general counter for things
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.
Please give me three apples.
I have two questions.
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.
My daughter will be five years old this year.
How many apples are there on the desk?
The soul of a three-year-old lasts a hundred years. (proverb)
My daughter will turn five next month.
There's a three-year age difference between him and me.
The teacher handed out the printouts one by one.
Please give me one more piece of cake.
Standard kana spelling; the kanji forms 箇 and 個 are rarely used for this counter.
Rare kanji form; learners will almost always encounter the kana spelling.
Rare kanji form; learners will almost always encounter the kana spelling.
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.