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Counting Things (つ / 個)

Japanese Counter つ (Tsu) – Counting Things in Japanese

Learn how to count general things in Japanese

Counting Things in Japanese

Japanese has many counters depending on the type of object. When counting general items or when the correct counter is unknown, learners often start with the traditional 「つ」 counter.

The 「つ」 counter is commonly used from 1 to 10 and has special readings that must be memorized.

After 10, Japanese usually switches to the more general counter 個 (こ), which follows the regular number pattern.

1つ (ひとつ / hitotsu)
2つ (ふたつ / futatsu)
3つ (みっつ / mittsu)

After ten:
11個 (じゅういっこ / juuikko)
12個 (じゅうにこ / juuniko)
1
一つ
Hiragana
ひとつ
Romaji
hitotsu
Meaning
one thing
2
二つ
Hiragana
ふたつ
Romaji
futatsu
Meaning
two things
3
三つ
Hiragana
みっつ
Romaji
mittsu
Meaning
three things
4
四つ
Hiragana
よっつ
Romaji
yottsu
Meaning
four things
5
五つ
Hiragana
いつつ
Romaji
itsutsu
Meaning
five things
6
六つ
Hiragana
むっつ
Romaji
muttsu
Meaning
six things
7
七つ
Hiragana
ななつ
Romaji
nanatsu
Meaning
seven things
8
八つ
Hiragana
やっつ
Romaji
yattsu
Meaning
eight things
9
九つ
Hiragana
ここのつ
Romaji
kokonotsu
Meaning
nine things
10
Hiragana
とお
Romaji
too
Meaning
ten things
11
十一個
Hiragana
じゅういっこ
Romaji
juuikko
Meaning
eleven things
Description
After ten, the counter 個 (こ) is commonly used instead of the 「つ」 pattern.
12
十二個
Hiragana
じゅうにこ
Romaji
juuniko
Meaning
twelve things
13
十三個
Hiragana
じゅうさんこ
Romaji
juusanko
Meaning
thirteen things
14
十四個
Hiragana
じゅうよんこ
Romaji
juuyonko
Meaning
fourteen things
15
十五個
Hiragana
じゅうごこ
Romaji
juugoko
Meaning
fifteen things
りんごを一つください。
Hiragana
りんごをひとつください。
Romaji
ringo o hitotsu kudasai
Meaning
Please give me one apple.
質問が二つあります。
Hiragana
しつもんがふたつあります。
Romaji
shitsumon ga futatsu arimasu
Meaning
I have two questions.
ケーキを三つ買いました。
Hiragana
けーきをみっつかいました。
Romaji
keeki o mittsu kaimashita
Meaning
I bought three cakes.
箱の中にボールが四つあります。
Hiragana
はこのなかにぼーるがよっつあります。
Romaji
hako no naka ni booru ga yottsu arimasu
Meaning
There are four balls in the box.
クッキーを五つ食べました。
Hiragana
くっきーをいつつたべました。
Romaji
kukkii o itsutsu tabemashita
Meaning
I ate five cookies.
お土産を六つ買いました。
Hiragana
おみやげをむっつかいました。
Romaji
omiyage o muttsu kaimashita
Meaning
I bought six souvenirs.
問題が七つあります。
Hiragana
もんだいがななつあります。
Romaji
mondai ga nanatsu arimasu
Meaning
There are seven problems.
ケーキを八つ作りました。
Hiragana
けーきをやっつつくりました。
Romaji
keeki o yattsu tsukurimashita
Meaning
I made eight cakes.
箱におもちゃが九つ入っています。
Hiragana
はこにおもちゃがここのつはいっています。
Romaji
hako ni omocha ga kokonotsu haitteimasu
Meaning
There are nine toys in the box.
机の上にリンゴが十個あります。
Hiragana
つくえのうえにりんごがじゅっこあります。
Romaji
tsukue no ue ni ringo ga jukko arimasu
Meaning
There are ten apples on the desk.

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