5.2. Large numbers



Asian number system is based on ten thousand, while European number system is based on one thousand. So multiplying ten thousand to a unit makes the next unit.
Units larger than (ke)(i) /ke'i/ ( 1016 ) are rarely used, like units larger than quadrillion are rarely used in American English.

NumberJapaneseAmerican English
HiraganaPhonemes

104

(ma)(n)/ma'N/ten thousand

108

(o)(ku)/o'ku/hundred million

1012

(ti)(small yo)(u)/tyo'u/one trillion

1016

(ke)(i)/ke'i/ten quadrillion

1020

(ga)(i)/ga'i/hundred quintilliton

1024

(zi)(small yo)/zyo'/one septillion

1028

(zi)(small yo)(u)/zyo'u/ten octillion

1032

(ko)(u)/ko'u/hundred nonillion

1036

(ka)(n)/ka'N/one undecillion

1040

(se)(i)/se'i/ten duodecillion

1044

(sa)(i)/sa'i/hundred tredecillion

1048

(go)(ku)/go'ku/one quindecillion

1052

(go)(u)(ga)(si)(small ya)/gouga'sya/ten sexdecillion

1056

(a)(so)(u)(gi)/aso'ugi/hundred septendecillion

1060

(na)(yu)(ta)/na'yuta/one novemdecillion

1064

(hu)(ka)(si)(gi)/huka'sigi/ten vigintillion

1068

(mu)(ri)(small yo)(u)/muryou/N/A

1072

(ta)(i)(su)(u)/taisu'u/N/A


Reading large numbers in Japanese may be awkward if your native language uses a system based on one thousand. To read large numbers in Japanese, divide them into four-digit groups, and read the groups separately and add appropriate units. If a four-digit group is zero, omit both the group and the unit. Don't omit a four-digit group even when it is one. For example, number 10000 is pronounced as (i)(ti) /iti'/ (ma)(n) /ma'N/ (1 × 10000), not just (ma)(n) /ma'N/.

Since digits should be divided into four-digit groups in Asian number system, commas for every three digits in English are not useful at all. But Japanese people do use commas for every three digits, not for every four digits.

The units of big numbers affect the phonemes of the last syllable of the preceding four-digit group. See the phoneme modification rule of small numbers.

Here is an example of big numbers. Blue letters indicate changed phonemes.
Number 9784510283700004037 is pronounced as follows:

GroupDigits and unitsPhonemes
0978 (0 × 103 + 9 × 102 + 7 × 10 + 8) × 1016 (ki)(small yu)(u)(hi)(small ya)(ku) (na)(na)(zi)(small yu)(u) (ha)(small tu)(ke)(i)
/kyu'uhyaku nana'zyuu ha'Qkei/
4510 (4 × 103 + 5 × 102 + 1 × 10 + 0) × 1012 (yo)(n)(se)(n) (go)(hi)(small ya)(ku) (zi)(small yu)(small tu)(ti)(small yo)(u)
/yoNse'N gohyaku' zyu'Qtyou/
2837 (2 × 103 + 8 × 102 + 3 × 10 + 7) × 108 (ni)(se)(n) (ha)(small tu)(pi)(small ya)(ku) (sa)(n)(zi)(small yu)(u) (na)(na)(o)(ku)
/nise'N haQpyaku' sa'Nzyuu nana'oku/
0000(0 × 103 + 0 × 102 + 0 × 10 + 0) × 104-
4037 (4 × 103 + 0 × 102 + 3 × 10 + 7) (yo)(n)(se)(n) (sa)(n)(zi)(small yu)(u) (na)(na)
/yoNse'N sa'Nzyuu na'na/

The result is (ki)(small yu)(u)(hi)(small ya)(ku) (na)(na)(zi)(small yu)(u) (ha)(small tu)(ke)(i) (yo)(n)(se)(n) (go)(hi)(small ya)(ku) (zi)(small yu)(small tu)(ti)(small yo)(u) (ni)(se)(n) (ha)(small tu)(pi)(small ya)(ku) (sa)(n)(zi)(small yu)(u) (na)(na)(o)(ku) (yo)(n)(se)(n) (sa)(n)(zi)(small yu)(u) (na)(na) /kyu'uhyaku nana'zyuu ha'Qkei yoNse'N gohyaku' zyu'Qtyou nise'N haQpyaku' sa'Nzyuu nana'oku yoNse'N sa'Nzyuu na'na/ .


These are Japanese translations of American English large numbers.

NumberAmerican EnglishJapanese
HiraganaPhonemes

103

one thousand(se)(n)/se'N/

106

one million(hi)(small ya)(ku)(ma)(n)/hyakuma'N/

109

one billion(zi)(small yu)(u)(o)(ku)/zyu'uoku/

1012

one trillion(i)(small tu)(ti)(small yo)(u)/i'Qtyou/

1015

one quadrillion(se)(n)(ti)(small yo)(u)/se'Ntyou/

1018

one quintillion(hi)(small ya)(small tu)(ke)(i)/hya'Qkei/

1021

one sextillion(zi)(small yu)(u)(ga)(i)/zyu'ugai/

1024

one septillion(i)(ti)(zi)(small yo)/iti'zyo/

1027

one octillion(se)(n)(zi)(small yo)/se'Nzyo/

1030

one nonillion(hi)(small ya)(ku)(zi)(small yo)(u)/hyaku'zyou/

1033

one decillion(zi)(small yu)(small tu)(ko)(u)/zyu'Qkou/

1036

one undecillion(i)(small tu)(ka)(n)/i'QkaN/

1039

one duodecillion(se)(n)(ka)(n)/se'NkaN/

1042

one tredecillion(hi)(small ya)(ku)(se)(i)/hyaku'sei/

1045

one quattuordecillion(zi)(small yu)(small tu)(sa)(i)/zyu'Qsai/

1048

one quindecillion(i)(ti)(go)(ku)/iti'goku/

1051

one sexdecillion(se)(n)(go)(ku)/se'Ngoku/

1054

one septendecillion(hi)(small ya)(ku)(go)(u)(ga)(si)(small ya)/hyaku'gouga'sya/

1057

one octodecillion(zi)(small yu)(u)(a)(so)(u)(gi)/zyuuaso'ugi/

1060

one novemdecillion(i)(ti)(na)(yu)(ta)/itina'yuta/

1063

one vigintillion(se)(n)(na)(yu)(ta)/seNna'yuta/



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