Japanese numerals

Template:Short descriptionTemplate:Sidebar with collapsible groupsThe are numerals that are used in Japanese. In writing, they are the same as the Chinese numerals, and large numbers follow the Chinese style of grouping by 10,000. Two pronunciations are used: the Sino-Japanese (Template:Tlit) readings of the Chinese characters and the Japanese Template:Tlit (native words, Template:Tlit readings).

Basic numbering in Japanese

There are two ways of writing the numbers in Japanese: in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) or in Chinese numerals (, , ). The Arabic numerals are more often used in horizontal writing, and the Chinese numerals are more common in vertical writing.

Most numbers have two readings, one derived from Chinese used for cardinal numbers ([[on'yomi|Template:Tlit reading]]) and a native Japanese reading ([[kun'yomi|Template:Tlit reading]]) used somewhat less formally for numbers up to 10. In some cases (listed below) the Japanese reading is generally preferred for all uses. Archaic readings are marked with †.

Number	Character	Template:Tlit reading	Template:Tlit reading	Preferred reading
0	Template:Wikt-lang / Template:Wikt-lang*			(loanword, Template:Tlit)
1	Template:Wikt-lang
2	Template:Wikt-lang
3	Template:Wikt-lang
4	Template:Wikt-lang		Template:Tlit,
5	Template:Wikt-lang
6	Template:Wikt-lang
7	Template:Wikt-lang
8	Template:Wikt-lang
9	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Tlit,
10	Template:Wikt-lang
20	Template:Wikt-lang		†
30	Template:Wikt-lang		†
40	Template:Wikt-lang		†
50	Template:Wikt-lang		†
60	Template:Wikt-lang		†
70	Template:Wikt-lang		†
80	Template:Wikt-lang		†
90	Template:Wikt-lang		†
100	Template:Wikt-lang		†
500	Template:Wikt-lang		†
800	Template:Wikt-lang		†
1,000	Template:Wikt-lang		†
10,000	Template:Wikt-lang		†
100,000,000	Template:Wikt-lang		—
1,000,000,000,000	Template:Wikt-lang		—
10,000,000,000,000,000	Template:Wikt-lang		—

* The special reading Template:Nihongo krt is also found. It may be optionally used when reading individual digits of a number one after another, instead of as a full number. A popular example is the famous 109 store in Shibuya, Tokyo which is read as Template:Tlit (Kanji: ). (It can also be read as 'ten-nine'—pronounced Template:Tlit—which is a pun on the name of the Tokyo department store which owns the building.) This usage of Template:Tlit for numerical 0 is similar to reading numeral 0 in English as oh. However, as a number, it is only written as 0 or . Additionally, two and five are pronounced with a long vowel in phone numbers (i.e. Template:Tlit and Template:Tlit).

As noted above, Template:Tlit (4) and Template:Tlit (7) are preferred to Template:Tlit and Template:Tlit. It is purported that this is because Template:Tlit is also the reading of the word , which makes it an unlucky reading (see tetraphobia); while Template:Tlit may sound too similar to Template:Tlit (1), Template:Tlit or Template:Tlit (8). However, in quite a number of established words and phrases, Template:Tlit and Template:Tlit are preferred; additionally, when counting (as in "Template:Tlit"), Template:Tlit and Template:Tlit may be preferred.

The number 9 is also considered unlucky; when pronounced Template:Tlit, it is a homophone for . The number 13 is sometimes considered unlucky, though this is a carryover from Western tradition. In contrast, 7 and sometimes 8 are considered lucky in Japanese.

In modern Japanese, cardinal numbers except 4 and 7 are generally given the Template:Tlit readings. Alternate readings are used in month names, day-of-month names, and fixed phrases; for instance, April, July, and September are called Template:Tlit (4th month), Template:Tlit (7th month), and Template:Tlit (9th month) respectively (for further detail see Japanese counter word#Exceptions). The Template:Tlit readings are also used when shouting out headcounts (e.g. Template:Tlit).

