Counters & Classifiers

Introduction

Japanese counters are one of the language's most distinctive features. Different types of objects use different counting words — flat things, long things, small animals, and more each have their own counter.

N5 introduces the most common ones you'll need for everyday counting.

Themes

All JLPT N5 Vocabulary in This Chapter (12)

1. 枚 まい Counter for thin, flat objects such as sheets of paper, plates, tickets, and coins.
2. 冊 さつ Counter for bound volumes such as books, notebooks, and magazines.
3. 台 だい Stand; base; platform; pedestal; table. Also used as a counter for machines, vehicles, and large equipment.
4. 匹 ひき Counter for small and medium-sized animals such as cats, dogs, fish, and insects.
5. 杯 さかずき Sake cup; cup for alcoholic beverages. A small, shallow cup traditionally used for drinking sake.
6. 回 かい Counter for occurrences, times, or rounds. Used to count how many times something happens.
7. 階 かい Storey; story; floor. Used to indicate which level of a building something is on.
8. 番 ばん Number (in a series); turn; order. Used to indicate position or sequence.
9. 度 たび Time; occasion (as in 'each time' or 'every time'). Used to refer to individual occurrences.
10. キロ きろ Kilo; prefix meaning one thousand. Used as shorthand for kilogram or kilometre in everyday speech.
11. メートル めーとる Metre; meter. The standard unit of length in the metric system.
12. グラム ぐらむ Gram; gramme. The standard unit of mass in the metric system.