Survival Japanese: Numbers

Last updated: 14 December 2017

Learning to count in Japanese is as simple as “ichi, ni, san”! If you know how to say the basic numbers in Japanese you will have a much easier time doing various things in Japan such as shopping, visiting restaurants, and reserving a karaoke room! Use this handy number reference guide whenever you are in Japan.

The Basics: 1 to 10

Examples of ...

1: 一 (ichi)

2: 二 (ni)

3: 三 (san)

4: 四 (shi, yon)

5: 五 (go)

6: 六 (roku)

7: 七 (shichi, nana)

8: 八 (hachi)

9: 九 (kyū)

10: 十 (jū)

The Big Numbers

To say higher numbers such as 20, 30, 40, and so on, simply combine the numbers above.
For example, 20 is nijū, 二十 (2 and 10), 30 is sanjū, 三十, (3 and 10), 85 is hachi jū go, 八十五 (8 and 10 and 5), etc.
Note: 40 (四十) is always pronounced yonjū. 70 (七十) is always pronounced nanajū.

100: 百 (hyaku)

300: 三百 (san byaku)

600: 六百 (roppyaku)

800: 八百 (happyaku)

1000: 千 (sen)

10,000: 一万 (ichi man)

20,000: 二万 (ni man)

100,000: 十万 (jū man)

1 million: 百万 (hyaku man)

10 million: 千万 (sen man)

100 million: 一億 (ichi oku)

1 trillion: 一兆 (icchou)

10 trillion: 十兆 (jū chou)

The same rule stated above also applies to larger numbers. The number 473 would is yon hyaku nanajū san 四百七十三 ( 4 and 100 and 70 and 3). The number 500,000 is go jū man 五十万 (5 and 10 and 10,000), and so on.

Once you get a hang of the basics of numbers in Japanese, feel free to take it to the next level. Infinity is your limit!

How To: Useful Japanese Phrases

*This information is from the time of this article's publication.
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.

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