Larger numbers are made by combining these elements:

• Tens from 20 to 90 are "(digit)Template:Tlit" as in Template:Nihongo krt to Template:Nihongo krt.
• Hundreds from 200 to 900 are "(digit)Template:Tlit".
• Thousands from 2000 to 9000 are "(digit)Template:Tlit".

Starting at a , numbers begin with Template:Nihongo krt if no digit would otherwise precede. That is, 100 is just Template:Nihongo krt, and 1000 is just Template:Nihongo krt, but 10000 is Template:Nihongo krt, not just *Template:Tlit. (This differs from Chinese, where numbers begin with if no digit would otherwise precede starting at 100.) And, if Template:Nihongo krt directly precedes the name of powers of myriad, Template:Nihongo krt is normally attached before Template:Nihongo krt, which yields Template:Nihongo krt. That is, 10,000,000 (parsed as 1000,0000) is normally read as Template:Nihongo krt. But if Template:Nihongo krt does not directly precede the name of powers of myriad, attaching Template:Nihongo krt is optional. That is, 15,000,000 (1500,0000) is read as Template:Nihongo krt or Template:Nihongo krt, just as 1500 is read as Template:Nihongo krt or Template:Nihongo krt.

There are some phonetic modifications to larger numbers involving voicing or gemination of certain consonants, as typically occurs in Japanese (i.e. Template:Tlit): e.g. Template:Tlit "six" and Template:Tlit "hundred" yield Template:Tlit "six hundred".

×	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	100	1000
100	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	—	—	—
1,000	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	—	—	—
1012	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit*	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit
1016	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit*	Template:Tlit**	Template:Tlit

* This also applies to multiples of 10. Change ending Template:Tlit to Template:Tlit or Template:Tlit.
** This also applies to multiples of 100. Change ending Template:Tlit to Template:Tlit.

In numbers above 10, elements are combined from largest to smallest, and zeros are implied. Japanese numerals are multiplicative additive rather than positional; to write the number 20 you get the character for and then the character for to get two tens or .

Number	Character	Reading	Basic Meaning
11		Template:Tlit	Ten and One
17		Template:Tlit	Ten and Seven
151		Template:Tlit	Hundred, Five Tens and One
302		Template:Tlit	Three Hundreds and Two
469		Template:Tlit	Four Hundreds, Six Tens and Nine
2025		Template:Tlit	Two Thousands, Two Tens and Five

Other types of numerals

For ordinal numbers, see Japanese counter word#Ordinal numbers.

Distributive numbers are formed regularly from a cardinal number, a counter word, and the suffix , as in Template:Nihongo3.

Powers of 10

Large numbers

Following Chinese tradition, large numbers are created by grouping digits into myriads (every 10,000) rather than the Western thousands (1,000):

Rank	104	108	1012	1016	1020	1024	1028	1032	1036	1040	1044	1048	1052 (or 1056)	1056 (or 1064)	1060 (or 1072)	1064 (or 1080)	1068 (or 1088)
Character	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang, Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang, Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
Reading	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit, Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit

Variation is due to the , Japan's oldest mathematics text. The initial edition was published in 1627 and had many errors, most of which were fixed in the 1631 edition. In 1634, there was yet another edition which again changed a few values. The above variation is due to inconsistencies in the latter two editions. There are different characters for 10²⁴ (of which is in Chinese today), and after 10⁴⁸ they differ in whether they continue increasing by a factor of 10⁴ or switch to 10⁸. (If by a factor of 10⁸, the intervening factors of 10⁴ are produced with Template:Nihongo krt. The current edition of the Template:Tlit, the 11th, follows a factor of 10⁴ throughout, though some people still use the values from the 8th edition even today.)

The first three numbers with multisyllabic names and variation in assigned values ultimately derive from India, though they did not have defined values there. Template:Nihongo krt was originally used in Buddhist scripture for an indefinitely large quantity; it derives from the Sanskrit Template:Tlit 'Ganges' (which conveniently includes the character Template:Nihongo krt) and Template:Nihongo krt, referring to the innumerable sands of the Ganges River. Template:Nihongo krt, from Sanskrit Template:Tlit 'uncountable/innumerable', with the negative prefix Template:Nihongo krt, and Template:Nihongo krt is from Sanskrit Template:Tlit. After that, the numbers are Buddhist terms translated into or coined in Chinese and later assigned numerical values: Template:Nihongo krt and Template:Nihongo krt.

