japanese numbers kanji
Rachel Fowler
Updated on June 05, 2026
Numbers 数字 (sūji)
一) ichi. 二) ni. 三) san. 四) yon. 五) go. 六) roku. 七) nana. 八) hachi.
Is 4 in Japanese yon or shi?
As noted above, yon (4) and nana (7) are preferred to shi and shichi. It is purported that this is because shi is also the reading of the word death (死), which makes it an unlucky reading (see tetraphobia); while shichi may sound too similar to ichi (1), shi or hachi (8).
How do you say zero in Japanese?
For zero in Japanese, the kanji is 零 (rei). However, it is more common to use and say “zero” the same way we say it in English: ゼロ (zero). Or マル (maru) which translates to “circle” and it’s used the same way we say “oh” instead of “zero” in English when reading individual digits of a number.
How do you write number 4 in kanji?
Four/4: Shi / Yon
kanji: 四hiragana: し/ よん
How do you say 1.5 in Japanese?
——–How do you say decimal numbers in Japanese? The same as with English, we say “ten,” the word for “point.” Note that as cc mentioned, 1.5 would be pronounced “ittengo,” not simply “ichi-ten-go.” If you say “ichi-ten-go,” people would understand it alright, though.
How do you write Kyuu in kanji?
級 【キュウ】 class (e.g. school), grade, rank, kyū, kyu, junior rank in martial arts, go, shogi, etc.
What is Shichi English?
So why does Japanese have multiple words for the same number? It’s partly to do with superstition – “shi” sounds like the Japanese word for death and “ku” can mean suffering; “shichi” can also mean “place of death”.
Should I use Nana or Shichi?
Nana is the most common reading of 7, however shichi is often acceptable, for example when naming months.
What is Romaji in Japanese?
In Japanese the characters for Romaji are, “ローマ字” (rōmaji) literally meaning “Roman letters.” This is indeed very similar to the term, “漢字” (kanji) literally meaning “Chinese letters.”
Is Japanese hard to learn?
Japanese is ranked by the U.S. Foreign Services Institute as the most difficult language for native English speakers to learn. The institute uses the time it takes to learn a language to determine its difficulty 23-24 weeks for the easiest and 88 weeks for the hardest.
Why is there no 4th floor in Japan?
In many East Asian cultures, including China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan, the number 4 is considered unlucky. If you step onto an elevator, you probably won’t see a button indicating the fourth floor because most apartment buildings and hospitals skip the number altogether.
Is duolingo good for Japanese?
Duolingo Japanese is not perfect. But it is a fun and effective way to learn some basic Japanese. If you really only have five minutes in a day to study, Duolingo is probably one of the most effective ways to spend your time.
What is seventh Hokage in Japanese?
He soon proved to be one of the main factors in winning the Fourth Shinobi World War, leading him to achieve his dream and become the village’s Seventh Hokage (七代目火影, Nanadaime Hokage, Literally meaning: Seventh Fire Shadow).