically correct way because one does not know, or cannot remember, the appropriate counting word. With quantities from one to ten, this problem can often be sidestepped by using the traditional numerals (see below), which can quantify many nouns without help. For example, "four apples" is Template:Translit where Template:Wikt-lang Template:Translit is the counter, but can also be expressed, using the traditional numeral four, as Template:Translit. These traditional numerals cannot be used to count all nouns, however; some, including nouns for people and animals, require a proper counter (except for 1 and 2 people, which virtually always use variants of the traditional numerals; see exceptions).

Some of the more common counters may substitute for less common ones. For example, Template:Translit (see below) is often used for all animals, regardless of size. However, many speakers will prefer to use the traditionally correct counter, Template:Translit, when speaking of larger animals such as horses. This yields a range of possible counters, with differing degrees of usage and acceptability – for example, when ordering kushikatsu (fried skewers), one may order them as Template:Translit (two skewers), Template:Translit (two sticks), or Template:Translit (two items), in decreasing order of precision.

Counters may be intentionally misused for humorous, stupid, or insulting effects. For example, the phrase Template:Translit ("one man [like an animal]"), uses Template:Translit, the counter for animals, instead of the typical counters for people.

Table of traditional numerals

Numeral	Japanese	Pronunciation (romaji)	Writing (hiragana)
1		Template:Translit
2		Template:Translit
3		Template:Translit
4		Template:Translit
5		Template:Translit
6		Template:Translit
7		Template:Translit
8		Template:Translit
9		Template:Translit
10		Template:Translit

Common counters by category

This is a selective list of some of the more commonly used counting words.

Pronunciation	Japanese	Use
People and Things
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Copies of a magazine or newspaper, or other packets of papers
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Cars, bicycles, machines, mechanical devices, household appliances
Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Cups and glasses of drink, spoonsful; cuttlefish, octopuses, crabs, squid, abalone, boats (slang)
Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Small animals, insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, oni (demons/ogres)
Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	frequently used word Long, thin objects: rivers, roads, train tracks, ties, pencils, bottles, guitars; also, metaphorically, telephone calls, train or bus routes, movies (see also: Template:Translit), points or bounds in sports events. Although also means "book", the counter for books is Template:Translit.
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Number of floors, stories
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang, Template:Wikt-lang, Template:Wikt-lang, or Template:Wikt-lang	frequently used word Implies that the item is small and/or round. is also used for military units.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	frequently used word Thin, flat objects: sheets of paper, photographs, plates, articles of clothing (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	People (polite) ( means "name")
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Broad, flat objects: mirrors, boards for board games (chess, igo, shogi), stages of computer games, walls of a room, tennis courts
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	People (but see table of exceptions below)
Template:Translit	or Template:Wikt-lang	People, used in the words and
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Books
Template:Translit		frequently used word General-purpose counter, used as part of the indigenous Japanese numbers ("one thing"), ("two things"), ("three things"), etc.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Stories, episodes of TV series, etc.
Time, Calendar, etc.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Seconds
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Minutes
Template:Translit, also Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Months of the year. Month-long periods when read Template:Translit (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Nights of a stay
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Hours of the day
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Hour-long periods
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Day of the month
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang,	Month-long periods (see also: Template:Translit). is normally abbreviated using a small katakana in modern Japanese. Alternatively , hiragana , small katakana and full-size katakana & can also be seen, although only is similarly frequent.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Years, school years (grades); not years of age
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Days of the month (but see table of exceptions below)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang (or Template:Wikt-lang)	Years of age ( is used informally as a ryakuji)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Weeks
Extent, Frequency, etc.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Multiples, -fold as in "twofold"
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Position, turn, sports matches
Template:Translit, also Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	frequently used word Occurrences, number of times, degrees of temperature or angle (see also: Template:Translit).
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Tatami mats. The kanji is also read Template:Translit and is the same one used for the mats. The room size of a washitsu in Japan is given as a number of mats, for example 4½ Template:Translit
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	frequently used word Occurrences, number of times (see also: Template:Translit)

Extended list of counters

This list also includes some counters and usages that are rarely used or not widely known; other words can also be used as counters more sporadically.

