Translation guide
The English word "number" covers several distinct concepts. This guide breaks them down into practical meanings and shows how to express each naturally in Japanese.
電話番号は何ですか？
What's your phone number?
Referring to a count or amount of something.
General word for 'number' as a count or quantity. Used in everyday speech.
The number of participants increased.
星の数は数えきれない。
The number of stars is countless.
Refers to numerical figures or digits, often used when talking about statistics or written numbers.
この数字は何を意味していますか？
What does this number mean?
Formal term for quantity or volume, used in business or technical contexts.
注文数量を確認してください。
Please confirm the order quantity.
A numeral used to identify something, like a phone number or room number.
Used for identification numbers: phone numbers, room numbers, ticket numbers, etc.
電話番号を教えてください。
Please tell me your phone number.
部屋番号は302です。
The room number is 302.
Loanword from English, often used in compound words like 'car number' or 'license number'.
A single issue of a publication.
Suffix meaning 'issue number'. Attached to numbers.
最新号を買いました。
I bought the latest issue.
この雑誌の3月号は面白い。
The March issue of this magazine is interesting.
A song or dance in a show.
The grammatical category of number (singular vs. plural).
Used in linguistic contexts. Note the reading differs from the 'quantity' meaning.
日本語には文法上の数はありません。
Japanese does not have grammatical number.
While 数 means 'number' as a quantity, it cannot be used for identification numbers like phone numbers. Use 番号 for those.
電話番号
phone number
数 refers to a conceptual count or amount, while 数字 refers to the written numerals themselves. For example, 'the number 7' as a digit is 数字, but 'a large number of people' uses 数.
学生の数が増えています。
The number of students is increasing.
暗証番号を忘れました。
I forgot my PIN number.
車のナンバーを控えてください。
Please note down the car's license number.
この番組は人気があります。
This number (program) is popular.