Counters (Classifiers): 〜hon・〜mai・〜satsu・〜hiki [JLPT N4]
By Nihongo to Japan · Updated July 3, 2026
「鉛筆3本」「紙2枚」「本1冊」「犬1匹」 — Japanese chooses counters by shape and nature.
Counters (Classifiers): 〜hon・〜mai・〜satsu・〜hiki
When counting in Japanese, you choose the right counter (classifier) by the object's shape/nature: 〜本 (ほん) = long thin things (pencils, umbrellas, bottles, a phone call); 〜枚 (まい) = thin flat things (paper, shirts, plates, tickets); 〜冊 (さつ) = books (books, notebooks, magazines); 〜匹 (ひき) = small animals (dogs, cats, fish, insects); 〜台 (だい) = machines/vehicles (cars, computers, TVs); 〜個 (こ) = small things/general; 〜人 (にん) = people (2人 = ふたり). ⚠️ Reading changes: 本 = 3本(さんぼん), 6本(ろっぽん), 1本(いっぽん); 1冊(いっさつ); 1匹(いっぴき). ⚠️ Shape/nature determines the counter.
🧠 Core nuance: choose the counter by the object's shape/nature
The core is choosing the right counter by the object's shape, nature: ① 〜本 (ほん) — long thin things (pencils, umbrellas, bottles, trees, rivers; abstract: a phone call = 1本, a video = 1本); ② 〜枚 (まい) — thin, flat things (paper, shirts, plates, tickets, CDs, stamps); ③ 〜冊 (さつ) — bound books (books, notebooks, magazines, dictionaries); ④ 〜匹 (ひき) — small animals (dogs, cats, fish, insects, small birds; large animals like horses/cattle use 〜頭とう); ⑤ 〜台 (だい) — machines, vehicles (cars, computers, TVs, fridges); ⑥ 〜個 (こ) — small, round things or general (apples, eggs, erasers); ⑦ 〜人 (にん) — people (3人さんにん, but 1人ひとり, 2人ふたり special). ⚠️ Important reading changes (sound shifts): 本 — 1本いっぽん, 3本さんぼん, 6本ろっぽん, 8本はっぽん; 冊 — 1冊いっさつ, 8冊はっさつ; 匹 — 1匹いっぴき, 3匹さんびき, 6匹ろっぴき. ⚠️ People: 1人ひとり, 2人ふたり (special), 3 or more さんにん. The complete N4 counting system.
📌 Main Counters
| Counter | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜本(ほん) | long thin (pen, umbrella, bottle) | 鉛筆3本 |
| 〜枚(まい) | thin flat (paper, plate, ticket) | 紙2枚 |
| 〜冊(さつ) | books | 本1冊 |
| 〜匹(ひき) | small animals | 犬1匹 |
| 〜台(だい) | machines/vehicles | 車3台 |
| 〜人(にん) | people (2人ふたり) | 2人 |
💬 Example Sentences
- 本屋で本を3冊買った。(I bought 3 books at the bookstore.) — 冊 (books)
- すみません、紙を2枚ください。(Excuse me, please give me 2 sheets of paper.) — 枚 (thin flat)
- 鉛筆が5本あります。(There are 5 pencils.) — 本 (long thin)
- うちには犬が1匹と猫が2匹いる。(We have 1 dog and 2 cats.) — 匹 (small animals)
- 駐車場に車が3台止まっている。(3 cars are parked in the lot.) — 台 (vehicles)
🔄 Compare: 本 vs 枚 vs 冊 vs 個
| Counter | Nature | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜本 | long thin (pen, bottle, umbrella, river) | 傘1本 |
| 〜枚 | thin flat (paper, shirt, ticket, plate) | シャツ1枚 |
| 〜冊 | bound books (book, notebook) | ノート1冊 |
| 〜個 | small/round things/general | りんご1個 |
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- Choose by shape: long thin → 本 (鉛筆3本), thin flat → 枚 (紙2枚), bound → 冊 (本1冊) — don't confuse!
- Reading sound shifts: 本 (いっぽん/さんぼん/ろっぽん), 匹 (いっぴき/さんびき), 冊 (いっさつ), often tested.
- People special: 1人ひとり, 2人ふたり (✗ いちにん/ににん); 3 or more さんにん.
- Phone calls use 本: a phone call = 電話が1本 (an abstract extension of long/line-shaped).
💡 Nuance & When to Use
Japanese counting chooses counters by the object's shape/nature: 〜本 (long thin: pencils, umbrellas, bottles), 〜枚 (thin flat: paper, plates, tickets), 〜冊 (books), 〜匹 (small animals), 〜台 (machines/vehicles), 〜個 (small things/general), 〜人 (people, 2人ふたり). ⚠️ Reading sound shifts often tested: 本 (いっぽん/さんぼん/ろっぽん), 匹 (いっぴき/さんびき). People are special (ひとり/ふたり). The complete N4 counting system. A must.
🎯 JLPT Exam Tips
- N4 core: choose the counter by shape/nature — 本 (long thin), 枚 (thin flat), 冊 (books), 匹 (small animals), 台 (machines/vehicles), 個 (general), 人 (people).
- Reading sound shifts: 本 (いっぽん/さんぼん/ろっぽん), 匹 (いっぴき/さんびき), 冊 (いっさつ).
- Special: people (1人ひとり, 2人ふたり); a phone call = 1本.
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. 「本を___買った。」(bought 3 books)
(A) 3匹 (B) 3冊 (C) 3本 (D) 3枚
Q2. 「紙を___ください。」(please give me 2 sheets of paper)
(A) 2冊 (B) 2本 (C) 2枚 (D) 2個
Q3. What does 「1本の電話があった」 mean?
(A) one phone line
(B) one phone call
(C) one mobile phone
(D) a 1-minute call
Q4. What is the correct reading of 「2人」?
(A) にひん (B) にじん (C) ふたり (D) ふたにん
Q5. 「車3___ある。」What's the correct counter?
(A) 本 (B) 枚 (C) 台 (D) 個
Answer Key
1. (B) 3冊 ── books/notebooks/magazines use 「冊 (さつ)」: 本を3冊買った.
2. (C) 2枚 ── flat objects (paper/tickets/plates) use 「枚」: 紙を2枚.
3. (B) one phone call ── 1本の電話 = one phone call (calls are counted with 本).
4. (C) ふたり ── 2人 = ふたり (irregular reading).
5. (C) 台 ── machines/vehicles use 「台」: 車3台.