Examples: (spacing by groups of four digits is given only for clarity of explanation)

• 1 0000 : Template:Nihongo krt
• 983 6703 : Template:Nihongo krt
• 20 3652 1801 : Template:Nihongo krt

However, numbers written in Arabic numerals are separated by commas every three digits following English-speaking convention. If Arabic numbers and kanji are used in combination, Western orders of magnitude may be used for numbers smaller than 10,000 (e.g. for 25,000,000).

In Japanese, when long numbers are written out in kanji, zeros are omitted for all powers of ten. Hence 4002 is (in contrast, Chinese requires the use of wherever a zero appears, e.g. for 4002). However, when reading out a statement of accounts, for example, the skipped digit or digits are sometimes indicated by or ): e.g. Template:Tlit or Template:Tlit instead of the normal Template:Tlit.

Decimal fractions

Japanese has two systems of numerals for decimal fractions. They are no longer in general use, but are still used in some instances such as batting and fielding averages of baseball players, winning percentages for sports teams, and in some idiomatic phrases such as Template:Nihongo krt, and when representing a rate or discount. The Template:Tlit fractions are also used when talking about fevers—for example Template:Nihongo krt for 9 and two parts—referring to the temperature 39.2°C.

One system is as follows:

Rank	10−1	10−2	10−3	10−4	10−5	10−6	10−7	10−8	10−9	10−10
Character	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
Reading	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit

This is the system used with the traditional Japanese units of measurement. Several of the names are used "as is" to represent a fraction of a [[cun (unit)|Template:Tlit]].

The other system of representing these decimal fractions of rate or discount uses a system "shifted down" with a Template:Tlit becoming a "one hundredth" and so on, and the unit for "tenth" becoming Template:Tlit:

Rank	10−1	10−2	10−3	10−4	10−5
Character	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang	Template:Wikt-lang
Reading	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit	Template:Tlit

This is often used with prices. For example:

• Template:Nihongo krt: 15% discount
• Template:Nihongo krt: batting average .389

With the exception of Template:Tlit, these are rarely seen in modern usage. Decimal fractions are typically written with either kanji numerals (vertically) or Arabic numerals (horizontally), preceded by a decimal point, and are read as successive digits, as in Western convention. Note that, in written form, they can be combined with either the traditional system of expressing numerals (42.195 kilometers: ), in which powers of ten are written, or with the place value system, which uses zero (50.04 percent: ) In both cases, however, the reading follows the traditional system (Template:Tlit for 42.195 kilometers; Template:Tlit for 50.04 percent.)

Formal numbers

File:Shoe Boxes (743286602).jpg

Template:Tlit

As with Chinese numerals, there exists in Japanese a separate set of kanji for numerals called used in legal and financial documents to prevent unscrupulous individuals from adding a stroke or two, turning a one into a two or a three. The formal numbers are identical to the Chinese formal numbers except for minor stroke variations. Today, the numbers for one, two, three, and ten are written only in their formal form in legal documents (the numbers 4 to 9 as well as 100, 1000 and 10000 are written identically to the common ones, cf. table below). These numbers' common forms can be changed to a higher value by adding strokes (1 and 2 were explained above, while 3 can be changed to 5, and 10 to 1000). In some cases, the digit 1 is explicitly written like for 110, as opposed to in common writing.

Formal numbers:

Number	Common	Formal
		In use	Obsolete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7			,
8
9
10
100
1000			,
10000		,

The four current banknotes of the Japanese yen, 1000-yen, 2000-yen, 5000-yen, and 10000-yen, have formal numbers , , , and , respectively.

Old Japanese

Old Japanese shares some vocabulary with later periods, but there are also unique number terms over 10 which are not used any more, aside from being parts of specific lexemes.

