Counters › つ
つ (tsu) — counting the all-purpose counter
When you do not know which counter to use, use this one. It works for most objects that have no counter of their own, and for abstract things.
How to count with つ, 1 to 10
| # | Reading | Romaji | Written |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ひとつ | hitotsu | — |
| 2 | ふたつ | futatsu | — |
| 3 | みっつ | mittsu | — |
| 4 | よっつ | yottsu | — |
| 5 | いつつ | itsutsu | — |
| 6 | むっつ | muttsu | — |
| 7 | ななつ | nanatsu | — |
| 8 | やっつ | yattsu | — |
| 9 | ここのつ | kokonotsu | — |
| 10 | とお | too | — |
🔊 Tap any reading to hear it spoken.
Watch out
These are the native Japanese numbers, not the Chinese-derived ones, so they look nothing like いち・に・さん. They stop at とお (10) — from 11 on you say じゅういち with no counter at all.
In a sentence
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| りんごを三つください | りんごをみっつください ringowomittsukudasai | Three apples, please. |
| 質問が二つあります | しつもんがふたつあります shitsumongafutatsuarimasu | I have two questions. |
Other counters
- 人 (nin) — people
- 本 (hon) — long, thin things
- 枚 (mai) — flat, thin things
- 個 (ko) — small, roundish objects
- 匹 (hiki) — small animals
- 頭 (tou) — large animals
- 冊 (satsu) — books and bound volumes
- 台 (dai) — machines and vehicles
- 杯 (hai) — cupfuls and glassfuls
- 階 (kai) — floors of a building
- 回 (kai) — times / occurrences
- 歳 (sai) — age in years
- 軒 (ken) — houses and shops
- 足 (soku) — pairs of footwear
- 着 (chaku) — suits and outfits
- 通 (tsuu) — letters and documents
- 名 (mei) — people (formal)
- 番 (ban) — order and rank
- 分 (fun) — minutes
- 時 (ji) — o'clock
- 年 (nen) — years
- ヶ月 (kagetsu) — months (duration)
- 週間 (shuukan) — weeks
- 泊 (haku) — nights of a stay
- 日 (nichi) — days and dates