Translation guide
The number five in Japanese is most commonly expressed as 五 (ご). However, the pronunciation changes depending on what is being counted, due to the use of counters. This guide covers the basic number, common counters, and natural usage.
Expressing the number five as a standalone number, in phone numbers, or in mathematical contexts.
The basic on'yomi (Sino-Japanese) reading for the number five. Used in counting, mathematics, and most compound words.
Five is a prime number.
電話番号は〇九〇-一二三四-五六七八です。
The phone number is 090-1234-5678.
The native Japanese (kun'yomi) counting word for five items. Used for general counting of objects without a specific counter, or for age (especially for children).
りんごを五つください。
Please give me five apples.
子供は五つです。
The child is five years old.
Expressing a quantity of five items, people, animals, etc., using Japanese counter words.
The most common way to say 'five' of something is to use the number 五 (ご) followed by the appropriate counter. The pronunciation of the counter may change due to rendaku or other sound shifts.
Some counters undergo sound changes when combined with 五. For example, 本 (ほん) becomes ぽん, 匹 (ひき) becomes ぴき, 杯 (はい) becomes ぱい.
ビールを五杯ください。
Five glasses of beer, please.
鉛筆を五本買いました。
I bought five pencils.
Expressing the age of five years.
The standard way to say 'five years old'. Used for people and sometimes animals.
娘は五歳です。
My daughter is five years old.
Can be used for children's ages, especially in casual contexts. More common for younger children.
うちの子は五つになりました。
Our child turned five.
Expressing the order or position of something as fifth.
Means 'the fifth one' in a sequence. 番目 (ばんめ) is the ordinal suffix.
五番目の駅で降りてください。
Please get off at the fifth station.
Used in formal or numbered lists, like 'Chapter 5' or 'No. 5'. 第 (だい) is a prefix for ordinal numbers.
第五課を勉強してください。
Please study Lesson 5.
Expressing a duration or point in time involving five.
Means 'five days' or 'the fifth day of the month'. Note the irregular reading.
五日間旅行します。
I will travel for five days.
五月五日は子供の日です。
May 5th is Children's Day.
Means 'five months' (duration). ヶ月 (かげつ) is the counter for months.
日本語を五ヶ月勉強しました。
I studied Japanese for five months.
五つ (いつつ) is only for general counting of objects without a specific counter. For most nouns, you must use the appropriate counter with 五 (ご). Saying 五つの本 is possible but less natural than 五冊の本.
五冊の本
five books
When 五 (ご) combines with counters starting with h-, k-, s-, t-, the counter often changes to a voiced or semi-voiced sound. For example, 杯 (はい) becomes ぱい, 匹 (ひき) becomes ぴき, 階 (かい) becomes かい (no change). It's best to learn these as you encounter them.