つ

Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

general counter for things

usually written using kana alone

Used with native Japanese numerals 1–9 (ひとつ, ふたつ, みっつ, etc.) to count generic objects, abstract items, or when no specific counter is required. Not used with numbers above 9.

りんごを三みっつください。
Please give me three apples.
質しつ問もんが二ふたつあります。
I have two questions.

counter

... years old

usually written using kana alone

Used with native Japanese numerals 1–9 to express age, especially for children or in casual contexts. For ages above 9 or formal situations, 歳 (さい) is more common.

娘むすめは今年ことしで五いつつになります。
My daughter will be five years old this year.
三みつ子ごの魂たましい百ひゃくまで。
The soul of a three-year-old lasts a hundred years. (proverb)

See all 6,934 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

いくつ〈物もの〉がありますかhow many (things) are there?
机つくえの上うえにりんごがいくつありますか。
How many apples are there on the desk?
〈数すう〉つになるto turn ... years old
娘むすめは来らい月げつで五いつつになる。
My daughter will turn five next month.
〈数すう〉つ違ちがいan age difference of ... years
彼かれとは三みっつ違ちがいです。
There's a three-year age difference between him and me.
ひとつずつ〈物もの〉を配くばるto hand out (things) one by one
先せん生せいはプリントをひとつずつ配くばった。
The teacher handed out the printouts one by one.
もうひとつ〈物もの〉をくださいplease give me one more (thing)
もうひとつケーキをください。
Please give me one more piece of cake.

Grammar

一人ひとり・二に本ほん・三さん冊さつnumbers and countersN5

Kanji

箇counter for articles
個individual, counter for articles

Related words

個こN5sense 1
個 works with any number and sounds more formal, while つ is limited to native Japanese numerals 1–9 and feels more casual.
歳さいN1sense 2
歳 is the standard, formal counter for age with Sino-Japanese numbers, whereas つ (1–9 only) sounds colloquial or child-directed.

Written forms

つUsage99%
Standard kana spelling; the kanji forms 箇 and 個 are rarely used for this counter.
ツUsage1%
箇つ
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; learners will almost always encounter the kana spelling.
個つ
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; learners will almost always encounter the kana spelling.

Etymology

Native Japanese counter, historically derived from the Old Japanese suffix -tu used to count various items. The kanji 箇 and 個 are later Chinese borrowings applied to this reading, but the kana form つ is now standard.