Counting in Japanese

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Whenever we count during Aikido training, it’s done in Japanese.  Do your best to use your voice properly (loud and clear) so everyone who needs to hear you can.  Be careful not to let your counting become screaming as that would be considered disrespectful.  Counting in Japanese is easy, once you understand the method.  You can count from 1 to 99 simply by learning 1 through 10 and how to combine them.

NOTE: For the pronunciations, each syllable (sound-group) should take the same length of time to say.  For example, the number 21 Ni ju ichi  is pronounced “nee-djyuu-ee-tchee “.  The “nee” in ni should take just as long as the “djyuu” in jyu.The hyphen symbol (“-“) divides each syllable.  Also, the syllable in bold type-face should be pronounced with slightly more emphasis.

1 through 10:

EnglishJapanesePronunciation
One Ichi “ee-tchee”
TwoNi“nee”
ThreeSan“sann”
FourShi / Yon“shee” / “yawnn”
FiveGo“go”
SixRoku“roe-koo”
SevenShichi / Nana“shee-tchi” / “nna-nna”
EightHachi“ha-tchee”
NineKyu / Ku“kyoo” / “koo”
TenJu“dyjoo”

11 through 19 (notice how we are just adding to 10?):

EnglishJapanesePronunciation
Eleven Ju ichi “djyoo-ee-tchee”
TwelveJu ni“djyoo-nee”
ThirteenJu san“djyoo-sann”
FourteenJu shi“djyoo-shee”
FifteenJu go“djyoo-go”
SixteenJu roku“djyoo-roe-koo”
SeventeenJu shichi“djyoo-shee-tchee”
EighteenJu hachi“djyoo-ha-tchee”
NineteenJu ku“djyoo-koo”

Over 20 (notice how 20 is really just 2 10’s and how the alternate pronunciations for 4 and 7 are used):

EnglishJapanesePronunciation
TwentyNi ju“nee-djyoo”
Twenty oneNi ju ichi“nee-djyoo-ee-tchee”
Twenty twoNi ju ni“nee-djyoo-nee”
ThirtySan ju“sann-djyoo”
Thirty oneSan ju ichi“sann-djyoo-ee-tchee”
FortyYon ju“yawnn-djyoo”
Forty oneYon ju ichi“yawnn-djyoo-ee-tchee”
SeventyNana ju“nna-nna-djyoo”
Seventy oneNana ju ichi“nna-nna-djyoo-ee-tchee”
Ninety nineKyu ju kyu“kyoo-djyoo-kyoo”
HundredHyaku / Byaku / Pyaku“hya-ku” / “bya-ku” / ”pya-ku”
ThousandSen / Zen“senn” / “zenn”
Ten ThousandMan“mann”

Note: Three Hundred (San Byaku) is pronounced “sam-bya-koo” and Eight Hundred (Hap Pyaku) is “hap-pya-koo”

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