Pronunciation	Japanese	Use
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Scene of a play
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Multiples, -fold as in "twofold"
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Nights (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Position, platform for a train line, turn, sports matches
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Small fish and shrimps (used in the fish trade; most people say Template:Translit instead)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Copies of a magazine or newspaper, or other packets of papers
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Sentences
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Seconds
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Suits of clothing (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Long, narrow things such as guns, sticks of ink, palanquins, rickshaws, violins
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Sheets, pages, leaves, tools, scissors, saws, trousers, pistols, cakes of tofu, town blocks, servings at a restaurant
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Town blocks
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Generations, historical periods, reigns
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Cars, bicycles, machines, mechanical devices, household appliances
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	levels, ranks, steps (of stairs).
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Paragraphs
Template:Translit, also Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Occurrences, number of times, degrees of temperature or angle (see also: Template:Translit).
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Sequences of letters or drawings that you write or draw without removing your pen off the paper. Not to be confused with Template:Translit () below.
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Bowls of Template:Translit (powdered green tea); packets or doses of powdered medicine; puffs (of, e.g., a cigarette); rests or breaks
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Hanging scrolls (Template:Translit)
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Minutes
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Swords
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Classes (in pre-university education)
Template:Translit, also Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Months of the year. Month-long periods when read Template:Translit (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Words
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	small container (e.g. rice cup, sake cup)
Template:Translit, also Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Words
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Suits of armour, sets of furniture
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Lines of text
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Nights of a stay
Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Cups and glasses of drink, spoonfuls, cuttlefish, octopuses, crabs, squid, abalone, boats (slang)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Losses (sports bouts)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Boxes
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Umbrellas, parasols, tents
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	gods, memorial tablets
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Gunshots, bullets, aerial fireworks; orgasms, sex acts
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Small animals, insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, oni (ogres)
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Parts of a meal, courses (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	pieces of land and number of people
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Number of (foot)steps
Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Long, thin objects: rivers, roads, train tracks, ties, pencils, bottles, guitars; also, metaphorically, telephone calls (see also: Template:Translit), train or bus routes, movies, home runs, points or boundsTemplate:Clarify in sports events. Although also means "book", the counter for books is Template:Translit.
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Votes
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Musical beats
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Letters, kanji, kana
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Children. As in "father of two (children)", etc.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Hours of the day
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Hour-long periods
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Tatami mats. The kanji is also read Template:Translit and is the same one used for the mats. The room size of a washitsu in Japan is given as a number of mats, for example 4½ Template:Translit
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Pills/capsules
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Articles of law, thin objects, rays or streams of light, streaks of smoke or lightning
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Day of the month
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Frames
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Lessons
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Stocks; nursery trees
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang,	Month-long periods (see also: Template:Translit). is normally abbreviated using a small katakana in modern Japanese. Alternatively , hiragana , small katakana and full-size katakana & can also be seen, although only is similarly frequent.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Occurrences, number of times (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Number of floors, storeys
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang,	Countries
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang,	(National) languages
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Strokes in kanji
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Pieces of nigiri-zushi
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Warships
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Bus routes
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Abstract matters and cases
Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Houses
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Aircraft, machines
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Graves, wreaths, CPUs, reactors, elevators, dams
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Loaves of bread
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Slices (of bread, cake, sashimi etc.)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang, Template:Wikt-lang, Template:Wikt-lang, or Template:Wikt-lang	General measure word, used when there is no specific counter. is also used for military units.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Houses ( means "door")
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Schools
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Drafts of a manuscript
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Banks
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang, Template:Wikt-lang	Frames, panels. is virtually unused nowadays.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	shots (of drink)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Sections, city districts
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Haiku, senryū
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	(Bank) accounts, donations ( means "opening" or "entrance")
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Groups, a pair of people (twins, a husband and a wife, dancers, etc.)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	School classes
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Desks, chairs, long-stemmed glasses
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Pairs of cup and saucer
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Pieces of music
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Board game matches (chess, igo, shogi, mahjong); radio stations, television stations
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Thin, flat objects, sheets of paper, photographs, plates, articles of clothing (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit or Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Rolls, scrolls, kan for volumes of book
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Theatrical acts
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	People (polite) ( means "name")
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Mirrors, boards for board games (chess, igo, shogi), stages of computer games, walls of a room, tennis courts
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Cannons
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Questions
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Years, school years (grades); not years of age
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Days of the month (but see table of exceptions below)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	People (but see table of exceptions below)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Food portions (without exceptions, unlike Template:Translit above)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Boxes made of folded paper (compare to Template:Translit above, which refers to boxes in general)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang, Template:Wikt-lang	Pages
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Cases, examples
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Bows during worship at a shrine
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	finger rings or necklace loops
Template:Translit	or Template:Wikt-lang	People, used in the words and .
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Wheels, flowers
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Railway cars
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang or Template:Wikt-lang	Years of age
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Chests of drawers, flags
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Books
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Seats, rakugo shows, (drinking) parties
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Ships, half of a pair (e.g., half of a folding screen), item carried in a bundle (fish, birds, arrows etc.)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Parts of a meal, courses (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	used for businesses, i.e.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Sets of things, such as documents or furniture
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Wins (sports bouts)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Tanka
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Weeks
Template:Translit or Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang or Template:Wikt-lang	Kinds, species
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Pairs of footwear, pairs of socks, stockings, tabi
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Pairs
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	bundles (of banknotes), bunches (of flowers, vegetables), sheaves
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Images, statues, person's remains, dolls, androids, humanoid robots
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Bags of rice
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Drops of liquid
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Points, dots, pieces of a set
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Large animals, cattle, elephants, whales, dolphins, butterflies ( means "head")
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Time periods, a sixth of either day or night (in the traditional, obsolete way of telling time). See also: Template:Translit
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Combinations, puzzle solutions
Template:Translit		Used as part of the indigenous Japanese numbers , , etc.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Letters
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Commonly used unit of area equal to 3.3 square metres.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Almonds, grain
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Telephone calls (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Birds, rabbits. means "feather" or "wing."
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Bundles
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Stories, episodes of TV series, etc.
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Nights (see also: Template:Translit)
Template:Translit	Template:Wikt-lang	Pairs of chopsticks; bowls of rice

