零

From Middle Chinese 零 (MC leng) with an original meaning of a small rainfall. The character was later repurposed in 1248 by mathematician Li Ye as a placeholder, extending from its a little bit (of rain) meaning to indicate a bit more remaining. In Li Ye's notation, a number like 302 would be represented as 三百零二 (èr), literally three hundred and remaining two, with the 零 character used as a means of skipping the tens place, by indicating zero tens. It would thus implicitly take on the meaning of zero.

lang

「算木」を超えた男: もう一つの近代数学の誕生と関孝和

「算木」を超えた男: もう一つの近代数学の誕生と関孝和


十

十 (canonical)
jū (romanization)
zifu (romanization)
じふ (hiragana historical)

/ʑipʉ/ → /ʑiɸu/ → /ʑɨu/ → /ʑuː//ʑiʔ/ → /ʑi~̚/
From Middle Chinese 十 (MC dzyip).


十

十 (canonical)
tō (romanization)
towo (romanization)
とを (hiragana historical)

十で神童十五で才子二十過ぎればただの人

tō de shindō jūgo de saishi hatachi sugireba tada no hito

⟨to₂wo⟩ → */təwo/ → /towo/ → /toː/
From Old Japanese, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *təwə.


二

From Middle Chinese 二 (ȵiɪᴴ, “two”). Compare modern Eastern Min reading nê.


一

/itɨ/ → /it͡sɨ/ → /it͡ɕɨ/
From Middle Chinese 一 (ʔiɪt̚).
Compare modern Hokkien reading it.


一

*/pʲitə/ → ⟨pi₁to₂⟩ → /ɸito/ → /hito/
From Old Japanese 一 (pi₁to₂), from earlier Proto-Japonic *pitə. Cognate with Okinawan 一 (tī)
Related to 二 (futa, “two”), which is its double. Compare 三 (mi, “three”) and 六 (mu, “six”), 四 (yo, “four”) and 八 (ya, “eight”).


一

ja-pos

一(ひい) • (hī)


一

Borrowing from Mandarin 一 (yī) in the Qing Dynasty.


この

/kokono/ → /kono/
Abbreviation of Old Japanese kokono (“nine”).

ひい、ふう、みい、よう、いつ、むう、なな、やあ、この、とお。

Hī, fū, mī, yō, itsu, mū, nana, yā, kono, tō.


九

九 (canonical)
kyū (romanization)
kiu (romanization)
きう (hiragana historical)

From Middle Chinese 九 (MC kjuwX). The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing. Borrowed after palatalization occurred in Middle Chinese. Compare modern Hakka 九 (giu³).


九

From Early Middle Chinese 九 (MC kjuwX). The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.


九

From Old Japanese from Proto-Japonic *kəkənə.
First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE.


九

/kokono/ → /kono/
Abbreviation of Old Japanese 九 (kokono, “nine”).

ひい、ふう、みい、…なな、やあ、この、とお


七

From Old Japanese 七 (nana), ultimately from Proto-Japonic *nana.


四

⟨yo₂⟩ → */jə/ → /jo/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *yə.
In modern Japanese, Japonic よ (yo) is more common than Sinitic し (shi, see Etymology 3) outside fixed compounds, which is similar to 七(なな) (nana) but different from other numerals. The reason may be a superstitious connection to 死(し) (shi), or simply avoiding confusion with similar sounding 一(いち) (ichi) and 七(しち) (shichi).


四

Shift from yo above, influenced by analogy by the final sound of preceding number 三 (san, “three”). The most common form as a stand-alone number.


四

/si/ → /ɕi/
From Middle Chinese 四 (MC siɪᴴ).
Compare modern Hakka 四 (si).


四

四(スー) • (sū)

小四喜

四喜和 (sūshīhō)

大四喜

四喜和 (sūshīhō)


三

*/sam/ → /samu/ → /saɴ/
From Middle Chinese 三 (MC sam|samH). Compare modern Mandarin 三 (sān).
In Old Japanese, this kanji was used phonetically to transcribe さむ (samu).


三

Borrowing from Mandarin 三 (sān), with the pitch accent different from etymology 1.


三

⟨mi₁⟩ → /mi/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *mi.
Likely an apophonic form of 六 (mu, “six”), compare 四 (yo, “four”) with 八 (ya, “eight”).

