Japanese Counters: 本, 枚, 匹, 冊 — Usage & Irregular Readings (JLPT N5–N4) [JLPT N5]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
Which counter to use for which object, plus the tricky irregular readings for 1, 2 and 3 — with examples and practice. (JLPT N5–N4)
Japanese Counters: Why Is Counting So Complex?
English just has one, two, three — but Japanese uses different counters for different kinds of objects, and the same counter changes its reading with certain numbers (sound changes). Here are the most useful counters and their irregular readings.
The 15 Most Common Counters
| Counter | Reading | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜枚 | まい | flat/thin things (paper, plates, tickets) | 紙3枚 |
| 〜本 | ほん | long/thin things (bottles, pens, umbrellas) | ビール2本 |
| 〜冊 | さつ | bound things (books, notebooks) | 本3冊 |
| 〜匹 | ひき | small animals (cats, dogs, fish, insects) | 猫2匹 |
| 〜頭 | とう | large animals (cows, horses, elephants) | 牛5頭 |
| 〜羽 | わ | birds, rabbits | 鳥3羽 |
| 〜台 | だい | machines, vehicles | 車3台 |
| 〜個 | こ | small objects (general) | りんご4個 |
| 〜杯 | はい | cupfuls/glassfuls | コーヒー1杯 |
| 〜人 | にん | people | 学生5人 |
| 〜名 | めい | people (formal) | 3名様 |
| 〜回 | かい | times (frequency) | 3回 |
| 〜歳 | さい | age | 20歳 |
| 〜階 | かい | floors | 3階 |
| 〜円 | えん | yen (money) | 100円 |
Irregular Readings of 〜本 (ほん)
| Number | Reading | Number | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1本 | いっぽん | 6本 | ろっぽん |
| 2本 | にほん | 7本 | ななほん |
| 3本 | さんぼん | 8本 | はっぽん |
| 4本 | よんほん | 9本 | きゅうほん |
| 5本 | ごほん | 10本 | じゅっぽん |
Irregular Readings of 〜匹 (ひき)
| Number | Reading |
|---|---|
| 1匹 | いっぴき |
| 2匹 | にひき |
| 3匹 | さんびき |
| 6匹 | ろっぴき |
| 10匹 | じゅっぴき |
Irregular Readings of 〜杯 (はい)
| Number | Reading |
|---|---|
| 1杯 | いっぱい |
| 2杯 | にはい |
| 3杯 | さんばい |
| 6杯 | ろっぱい |
| 10杯 | じゅっぱい |
People: the Special Readings of 1人・2人
| Number | Reading | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1人 | ひとり | completely irregular |
| 2人 | ふたり | completely irregular |
| 3人 | さんにん | regular from here |
| 4人 | よにん | not よんにん |
Choosing an Animal Counter
| Animal | Counter | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| cats, dogs, fish, insects | 〜匹 (ひき) | small animals |
| cows, horses, elephants | 〜頭 (とう) | large animals |
| birds, rabbits | 〜羽 (わ) | birds (and rabbits, traditionally) |
Useful Question Words
| Question word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 何枚（なんまい） | how many (flat)? | 切符は何枚ですか？ （How many tickets?） |
| 何本（なんぼん） | how many (long)? | ペンは何本ありますか？ （How many pens are there?） |
| 何人（なんにん） | how many people? | 何人来ますか？ （How many people are coming?） |
| 何個（なんこ） | how many (objects)? | りんごは何個ですか？ （How many apples?） |
❌ Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: mixing up paper vs book counters
- ✗ 紙を3冊ください。 → ✓ 紙を3枚ください。
Mistake 2: wrong animal counter
- ✗ 猫を3頭飼っている。 → ✓ 猫を3匹飼っている。 (cats are small → 匹)
Mistake 3: forgetting the sound change
- ✗ 1本 = いちほん → ✓ いっぽん
⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid: counter “false friends”
Japanese counters share kanji with Chinese measure words, which both helps and traps you — several don't match:
- 本: Chinese uses 「一本書」 for a book, but Japanese 「本 (ほん)」 counts long thin things (ビール1本 = one bottle of beer)! Books take 「冊 (さつ)」.
- 枚: 「枚 (まい)」 covers flat thin things (paper, shirts, plates) — broader than you'd expect.
- animals: small animals take 「匹」, large ones 「頭」, birds 「羽」.
Don't read the kanji as its Chinese meaning — think of the Japanese category first.
💡 Learning tip
There are too many counters to memorize at once, so don't try. Start with the five you use daily: 個 (こ, small things), 枚 (まい, flat), 本 (ほん, long), 人 (にん / ひとり・ふたり), 杯 (はい, drinks). Then drill the sound changes at 1・3・6・8・10 for 本・匹・杯 (いっぽん・さんぼん・ろっぽん…). Look up the rest as you meet them — even natives hesitate, and a wrong counter is still understood.
❓ Common questions
Q: Why isn't 「1本」 read 「いちほん」?
Before は-row sounds (ほ), the numbers 1・6・8・10 trigger a small-tsu + half-voiced change: いっぽん・ろっぽん・はっぽん・じゅっぽん; 3 voices to さんぼん. 匹 and 杯 work the same (いっぴき・いっぱい).
Q: Why are 「1人・2人」 special?
1人 = ひとり and 2人 = ふたり are fully irregular native readings; it's regular from 3 on (さんにん). Just memorize those two.
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. 「ジュースを3___ください。」(3 bottles of juice)
(A) 冊 (B) 枚 (C) 本 (D) 台
Q2. 「猫を2___飼っています。」(keeping 2 cats)
(A) 頭 (B) 羽 (C) 匹 (D) 本
Q3. What is the correct reading of 「1本」?
(A) いちほん (B) いっぽん (C) いちぼん (D) いっほん
Q4. 「コーヒーを1___お願いします。」(1 cup of coffee)
(A) 枚 (B) 杯 (C) 個 (D) 本
Q5. 「教室に学生が___います。」(3 students) Which is correct?
(A) 三匹 (B) 三名 (C) 三個 (D) 三冊
Answer Key
1. (C) 本 ── bottles (long, thin objects) use 「本」. 3本 = さんぼん.
2. (C) 匹 ── cats are small animals, counted with 「匹」. 2匹 = にひき.
3. (B) いっぽん ── 1本 has a sound change (sokuon ＋ handakuon).
4. (B) 杯 ── drinks in cups/glasses use 「杯」: コーヒーを1杯.
5. (B) 三名 ── people are counted with 名 (or 人); 三名 = 3 people. 匹/個/冊 are for animals/objects/books.