Euphonic changes

Systematic changes occur when particular numbers precede counters that begin with certain phonemes. For example, Template:Translit + Template:Translit → Template:Translit. The details are listed in the table below.

This can be the result of the morpho-phonological phenomenon of historical sound changes, as shown by the voicing of Template:Translit:

change from glottal to bilabial .

It may also be that some counters carry features which are responsible for Template:What? for singular, dual, and plural nouns, where singular carries [+singular, −augmented] features, dual carries [−singular, −augmented] features, and plural carries [−singular, +augmented] features.

These changes are followed fairly consistently but exceptions and variations between speakers do exist. Where variations are common, more than one alternative is listed.

Template:Translit is replaced by either Template:Translit or Template:Translit () followed by a doubled consonant before the voiceless consonants as shown in the table. Template:Translit is the older form, but it has been replaced by Template:Translit in the speech of recent generations.

Numeral	k- ( etc.)	s/sh- ( etc.)	t/ch- ( etc.)	h- ( )	f- ()	p- ( etc.)	w- ()
1 Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
3 Template:Translit				Template:Translit	Template:Translit		Template:Translit
4 Template:Translit				Template:Translit	Template:Translit		Template:Translit
6 Template:Translit	Template:Translit			Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
8 Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
10 Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
100 Template:Translit	Template:Translit			Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
1000 Template:Translit				Template:Translit	Template:Translit
10000 Template:Translit				Template:Translit	Template:Translit
何 Template:Translit				Template:Translit	Template:Translit

Exceptions

The traditional numbers are used by and for young children to give their ages, instead of using the age counter (or ) Template:Translit.

Some counters, notably Template:Translit and Template:Translit, use the traditional numerals for some numbers as shown in the table below. Other uses of traditional numbers are usually restricted to certain phrases, such as Template:Translit and Template:Translit (one and two months respectively), Template:Translit (a single word) and Template:Translit (once).