一、二、三、四、[…]


三

三(みい) • (mī)

一、二、三、四、五、六、七、八、九、十

hī, fū, mī, yō, itsu, mū, nā, yā, kō, tō

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten


兆

兆(ちょう) • (chō)

5000兆円欲しい！


京

10,000,000,000,000,000, 10¹⁶, (US) ten quadrillion, (UK) ten thousand billion


参

/samʉ/ → /saɴ/
From Middle Chinese 參 (MC sam).

(law) Financial form of 三 (san): 3, three


垓

A number of 10²⁰ in modern Japanese since 17th century.


廿

廿 (canonical)
nijū (romanization)
nizifu (romanization)
にじふ (hiragana historical)

(dated) Alternative spelling of 二十 (nijū): twenty, 20


澗

undecillion, a number of 10³⁶ in modern Japanese since 17th century.


溝

溝(こう) • (kō)

[from 17th c.] a hundred nonillion, equivalent to 10³²


正

A number of ten-duodecillion (10⁴⁰) in modern Japanese since 17th century.

5, as tally marks. Similar to four vertical lines followed by a slanted horizontal line crossing through them, this character is used to count to 5 stroke by stroke. Thus this kanji written up to the third stroke represents 3. After the fifth and final stroke, when this character is completed, one starts writing this character again to count to higher numbers.


正

正(しょう) • (shō)


秭

A trillion trillion, 10²⁴, or a septillion of modern English in modern Japanese since 17th century.


穣

A number of 10²⁸ in modern Japanese since 17th century.


ゼロ

Daijirin
Japanese numerals#Formal numbers

From English zero, or French zéro. The kanji spelling is ateji.

ライフがゼロ

コミュ力ゼロ

utterly incompetent at talking to people

(informal) Used to refer to something measurable being absent or missing.


二十

二十 (canonical)
nijū (romanization)
nizifu (romanization)
にじふ (hiragana historical)


二十

Believed to be cognate with 果(は)て (hate, “end”), with 20 signifying the "limit" of one person's counting ability using two feet and two hands. Already in declining use by the Heian period in favour of 二十(にじゅう) (nijū). Note also Ainu ホッ (hot, “twenty”).

ja-r

二十(にじゅう) (nijū)


二十

ja-noun

二十(ふたそじ) • (futasoji) ^(←ふたそぢ (futasodi)?)

二十 (canonical)
futasoji (romanization)
futasodi (romanization)
ふたそぢ (hiragana historical)


二百五

二百五 (canonical)
nihyaku go (romanization)

[ɲ̟iça̠kɯ̟ɡo̞]

Last: 二百四, 204

Next: 二百六, 206


十一

[d͡ʑɨːit͡ɕi]


十垓

十 (じゅう, jū: “ten”) + 垓 (がい, gai: “10²⁰”)

A trillion billion, 10²¹, or a sextillion of modern English in modern Japanese since Edo period.


一澗

一 (いち, ichi: “one”) + 澗 (かん, kan: “10³⁶”)

undecillion, 10³⁶, or a sextillion of dated British or Australian English, in modern Japanese since 17th century.


百正

百 (ひゃく, hyaku: “hundred”) + 正 (せい, sei: “10⁴⁰”)

A billion quintillion, 10⁴², or a septillion of dated British or Australian English, in modern Japanese since 17th century.


一穣

一(いち) (ichi, “one”) + 穣(じょう) (jō, “10²⁸”)

ja-compound

10²⁸ in modern Japanese since 17th century.


十二

十二 (canonical)
jūni (romanization)
zifuni (romanization)
じふに (hiragana historical)


五十

五十 (canonical)
gojū (romanization)
gozifu (romanization)
ごじふ (hiragana historical)

/ɡoʑipu/ → /ɡoʑifu/ → /ɡoʑɨu/ → /ɡoʑuː/
From Middle Chinese compound 五十 (MC nguX dzyip).


五十

⟨i so₁⟩ → */isʷo/ → /iso/
Compound of Old Japanese elements 五(い) (i, “five”, combining form) + 十(そ) (so, “ten”).

