In our second lesson on counters, we will tackle how to count things in general with -tsu つ and -ko 個.
Before Chinese loan words inundated Japanese, the language already had a counter system. Even then, there was one counter most frequently used. That counter continues to be used to count things in general. This counter is -tsu つ. Naturally, this counter is used with native numbers. However, it is because of this that it is greatly limited. After the number 9, 10 can be expressed with a native expression, but the system for counting things in general is largely limited up to 10 as an effect.
| 0 | Nashi なし | 1 | Hitotsu ひとつ | 2 | Futatsu ふたつ |
| 3 | Mi(t)tsu み（っ）つ | 4 | Yo(t)tsu よ（っ）つ | 5 | Itsutsu いつつ |
| 6 | Mu(t)tsu む（っ）つ | 7 | Nanatsu ななつ | 8 | Ya(t)tsu や（っ）つ |
| 9 | Kokonotsu ここのつ | 10 | Tō とお | ? | Ikutsu いくつ |
Notes: Nashi なし literally means “nothing” and is where -nai ない derives. The small っ, although shown as being optional, is almost always pronounced. Other native numbers do exist, but they survive only in set phrases. As such, these numbers will be addressed later in IMABI.
The Kanji 漢字 spellings for these phrases are as follows.
| 0 | 無し | 1 | 一つ | 2 | 二つ | 3 | 三つ | 4 | 四つ |
| 5 | 五つ | 6 | 六つ | 7 | 七つ | 8 | 八つ | 9 | 九つ |
| 10 | 十 | ? | 幾つ |
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Orthography Note: Typically, 1-9 are written with Arabic numerals.
Overusing -tsu つ will cause your speech to sound uneducated. This is partly because it is a native word and not a Sino-Japanese word. Sino-Japanese words tend to sound more sophisticated, especially when a native counterpart exists. When you use -tsu つ for just anything, there is also the risk that you’ll ignore counters that have always been in Japanese. By extension, blanketly using -tsu つ to count anything may make it seem as if you’re ignoring the whole system.
Howbeit, it is still used heavily in natural conversation. As such, we will now discuss the instances -tsu つ is used so that your usage of it may be as natural as possible.
Variation Note: Because the counter -tsu つ often replaces the ‘proper’ counter, variation may include counters not yet introduced. In such an event, you are not required to memorize said counters for now. However, it is still important to know that you have options and that those options may be more appropriate than -tsu つ.
1. Used to count three-dimensional items: This usage is the most common and the most problematic. Most physical items have counters to count them, but there are also some things solely counted with -tsu つ.
1. 2つ下さい。
Futatsu kudasai.
Please give me two (of them).
2. ブースは4つあります。
Būsu wa yottsu arimasu.
There are four booths.
3. オフィスにテーブルが5つあります。
Ofisu ni tēburu ga itsutsu arimasu.
There are five tables in the office.
4. 日本に温泉は｛いくつ・何か所｝ありますか。
Nihon ni onsen wa [ikutsu/nankasho] arimasu ka?
How many hot springs are there in Japan?
5. ベッドは｛五つ △・5床 〇・5台 〇｝あります。
Beddo wa [itsutsu/goshō/godai] arimasu.
There are five beds.
6. 飴を｛1つ・1個｝食べます。
Ame wo [hitotsu/ikko] tabemasu.
I’ll eat one piece of candy.
2. Used to count things with an indeterminate form:
7. タオルに黄色い染みが2つあります。
Taoru ni kiiroi shimi ga futatsu arimasu.
There are two yellow stains on the towel.
8. 洗面台の下に大きな水溜まりがひとつあります。
Semmendai no shita ni ōkina mizutamari ga hitotsu arimasu.
There is a large puddle beneath the washstand.
9. 肺に影が3つありました。
Hai ni kage ga mittsu arimashita.
There were three shadows on the/my lungs.
3. Used to count age (1-9) or to ask someone’s age:
10. おいくつですか？
O-ikutsu desu ka?
How old are you?
11. うちの子は3つです。
Uchi no ko wa mittsu desu.
My child is three.
Grammar Note: Tō 十 can be used to mean “10 years old” to complete the series from 1-10.
4. Used to count abstract things:
12. 理由は6つあります。
Riyū wa muttsu arimasu.
There are six reasons.
13. ミッションは7つあります。
Misshon wa nanatsu arimasu.
There are seven missions.
14. 条件は1つあります。
Jōken wa hitotsu arimasu.
There is one condition.
15. 交わした10の約束はひとつも守らなかった。
Kawashita jū no yakusoku wa hitotsu mo mamoranakatta.
You didn’t even protect one of the ten promises we made.
Grammar Note: Ex. 15 shows an example of a number being used without a counter. This is because the series for counting “promises” switches from -tsu つ to no counter at all after 9. The counter -ko 個, which is to be discussed shortly, could be used. The choice is up to the speaker in situations like this.
5. Used when ordering things:
16. ラーメン｛1つ・1丁｝！
Rāmen [hitotsu/itchō]!
One ramen!
17. ハムサンドイッチとコーヒーを1つ下さい。
Hamu-sandoitchi to kōhii wo hitotsu kudasai.
One ham sandwich and coffee please.
18. アイスコーヒーを｛1つ・1杯｝下さい。
Aisukōhii wo [hitotsu/ippai] kudasai.
One iced coffee please.
6. Used to replace the proper counter when deemed most convenient:
19. 金曜日に授業は｛いくつ・何クラス｝ありますか。
Kin’yōbi ni jugyō wa [ikutsu/nankurasu] arimasu ka?
