How to Count People in Japanese
Counting in Japanese is unique and counting people in Japanese is no exception. But don’t worry it is very simple. After reading this post, you will know how to count people in Japanese.
INDEX
This is how you count people in Japanese
There is one simple formula to count people in Japanese.
Number + Nin (人)
All you need to do is add Nin after the number in Japanese. 人 refers to people in Japanese. So, 3 people would be 三人.
1 and 2 are Exceptions
The formula above works in every situation except for 1 and 2 people. Instead, just remember that 1 person is 一人 and 2 people are 二人. Here 人 is pronounced ri. But, these 2 words are the only 2 words where it has that pronunciation.
https://japaneseuniverse.com/2024/02/18/pac-man-in-japaneseconcepts-behind-development-to-global-icon/1 to 11
Now that you have the formula and know the 2 exceptions here is how you can read 1 to 11 people.
ひとり – 1
一人 – hitori
ふたり or ににん – 2
二人 – futari, ninin.
Most of the time you will say futari but sometimes you can also say ninin.
さんにん – 3
三人 – sannin
よにん – 4
四人 – yonin
The number 4 in Japanese has a few different pronunciations. For example yon, shi, or yo. When counting people in Japanese remember that it is yonin. If you say shinin it means a dead person. So be careful.
ごにん – 5
五人 – gonin
ろくにん – 6
六人 – rokunin
ななにん or しちにん – 7
七人 – nananin, shichinin
7 is another number in Japanese with a few readings. When talking about people you can say either nananin or shichinin.
はちにん – 8
八人 – hachinin
きゅうにん or くにん – 9
九人 – kyuunin, kunin
You can say either kyuunin or kunin.
じゅうにん – 10
十人 – juunin
じゅういちにん – 11
十一人 – juuichinin
Finally, we have 11 people. You may think that 11 people are juu-hitori but actually, you say juuichinin. So, from 11 on you don’t need to worry about any other exceptions.
17 and 19
Just like 7 and 9, 17 and 19 have two readings for each. 17 is じゅうなな or じゅうしち and 19 is じゅうきゅうにん or じゅうくにん. 27, 29, 37, 39, and beyond all have two readings each.
| 1 | ひとり |
| 2 | ふたり or ににん |
| 3 | さんにん |
| 4 | よにん |
| 5 | ごにん |
| 6 | ろくにん |
| 7 | ななにん or しちにん |
| 8 | はちにん |
| 9 | きゅうにん or くにん |
| 10 | じゅうにん |
| 11 | じゅういちにん |
| 17 | じゅうななにん or じゅうしちにん |
| 19 | じゅうきゅうにん or じゅうくにん |
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