岩の上の松の梢に降る雪はいそかへり降れ後までも見む

10th century, Kokin Waka Rokujō (book 1, volume 2, poem 725)

iwa no ue ni matsu no kozue ni furu yuku wa isokaeri fure nochi made mo min


五十

五十 (canonical)
isoji (romanization)
isodi (romanization)
いそぢ (hiragana historical)

Compound of 五十(いそ) (iso, “fifty”, see above) + 路(ち) (-chi, "road" → counter for length of time). The chi changes to ji (historical di) as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Alternative spelling of 五十路 (isoji): fifty, 50


五十

Shift from iso (see above), used in many compounds.
Already attested in Old Japanese as 借訓 (shakkun) kana for ⟨i⟩.

Combining form of いそ (iso) above: fifty, 50


十三

ja-pos

十(じゅう)三(さん) • (jūsan) ^(←じふさん (zifusan)?)

十三 (canonical)
jūsan (romanization)
zifusan (romanization)
じふさん (hiragana historical)

十三回忌

十三回忌 じゅうさんかいき

十三階段

十三階段 じゅうさんかいだん

十三経

十三経 じゅうさんぎょう


二十一

[ɲ̟iʑɨːit͡ɕi]


十八

[d͡ʑɨːha̠t͡ɕi]


十九

十(じゅう)九(きゅう) • (jūkyū)


十四

十(じゅう)四(し) or 十(じゅう)四(よん) • (jūshi or jūyon)

十四 (canonical)
十四 (canonical)
jūshi (romanization)
jūyon (romanization)


十六

[d͡ʑɨːɾo̞kɯ̟]


十七

ja-noun

十(じゅう)七(しち) or 十(じゅう)七(なな) • (jūshichi or jūnana)

十七 (canonical)
十七 (canonical)
jūshichi (romanization)
jūnana (romanization)

[d͡ʑɨːɕit͡ɕi]


九十

九(きゅう)十(じゅう) • (kyūjū) ^(←きうじふ (kiuzifu)?)

九十 (canonical)
kyūjū (romanization)
kiuzifu (romanization)
きうじふ (hiragana historical)
九十 (canonical)
kujū (romanization)
kuzifu (romanization)
くじふ (hiragana historical)


八十

ja-pos

八(はち)十(じゅう) or 八(や)十(そ) • (hachijū or yaso)

八十 (canonical)
八十 (canonical)
hachijū (romanization)
yaso (romanization)

[ha̠t͡ɕiʑɨː]


八十八

八十八 (canonical)
hachijūhachi (romanization)


四十

四十 (canonical)
shijū (romanization)
sizifu (romanization)
しじふ (hiragana historical)

[jõ̞ɲ̟d͡ʑɨː]


四十

四(よん)十(じゅう) • (yonjū) ^(←よんじふ (yonzifu)?)

四十 (canonical)
yonjū (romanization)
yonzifu (romanization)
よんじふ (hiragana historical)

[jõ̞ɲ̟d͡ʑɨː]


四十

[jõ̞ɲ̟d͡ʑɨː]


四十

四十 (canonical)
yosoji (romanization)
yosodi (romanization)
よそぢ (hiragana historical)

[jõ̞ɲ̟d͡ʑɨː]


六十

六(ろく)十(じゅう) • (rokujū) ^(←ろくじふ (rokuzifu)?)

六十 (canonical)
rokujū (romanization)
rokuzifu (romanization)
ろくじふ (hiragana historical)

Compound of 六 (roku, “six”) + 十 (jū, “ten”)


六十

Compound of 六 (mu, “six”) + 十 (so, “ten”).


六十

六十 (canonical)
musoji (romanization)
musodi (romanization)
むそぢ (hiragana historical)

Compound of 六十 (muso, “sixty”) + 路 (-ji, suffix).


やお

yao (romanization)
yafo (romanization)
やほ (hiragana historical)


二十三

[ɲ̟iʑɨːsã̠ɴ]


二十九

ja-noun

二(に)十(じゅう)九(きゅう) • (nijūkyū) ^(←にじふきう (nizifukiu)?)

