Page 295 - Basic Japanese

3,000 how many thousand

san-gen nan-gen

3 buildings how many buildings

9. With most counters, either ku or kyū may be used for ‘9,’

either shichi or nana for ‘7,’ either shi or yon (yo-) for ‘4.’

For some counters only one of the forms occurs: Shigatsu
‘April,’ Shichigatsu ‘July,’ Kugatsu ‘September’; yo-ji ‘4

o’clock,’ and ku-ji ‘9 o’clock.’

6.9. Secondary numerals

The secondary set of numerals consists of early native
Japanese elements. They run from 1 to 10, and for each

digit there are two forms: a long form, used when the
numeral is a word by itself, and a short form, used when the

numeral is combined with a counter. In addition, there are a
few special short forms, used on enumerative occasions, like

‘counting off’ in gym or in the military.