N5 Vocabulary: Numbers & counters — 24 words with memory tricks
Numbers are one of the friendliest N5 topics. This lesson gathers 24 items: 1–10, hundreds/thousands/ten-thousands, native counting (一つ) and a few common counters.
01
一
いち
ichi
one
💡 ichi = 1. One horizontal stroke.
りんごを一つつださい。One apple, please.
02
二
に
ni
two
💡 ni = 2. Two strokes.
二ドルください。Give me two dollars, please.
03
三
さん
san
three
💡 san = 3. Three strokes.
三時におやつを食べます。I eat a snack at three o'clock.
04
四
し
shi
four
💡 shi / yon = 4. Usually read よん (し sounds like "death").
四月は入学式があります。April has entrance ceremonies.
05
五
ご
go
five
💡 go = 5.
五月になりました。It has become May.
06
六
ろく
roku
six
💡 roku = 6.
六時になりました。It has become six o'clock.
07
七
しち
shichi
seven
💡 shichi / nana = 7. Often read なな.
七人が立っています。Seven people are standing.
08
八
はち
hachi
eight
💡 hachi = 8.
リンゴが八個あります。There are eight apples.
09
九
きゅう
kyuu
nine
💡 kyū / ku = 9.
九時になりました。It has become nine o'clock.
10
十
じゅう
juu
ten (~)
💡 jū = 10. A plus-sign shape.
リンゴが十個あります。There are ten apples.
11
百
ひゃく
hyaku
hundred
💡 hyaku = 100.
百円あります。I have 100 yen.
12
千
せん
sen
thousand
💡 sen = 1,000.
千円貸してください。Please lend me 1000 yen.
13
万
まん
man
ten thousand
💡 man = 10,000. Japanese counts in units of 10,000: 10万 = 100,000.
一万円あります。I have 10,000 yen.
14
零
れい
rei
zero, nought
💡 rei = zero (everyday: ゼロ zero).
れいを挙げてください。Please give an example.
15
一つ
ひとつ
hitotsu
one thing
💡 hitotsu = one (native counting, つ ending; general objects, up to 10).
リンゴを一つください。One apple, please.
16
二つ
ふたつ
futatsu
two things
💡 futatsu = two (things).
リンゴを二つください。Two apples, please.
17
三つ
みっつ
mittsu
three things
💡 mittsu = three (things).
リンゴを三つください。Three apples, please.
18
～円
えん
en
Yen
💡 en = yen (Japanese currency). 100円 = 100 yen.
これは百円です。This is 100 yen.
19
～人
にん
nin
counter for people
💡 nin = counter for people. Irregular: 一人 hitori, 二人 futari.
アメリカ人がいます。There is an American.
20
～歳
～さい
~sai
~ years old
💡 sai = counter for age. 5歳 = 5 years old.
私は二十歳です。I am twenty years old.
21
一番
いちばん
ichiban
best (most), first, number one
💡 一 (one) + 番 (order) → #1, the most. ichiban.
どの果物がいちばん好きですか？Which fruit do you like the most?
22
番号
ばんごう
bangou
number, series of digits
💡 番 (number) + 号 (number) → a number / code. bangō.
電話番号を教えてください。Please tell me your phone number.
23
半分
はんぶん
hanbun
half
💡 半 (half) + 分 (part) → a half. hanbun.
リンゴを半分に切ります。I cut the apple in half.
24
いくら
いくら
ikura
how much, how many
💡 ikura = how much (price). いくつ ikutsu = how many / how old.
これはいくらですか？How much is this?
Memory tricks
- Sino numbers: 一 ichi, 二 ni, 三 san, 四 shi, 五 go, 六 roku, 七 shichi, 八 hachi, 九 kyū, 十 jū.
- Irregular readings: 四 is usually よん (not し), 七 なな, 九 きゅう — し/しち/く sound unlucky.
- Japanese counts in 10,000s: 万 = 10,000, so 10万 = 100,000. This trips up beginners.
- Two counting systems: Sino (一,二,三 + counters 個/人/枚…) and native (一つ, 二つ — general objects, up to 10).
- Spaced repetition in Memoro.
→ See all N5 Numbers & counters vocabulary
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