5.1. Small numbers


5.1.1. Small integers


Being completely decimal, the way of counting numbers in Japanese is much easier than English, considering English has traces of non-decimal systems such as duodecimal (eleven and twelve), vigesimal (thirteen through nineteen), and centesimal (twenty through ninety).

NumberHiraganaPhonemesDescription

0

(re)(i)/re'i/ The word (ze)(ro) /ze'ro/ also means zero. The word (ma)(ru) /maru/, which means a circle, is the same as oh in English and often used for zeros in phone numbers etc.

1

(i)(ti)/iti'/-

2

(ni)/ni'/-

3

(sa)(n)/saN/-

4

(yo)(n)/yo'N/ Another word (si) /si'/ also means four. But the situation you can use it is limited, so please don't use it.

5

(go)/go'/-

6

(ro)(ku)/roku'/-

7

(na)(na)/na'na/ Another word (si)(ti) /siti'/ also means seven. But the situation you can use it is limited, so please don't use it.

8

(ha)(ti)/hati'/-

9

(ki)(small yu)(u)/kyu'u/ Another word (ku) /ku'/ also means nine. But the situation you can use it is limited, so please don't use it.

10

(zi)(small yu)(u)/zyu'u/-

11

(zi)(small yu)(u)(i)(ti)/zyuu iti'/ (zi)(small yu)(u) /zyu'u/ + (i)(ti) /iti'/

12

(zi)(small yu)(u)(ni)/zyuu ni'/ (zi)(small yu)(u) /zyu'u/ + (ni) /ni'/
............

20

(ni)(zi)(small yu)(u)/ni'zyuu/ (ni) /ni'/ × (zi)(small yu)(u) /zyu'u/

21

(ni)(zi)(small yu)(u)(i)(ti)/ni'zyuu iti'/ (ni) /ni'/ × (zi)(small yu)(u) /zyu'u/ + (i)(ti) /iti'/
............

30

(sa)(n)(zi)(small yu)(u)/sa'Nzyuu/ (sa)(n) /saN/ × (zi)(small yu)(u) /zyu'u/
............

100

(hi)(small ya)(ku)/hyaku'/-
............

1000

(se)(n)/se'N/-

To read numbers in Japanese, just read pairs of digits (2, 3, ...) and units (10, 100, ...). For example, number 452 is pronounced as (yo)(n) /yo'N/ (hi)(small ya)(ku) /hyaku'/ (go) /go'/ (zi)(small yu)(u) /zyu'u/ (ni) /ni'/, which means 4 × 100 + 5 × 10 + 2.
If a digit is zero, omit both the digit and the unit.
If a digit is one, just say only the unit.
Don't you think it is quite simple?

5.1.2. Phoneme modification


There is a little bit complex rule for pronunciations. The phonemes of some combinations of a digit and a unit are modified for ease of pronunciation. This rule is applied only for units which begin with voiceless phonemes (/k/, /s/, /t/, /h/, and /p/). Note that units don't combine with the trailing digit. Pronouncing numbers without using this rule is still understandable.
The rule is here:

Number before UnitUnitCombination
/...ku/
(/roku'/ and /hyaku'/*1 )		/k...//...Qk.../
/h...//...Qp.../
/...ti/
(/iti'/ and /hati'/)		/k...//...Qk.../
/s...//...Qs.../
/t...//...Qt.../
/h...//...Qp.../
/...N/
(/saN/, /se'N/*1, and /ma'N/*2)		/h...//...Nb.../
/saN//se'N//saNze'N/
/yo'N//n...//yon.../
/zyu'u/ *1/k...//zyuQk.../
/s...//zyuQs.../
/t...//zyuQt.../
/h...//zyuQp.../

*1: Even though they are not digits but units, they can combine with the trailing units when they are the last word in a group. See the chapters of large numbers and counters.
*2: Explained in the chapter of large numbers.


Number examples:
NumberDigits and unitsPhonemesDescription
3923 × 102 + 9 × 10 + 2 (sa)(n)(bi)(small ya)(ku) (ki)(small yu)(u)(zi)(small yu)(u) (ni)
/sa'Nbyaku kyu'uzyuu ni'/		/saN/ × /hyaku'/ = /sa'Nbyaku/
1561 × 102 + 5 × 10 + 6 (hi)(small ya)(ku) (go)(zi)(small yu)(u) (ro)(ku)
/hyaku' gozyuu' roku'/		Omit the digit of 100.
2132 × 102 + 1 × 10 + 3 (ni)(hi)(small ya)(ku) (zi)(small yu)(u) (sa)(n)
/nihyaku' zyuu sa'N/		Not /... zyuQsa'n/
70087 × 103 + 0 × 102 + 0 × 10 + 8 (na)(na)(se)(n) (ha)(ti)
/nanase'N hati'/		Omit the digits and units of 100 and 10.

5.1.3. Decimals


Periods are decimal delimeters in Japanese like in English. To read decimals in Japanese, read the integer part first. Then say (te)(n) /te'N/, which is the Japanese word for point, and say plain digit names after that. Omitting zero before a decimal point is not allowed in Japanese.

The phoneme modification rule is applied for the word (te)(n) /te'N/, so number 1.3 should be pronounced as (i)(small tu)(te)(n)(sa)(n) /i'QteN saN/.

There is a detail rule to make pronunciations rhythmical. You can skip this part. The digit immediately before a decimal point is paired with the decimal point, and the digits after the decimal point are paired every two digits. In those pairs, the digit 2 is pronounced as not (ni) /ni/ but (ni)(i) /ni'i/, and the digit 5 is pronounced as not (go) /go/ but (go)(o) /go'o/. These different phonemes guarantee that all digits have two syllables, which means the same length of time for each digit, so you have a less chance to misunderstand.

For example, number 22.252 has two pronunciation pairs: '2.' and '25'. So its phoneme becomes (ni)(zi)(small yu)(u)(ni)(i)(te)(n)(ni)(i)(go)(o)(ni) /ni'zyuu ni'i teN nii go'o ni'/. The last digit 2 is not paired, so its phoneme is not affected.

Native Japanese speakers are not aware of the rule, even though they actually use it. The reason why they read decimals with the rule is that the Japanese language has a strong preference for four-beat rhythm. Making pairs of digits and pronouncing each of them in four syllables satisfies the preference. Most colloquial abbreviations of complex words also have four syllables. Please remember Japanese syllables have the same length of time.

Eight-beat rhythm is prefered as well as four-beat rhythm. You may have heard of (ha)(i)(ku) /haiku/, a Japanese traditional poem style. A haiku contains three phrases, which have five, seven, and five syllables respectively, and one of which has a word related to a season. The first phrase is pronounced with three rests, the second is with one rest, and the third is also with three rests, so they make eight-beat rhythm.


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