Japanese Counters: Learn to Count in Japanese

1. Start with 「つ (tsu)」 as a Universal Counter
•「つ」 is the most versatile counter and can be used for almost
anything, especially from 1 to 9.
1つ（ひとつ） 2つ（ふたつ） 3つ（みっつ） 4つ（よっつ）
5つ（いつつ） 6つ（むっつ） 7つ（ななつ） 8つ（やっつ）
9つ（ここのつ）
10（とお） ← 「つ」なし！
•Tip: Use 「つ」 when unsure about the correct counter.
It’s safe and widely understood.

2. Learn the Most Common Counters First
•個 (こ, ko): Small, round objects (eggs, balls)
•本 (ほん, hon): Long, cylindrical objects (pens, bottles)
•枚 (まい, mai): Flat, thin objects (paper, plates)
•人 (にん, nin): People
•匹 (ひき, hiki): Small animals (cats, dogs)
•台 (だい, dai): Machines, vehicles

3. Pay Attention to Pronunciation Changes
•Some numbers change pronunciation depending on the counter.
Example:1本 (いっぽん) 3本 (さんぼん) 6本 (ろっぽん)…
•Tip: Practice saying them out loud to get used to the sound changes.

=This mark means that using 'つ' is also natural.