Κυριακή 4 Νοεμβρίου 2007

Japanese numerals

There are two ways of writing the numbers in Japanese, in Hindu-Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) or in Chinese numerals (一, 二, 三). The Hindu-Arabic numerals are more often used in horizontal writing, and the Chinese numerals are more common in vertical writing. (Some numbers have multiple names.)
The special reading "maru" is also found. It is used when reading individual digits of a number one after another, instead of as a full number. A popular example is the famous 109 store in Shibuya which is read as "ichi-maru-kyū". This usage of "maru" for numerical 0 is similar to reading numeral 0 in English as "oh". Etymologically, it derives from 丸 or 円 (both "maru"). However, as a number, it is only written as 0 or 零.
The numbers 4 and 9 are considered unlucky in Japanese: 4, pronounced shi, is a homophone for "death" (死); 9, when pronounced ku, is a homophone for "suffering" (苦). The number 13 is sometimes considered unlucky, though this is a carryover from Western tradition .In modern Japanese, the kun readings are only used for single digit numbers and day-of-month names, although in many contexts the on readings will be used instead.

Number Character Preferred reading On reading Kun reading
0 / 〇 zero rei / れい -
1 ichi ichi / いち hito(tsu) / ひと(つ)
2 ni ni, ji / に、じ futa(tsu) / ふた(つ)
3 san san / さん mi(ttsu) / み(っつ)
4 yon shi / し yon, yo(ttsu) / よん、よ(っつ)
5 go go / ご itsu(tsu) / いつ(つ)
6 roku roku / ろく mu(ttsu) / む(っつ)
7 nana shichi / しち nana(tsu) / なな(つ)
8 hachi hachi / はち ya(ttsu) / や(っつ)
9 kyū kyū, ku / きゅう、く kokono(tsu) / ここの(つ)
10 jū / じゅう tō / とお
20 二十 ni-jū ni-jū / にじゅう hata(chi) / はた(ち)
30 三十 san-jū san-jū / さんじゅう miso / みそ
100 hyaku hyaku / ひゃく (momo / もも)



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