Translation guide
In Japanese, classifiers (counter words) are used when counting objects, people, animals, and abstract things. Unlike English, where you can simply say 'three cats', Japanese requires a specific counter suffix attached to the number. The choice of counter depends on the shape, type, or nature of the item being counted. This guide covers the most common and useful classifiers for English-speaking learners.
classifier (general term)
The linguistic term for counter words.
How to count people using the counter 人 (にん/り)
The standard counter for people. Note the irregular readings for 1 person (ひとり) and 2 people (ふたり). From 3 onwards, it's number + にん.
one person
three people
How to count small to medium-sized animals using 匹 (ひき/びき/ぴき)
Used for most animals smaller than humans, such as cats, dogs, fish, insects, and reptiles. The reading changes due to rendaku: いっぴき (1), にひき (2), さんびき (3), etc.
There are three cats.
I have two dogs.
How to count large animals using 頭 (とう)
Used for large animals like cows, horses, elephants. The reading is regular: いっとう (1), にとう (2), さんとう (3).
There are ten cows.
How to count birds and rabbits using 羽 (わ)
Used for birds and rabbits (due to historical association). Readings: いちわ (1), にわ (2), さんわ (3), etc. Note: 1羽 is いちわ, not いっぱ.
Three birds are flying.
How to count flat, thin objects like paper, tickets, plates using 枚 (まい)
Used for flat items: sheets of paper, photos, CDs, shirts, plates, etc. Regular readings: いちまい, にまい, さんまい.
Please give me two sheets of paper.
I bought three T-shirts.
How to count long, thin objects like pencils, bottles, trees using 本 (ほん/ぼん/ぽん)
Used for long, cylindrical objects: pens, umbrellas, bananas, rivers, trains, etc. Rendaku applies: いっぽん (1), にほん (2), さんぼん (3).
Please lend me one pen.
I drank two bottles of beer.
How to count small, often round or generic objects using 個 (こ)
A versatile counter for small, three-dimensional objects like apples, eggs, stones, erasers. Also used for abstract things like ideas or problems. Regular readings: いっこ, にこ, さんこ.
I bought three apples.
I have two questions.
How to count mechanical devices, vehicles, and appliances using 台 (だい)
Used for cars, computers, TVs, washing machines, etc. Regular readings: いちだい, にだい, さんだい.
There are two cars.
I bought one new computer.
For many everyday items without a specific counter, or when you don't know the correct counter, you can use the native Japanese counter 〜つ. It works for numbers 1-10 (ひとつ, ふたつ, みっつ, etc.) and is very common in casual speech. However, it's less precise and cannot be used for people.
Please give me three apples.
In English, you can say 'three cats' without a classifier. In Japanese, omitting the counter (e.g., 猫が3いる) is ungrammatical. Always use a counter when specifying a quantity.
匹 (ひき) is for small animals (cats, dogs, insects), 頭 (とう) is for large animals (cows, elephants), and 羽 (わ) is for birds and rabbits. When in doubt, 匹 is a safe default for most pets and wild animals smaller than a human.