Sometimes common numbers that have a derived meaning are written using different kanji. For example, Template:Translit (alone) is written , and Template:Translit (once more, another time) is normally written instead of . The counter for months Template:Translit (derived from kanji ) is commonly written .

Template:Translit and Template:Translit are alternatives for 7, Template:Translit and Template:Translit are alternatives for 4, and Template:Translit and Template:Translit are alternatives for 9. In those three pairs of options, Template:Translit, Template:Translit and Template:Translit respectively are more commonly used. Some counters, however, notably Template:Translit (people), Template:Translit (month of the year), Template:Translit (day of the month, days), Template:Translit (time of day) and Template:Translit (hours) take certain alternatives only. These are shown in the table below.

While Template:Translit (occurrences) and Template:Translit (0.01 yen, now rarely used) follow the euphonic changes listed above, homophones Template:Translit (stories/floors of a building) and Template:Translit (1000) are slightly different as shown below, although these differences are not followed by all speakers. Thus ("third floor") can be read either Template:Translit or Template:Translit, while ("three times") can only be read Template:Translit.

Numeral	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
1	Template:Translit	Template:TranslitTemplate:Efn	Template:Translit				Template:Translit		Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
2	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
3	Template:Translit	Template:Translit					Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit		Template:Translit
4	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:TranslitTemplate:Efn	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
5	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
6	Template:Translit	Template:Translit					Template:Translit	Template:Translit			Template:Translit
7	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit		Template:Translit	Template:Translit
8	Template:Translit	Template:Translit					Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
9	Template:Translit	Template:Translit			Template:Translit	Template:Translit
10	Template:Translit	Template:Translit					Template:Translit			Template:Translit	Template:Translit
14		Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit		Template:Translit	Template:Translit
17		Template:Translit	Template:Translit			Template:Translit
19		Template:Translit				Template:Translit
20		Template:Translit								Template:Translit
24		Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit		Template:Translit	Template:Translit
Template:Translit			Template:Efn				Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit		Template:Translit

Ordinal numbers

In general, the counter words mentioned above are cardinal numbers, in that they indicate quantity. To transform a counter word into an ordinal number that denotes position in a sequence, Template:Translit is added to the end of the counter. Thus "one time" would be translated as Template:Translit, whereas "the first time" would be translated as Template:Translit.

This rule is inconsistent, however, as counters without the Template:Translit suffix are often used interchangeably with cardinal and ordinal meanings. For example, Template:Translit can mean both "three floors" and "third floor."

Periods of time

To express a period of time one may add Template:Translit to the following words: Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit (and its irregular readings aside from Template:Translit), Template:Translit, Template:Translit and Template:Translit. Usage varies depending on the word, though. For example, omitting Template:Translit in the case of Template:Translit would be a mistake, whereas Template:Translit and Template:Translit are both in frequent use. In addition, Template:Translit is rarely heard due to essentially being superfluous, the Template:Translit already functioning to express the length.

Counter for rabbits

The counter for rabbits is Template:Translit (), which is the same as the counter for birds. Usually, Template:Translit  () is used for "small-to-medium-size animals", therefore, the counter for rabbits is an exception. There are many theories about why Template:Translit () is used for rabbits instead of Template:Translit ().

One of the theories is that in Edo-era, eating four-legged animals was strictly forbidden by the government, and people were not allowed to consume rabbit meat. Then, people started to categorize rabbits as birds so that they can consume rabbit meat, and the counter was also changed from Template:Translit () to Template:Translit (). Another theory is that taste of rabbit meat is similar to bird meat, and in addition, the rabbits were captured using a net just like birds so Template:Translit () is used instead of Template:Translit (). Takemitsu says that the origin of the word rabbit, Template:Translit, is Template:Translit which describes birds feather: therefore, the counter, Template:Translit (), is used for rabbits.

See also

• Measure words
• Japanese units of measurement

References

OBJ:object

External links

• About.com - Counters Template:Webarchive
• A list of numeral counters with ichi/hito set indicated.