Japanese uses specific words called counters to count different types of objects, animals, and people.

You can’t simply use plain numbers to count things in Japanese.

Instead, you must attach a specific counter word to the number based on the shape or category of the item.

This system is similar to how we say “two slices of bread” or “three cups of water” in English.

Learning the most common Japanese counters will instantly improve your speaking skills.

These standard counters are used and understood uniformly across all regions of Japan.

I’ll explain the most important Japanese counters you need to know below.

The general counter: tsu

The counter tsu (つ) is the most versatile counter in the Japanese language.

It’s used to count things that don’t have a defined shape.

You can use it for abstract concepts like ideas, reasons, or mistakes.

You can also use tsu as a backup if you ever forget the specific counter for a physical object.

Unlike other counters that attach to the Chinese-derived numbers (ichi, ni, san), tsu attaches to the traditional Japanese counting system.

Notice that the number ten simply becomes too (十) and drops the tsu ending.

The counter for small objects: ko

The counter ko (個) is used for counting small, compact, or round objects.

This is the perfect counter for items like apples, eggs, boxes, and small toys.

Sometimes the pronunciation of the number changes slightly to make the word easier to say.

For example, one item is ikko rather than ichiko, and six items is rokko instead of rokuko.

The counter for long objects: hon

The counter hon (本) is used to count long, cylindrical objects.

You’ll use this to count things like pens, bottles, umbrellas, rivers, and trees.

The word hon is also the Japanese word for “book”, so it’s used to count books and movies as well.

This counter has several phonetic changes depending on the number it attaches to.

The sound changes from hon to pon for the numbers 1, 6, 8, and 10.

The sound changes to bon for the number 3.

The counter for flat objects: mai

The counter mai (枚) is used for thin, flat objects.

You’ll use this counter for sheets of paper, plates, tickets, shirts, and photographs.

This is one of the easiest counters to learn because there are no irregular pronunciations.

You simply take the standard Japanese number and add mai directly to the end.

The counter for people: nin

The counter nin (人) is used exclusively for counting people.

You can’t use this counter for animals, which require entirely different counters like hiki or tou.

The counter for people has two major exceptions that you must memorize.

One person is hitori and two people is futari.

From three people onward, the counting system becomes regular by adding nin to the number.

Be careful with the number four, which becomes yonin instead of yonnin.

How to use counters in a sentence

Using counters in a Japanese sentence requires a specific word order.

The most natural way to use a counter is to place it directly after the object and its particle, but right before the verb.

The formula looks like this: Object + Particle (ga/o) + Counter + Verb.

Here’s an example of counting small objects using ko.

Here’s an example of counting long objects using hon.

Here’s an example of counting flat objects using mai.

Here’s an example of counting people using nin.