How many classes do you have on Friday?
20. 家の｛2つ前の駅・2駅前｝で友達と待ち合わせました。
Ie no [futatsu-mae no eki/futaeki-mae] de tomodachi to machiawasemashita.
I met with a friend at the station two stations before my place.
Usage Note: It is this usage that causes students problems. This is because the decision to replace the proper counter with -tsu つ is one that is often very difficult even to native speakers. As such, it is best to use the counters you know and listen to when natives use -tsu つ.
7. Used in set phrases:
21. 視聴者（たち）の心がひとつになったでしょう。
Shichōsha(-tachi) no kokoro ga hitotsu ni natta deshō.
The hearts of the viewers were surely one.
The counter -ko 個 can be used to count round items or items that form a cluster. Incidentally, this counter is also used by some speakers to count anything. This comes from how it is used to count things when a specific counter can’t be thought of by the speaker. In a way, you can view it as meaning “article” as in “an article of belongings.”
| 1 | いっこ | 2 | にこ | 3 | さんこ | 4 | よんこ |
| 5 | ごこ | 6 | ろっこ | 7 | ななこ | 8 | はちこ はっこ |
| 9 | きゅうこ | 10 | じゅっこ じっこ | 100 | ひゃっこ | ? | なんこ |
Though generic, it accounts for physical items in general with which categorization is irrelevant. Even when it is used with something that is not necessary a physical item, the thing in question will be treated as if it were a concrete item. This is a fundamental difference between it and -tsu つ. Thus, although -ko 個 may be more frequently used because of prestige it gets as a Sino-Japanese word, the number of things it can be used with (provided the speaker isn’t one who uses it with anything and everything) is less than with -tsu つ. Nevertheless, the two do still overlap as some of the examples below illustrate.
Variation Note: In the examples below, variants are mentioned regardless of whether they’ve been taught by this point or not. Because -ko 個 does at times replace the ‘proper’ counter, it’s best to know your options.
22. 今朝、卵を｛3個・3つ｝食べました。
Kesa, tamago wo [sanko/mittsu] tabemashita.
I ate three eggs this morning.
23. リンゴを｛1個・1玉｝買いました。
Ringo wo [ikko/hitotama] kaimashita.
I bought one apple.
Spelling Note: Ringo is only seldom spelled as 林檎.
24. 白い玉が2個あります。
Shiroi tama ga niko arimasu.
There are two white balls/beads.
25. 荷物は何個ですか。
Nimotsu wa nanko desu ka?
How many parcels/bags do you have?
26. 新しい製品が1万個あります。
Atarashii seihin ga ichimanko arimasu.
There are ten thousand new products.
27. 牛には胃が｛4個・4つ｝もあります。
Ushi ni wa i ga [yonko/yottsu] mo arimasu.
A cow has four stomachs.
28. 人間には細胞が｛何個・いくつ｝ありますか。
Ningen ni wa saibō ga [nanko/ikutsu] arimasu ka?
How many cells does a human have?
29. 積み木は何個ありますか。
Tsumiki wa nanko arimasu ka?
How many building blocks are there?
30. 時計は何個ありますか。
Tokei wa nanko arimasu ka?
How many watches are there/do you have?
Counter Note: For arm watches (udedokei 腕時計), the counters -ko 個 and -hon 本 can be used. For alarm clocks (mezamashidokei 目覚まし時計), the counter -ko 個 is used. For wall clocks (hashiradokei 柱時計) or those that hang on the wall (kakedokei 掛け時計), the counters -ko 個 and -dai 台 can be used.
31. 四角が10個あります。
Shikaku ga jukko arimasu.
There are ten squares.
32. ピアスの穴は何個ありますか。
Piasu no ana wa nanko arimasu ka?
How many pierces do you have?
33. 夢は100個あります。
Yume wa hyakko arimasu.
I have a hundred dreams.
34. 整数は全部で何個ありますか。
Seisū wa zembu de nanko arimasu ka?
How many integers are there in total?
35. 日本に、市町村は何個ありますか。
Nihon ni, shichōson wa nanko arimasu ka?
How many municipalities are there in Japan?
Counter Note: In bureaucratic documentation, municipalities will be counted with each kind functioning as a counter. Meaning, “three cities” would be 3市 and five villages would be
5村 etc. Notice that the Sino-Japanese readings are used in this case.
36. ｛1個下 △・1歳下 〇・ひとつ下 〇｝の彼氏がいます。
[Ikko-shita/issai-shita/hitotsu-shita] no kareshi ga imasu.
I have a boyfriend who is one year younger.
37. ジョウロが｛5個・5本｝あります。
Jōro ga [goko/gohon] arimasu.
There are five watering cans?
Spelling Note: ジョウロ can seldom be spelled as 如雨露.
38. 風船が｛1個・1枚・1本｝あります。
Fūsen ga [ikko/ichimai/ippon] arimasu.
There is one balloon.
Counter Note: When not inflated, balloons are counted with -mai 枚. When balloons are shaped in long, cylindrical shapes, they’re counted with -hon 本. When counting typical inflated balloons, you use -ko 個.
39. クモの巣が｛5個・5つ｝あります。
Kumo no su ga [goko/itsutsu] arimasu.
There are five spider webs.
Spelling Note: Kumo is occasionally spelled as 蜘蛛.
40. ジャガイモが4個あります。
Jagaimo ga yonko arimasu.
There are four potatoes.
Spelling Note: Jagaimo is often spelled as じゃが芋.