七ななつ

な

つ

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

The number seven, used for counting objects with the native Japanese counter つ.

seven years old

Specifically refers to the age of seven, often in contexts like traditional celebrations (e.g., Shichi-Go-San).

In the old Japanese temporal hour system, 七つ corresponded to the modern hour of around 4 a.m. or 4 p.m. Rare outside historical contexts.

〈物もの〉が七ななつあるthere are seven of 〈something〉
机つくえの上うえにみかんが七ななつある。
There are seven mandarin oranges on the desk.
七ななつになるto turn seven years old
娘むすめは来らい月げつ七ななつになる。
My daughter will turn seven next month.
七ななつ時どきthe old-style hour of seven (around 4 a.m. or 4 p.m.)
七ななつ時どきに鐘かねが鳴なった。
The bell rang at the old hour of seven (around four o'clock).

七しちN5sense 1
七つ is the native Japanese counter used for objects ('seven things'), while 七 (しち) is the Sino-Japanese numeral used in counting sequences and compounds like 七月.
七しち人にんN5
七人 counts people specifically, while 七つ is the general counter used for most other objects, not people.

八やっつN5sense 1
七つ (seven) and 八つ (eight) are easily mixed up by beginners because both are native Japanese counting words with the same つ pattern.

Native Japanese numeral combining 七 (nana, 'seven') with the counter つ (tsu). The reading ななつ is the standard kun'yomi form.