Numbers

Numbers:

The Japanese numbering system is the easiest part of the language to get. Basically, if you can count to 10 you can count to a million. The numbers snap together like legos to make new numbers.

Let's take a look at the basic 10.

1	Ichi	Notice 2 of the numbers have alternate readings (4 and 7). The alternate readings are generally used for Dates and Time. But not necessarilly 100% of the time. When counting floors in a building, Yon is generally used because SHI is a Homonym for "Death" and that would be unlucky in an elevator. The month of April, however is "Shi-Gatsu". Listening to a native is really the only way to figure out when to use which reading when.
2	Ni
3	San
4	Shi (yon)
5	Go
6	Roku
7	Shichi (nana)
8	Hachi
9	Ku
10	Juu

		See how they snap together? It's sorta like decimals with the 1's tens and hundreds columns. 23 = Ni-Juu-san 54 = Go-Juu-yon 100 = Hyaku 154 = Hyaku-go-juu-yon 1000 = sen 1154 = Sen-Hyaku-go-juu-yon
11	Juu ichi
12	Juu ni
13	Juu san
14	Juu yon
15	Jjuu go
16	Juu roku
17	Jjuu nana
18	Juu hachi
19	Juu ku
20	Ni juu

Using Numbers in Months and Days