Notes:

• The transcription is based on the phoneme and is not phonetic. See Old Japanese for further information.
• See Template:Tlit for information on subscript notation.

Number	Reading	Examples	Notes
1	[[wiktionary:一#Noun 2|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (1 day), Template:Tlit (1 year)
2	[[wiktionary:二#Noun 2|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (2 nights)
3	[[wiktionary:三#Noun 2|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (30)
4	[[wiktionary:四#Noun 2|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (40), Template:Tlit (4 people)
5	[[wiktionary:五#Noun 2|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (5 years)
6	[[wiktionary:六#Noun 2|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (6 claws)
7	[[wiktionary:七#Noun|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (many rapids)	Often used to mean many.
8	[[wiktionary:八#Noun 2|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (many clouds)	Often used to mean many.
9	[[wiktionary:九#Noun 2|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (9 nobles / gods)
10	[[wiktionary:十#Noun 2|Template:Tlit]] / [[wiktionary:十#Noun 3|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (10 days)
10	[[wiktionary:十#Noun|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (30), Template:Tlit (40), Template:Tlit (60), Template:Tlit (80)	Found only in compound words; not used alone.
20	[[wiktionary:二十#Noun|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (20), Template:Tlit (20 people), Template:Tlit (20 years)
50	[[wiktionary:五十|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (50 days)
100	[[wiktionary:百#Noun 2|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (500), Template:Tlit (500 years), Template:Tlit (500 nights), Template:Tlit (800), Template:Tlit (300), Template:Tlit (600), Template:Tlit (900)	Used for multiple hundreds in compound numerals. Often used to mean many.
100	[[wiktionary:百#Noun 3|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (many days)	Used for non-multiple hundred and for the number "100" by itself. Often used to mean many.
1000	[[wiktionary:千#Noun|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (1000 years, many years)	Often used to mean many.
10000	[[wiktionary:万#Noun|Template:Tlit]]	Template:Tlit (8000000, myriad)	Often used to mean many.

Hand counting

Japanese uses separate systems for counting for oneself and for displaying numbers to others, which both proceed up to ten. For counting, one begins with the palm open, then counts up to five by curling up (folding down) the fingers, starting from the thumb – thus one has just the thumb down (and others extended), while four has only the little finger extended, and five has a fist. One then counts up to ten by proceeding in the reverse order, extending the fingers, starting at the little finger – thus six is the same as four, seven the same as three, and so forth, with ten ending with the palm open. While this introduces ambiguity, it is not used to present to others, so this is generally not a problem. When displaying for others, one starts with the hand closed, and extends fingers, starting with the index, going to the little finger, then ending with the thumb, as in the United States. For numbers above five, one uses an open hand (indicating five) and places the appropriate number of fingers from the other hand against the palm (palms facing each other) – so six has the index finger against the palm, and so forth. To display ten, one presents both hands open and palm outwards.

Digits in written words

Since the adoption of Arabic numerals, numbers have become written in Arabic numerals more and more often. Counters and ordinal numbers are typically written in Arabic numbers, such as Template:Nihongo krt, Template:Nihongo krt, Template:Nihongo krt, etc., although , and are also acceptable to write (albeit less common). However, numbers that are part of lexemes are typically written in kanji. For example, the term Template:Nihongo3 translates into "800 store" and uses the Old Japanese pronunciation for 800, Template:Tlit. The notorious Japanese organized crime syndicate, the yakuza, can be written (or 893), a hand in Template:Tlit that is worth 0 points, indicating that yakuza are "worthless persons" or "gambling persons".

See also

• Chinese numerals
• Decimal separator
• Japanese counter word
• Japanese people
• Japanese wordplay § Numeric substitution

External links

• Template:In lang
• Ancient Japanese number system Template:Webarchive
• English exercises for learning Japanese numerals
• Audio to learn the pronunciation for Japanese numbers
• Convert kanji numerals to arabic numerals (sci.lang.Japan FAQ page)
• Convert arabic numerals to kanji numerals (sci.lang.Japan FAQ page)