二十九 (canonical)
nijūkyū (romanization)
nizifukiu (romanization)
にじふきう (hiragana historical)

[ɲ̟iʑɨːkʲɨː]


二十六

[ɲ̟iʑɨːɾo̞kɯ̟]

[ɲ̟iʑɨːɾo̞kɯ̟]


二十七

二(に)十(じゅう)七(しち) or 二(に)十(じゅう)七(なな) • (nijūshichi or nijūnana)

二十七 (canonical)
二十七 (canonical)
nijūshichi (romanization)
nijūnana (romanization)

[ɲ̟iʑɨːɕit͡ɕi]

[ɲ̟iʑɨːna̠na̠]


二十八

二十八 (canonical)
nijūhachi (romanization)

[ɲ̟iʑɨːha̠t͡ɕi]


二十四

二(に)十(じゅう)四(し) or 二(に)十(じゅう)四(よん) • (nijūshi or nijūyon)

二十四 (canonical)
二十四 (canonical)
nijūshi (romanization)
nijūyon (romanization)

[ɲ̟iʑɨːjõ̞ɴ]


三六

三六、十八。


六十六

ja-pos

六(ろく)十(じゅう)六(ろく) • (rokujūroku) ^(←ろくじふろく (rokuzifuroku)?)

六十六 (canonical)
rokujūroku (romanization)
rokuzifuroku (romanization)
ろくじふろく (hiragana historical)

[ɾo̞kɯ̟ʑɨː ɾo̞kɯ̟]

Ultimately from Middle Chinese 六十六 (MC ljuwk dzyip ljuwk).


九十二

ja-noun

九(きゅう)十(じゅう)二(に) or 九(く)十(じゅう)二(に) • (kyūjūni or kujūni)

九十二 (canonical)
九十二 (canonical)
kyūjūni (romanization)
kujūni (romanization)

[kʲɨːʑɨːɲ̟i]


三十三

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːsã̠ɴ]


三十一

三十一 (canonical)
sanjūichi (romanization)

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːit͡ɕi]


三十二

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːɲ̟i]


三十五

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːɡo̞]


三十九

三(さん)十(じゅう)九(きゅう) • (sanjūkyū)

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːkʲɨː]


三十七

三(さん)十(じゅう)七(しち) or 三(さん)十(じゅう)七(なな) • (sanjūshichi or sanjūnana)

三十七 (canonical)
三十七 (canonical)
sanjūshichi (romanization)
sanjūnana (romanization)

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːɕit͡ɕi]

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːna̠na̠]


三十六

三十六 (canonical)
sanjūroku (romanization)

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːɾo̞kɯ̟]


四十一

四(よん)十(じゅう)一(いち) or 四(し)十(じゅう)一(いち) • (yonjūichi or shijūichi)

四十一 (canonical)
四十一 (canonical)
yonjūichi (romanization)
shijūichi (romanization)

[jõ̞ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːit͡ɕi]

[ɕiʑɨːit͡ɕi]


三十八

三十八 (canonical)
sanjūhachi (romanization)

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːha̠t͡ɕi]


三十四

三(さん)十(じゅう)四(し) or 三(さん)十(じゅう)四(よん) • (sanjūshi or sanjūyon)

三十四 (canonical)
三十四 (canonical)
sanjūshi (romanization)
sanjūyon (romanization)

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːɕi]

[sã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑɨːjõ̞ɴ]


五十六

[ɡo̞ʑɨːɾo̞kɯ̟]


五十六

From 五十 (iso, “fifty, 50”, kun'yomi or native Japanese reading) + 六 (roku, “six, 6”, on'yomi or Chinese-derived reading).


四六

四六時中


ちよろず

chiyorozu (romanization)
tyorodu (romanization)
ちよろづ (hiragana historical)


七/derived terms

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

Derived terms
* 七色(なないろ) (nanairo, “seven prismatic colors”)
* 七(なな)重(え) (nanae)
* 七(なの)日(か) (nanoka)
** 七(なな)七(なの)日(か) (nanananoka)
* 七(ナナ)竈(カマド) (nanakamado)
* 七(なな)草(くさ) (nanakusa)
* 七(なな)子(こ) (nanako)
* 七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き (nana korobi ya oki)
* 七(なな)光(ひかり) (nanahikari)
* 七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) (nanafushigi)
* 七(なな)夜(よ) (nanayo)

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese

七転(ななころ)び八起(やお)き 七転び八起き#Japanese

七(なな)不思議(ふしぎ) 七不思議#Japanese