Counters (〜つ, 〜人, 〜枚)
Count objects, people, and flat things.
Counting in Japan
When you go to a restaurant or a shop in Japan, you will often need to specify how many items you want or how many people are in your party. Unlike English, where you just add a number before the noun, Japanese uses special 'counter' suffixes that change depending on the shape or category of the object.
How Counters Work
Counters are suffixes attached to numbers. The structure is usually [Number] + [Counter].
Watch out
Examples in Context
See how these counters are used in natural sentences.
りんごを二つください。
Please give me two apples.
三人で食事をします。
Three of us will have a meal.
紙を三枚ください。
Please give me three sheets of paper.
レストランに【よにん】います。
Hint: The counter for people is 'nin'. Four is 'yo'.
There are four people at the restaurant.
Nuance and Usage
Using the wrong counter can make you sound like a beginner, but don't worry—Japanese speakers will still understand you. The general counter 〜つ is a safe fallback for small objects if you forget the specific one.
General vs Specific
〜つ
General purpose for small items
みっつ (three things)
〜枚
Specific for flat objects
三枚 (three flat things)
Which counter would you use to count shirts?
- 〜つ
- 〜人
- ✓ 〜枚
Shirts are flat/thin, so 〜枚 (mai) is the correct counter.
Exceptions to the Rule
Some numbers change their sound when combined with counters.
Lesson Summary
Counters are essential for quantifying items and people in Japanese. Remember that the counter follows the number, and be mindful of irregular pronunciations for small numbers.