first
イチ ICHI イツ ITSU ひと hito ひと • つ hito(tsu)
The character 一, a single line, indicates the number one.
GR1 N5 AP
Example Sentences
1. コピーを一枚とって。
Kopii o ichimai totte.
Make one copy of this!
2. 彼はいつも電車の一番前に乗る。
Kare wa itsumo densha no ichiban mae ni noru.
He always rides in the very front of the train.
3. 私は一週間に二回外食する。
Watashi wa isshūkan ni nikai gaishoku suru.
I eat out twice a week.
4. 一休みしましよう。
Hitoyasumi shimashō.
Let's take a break.
5. みかんを一つもらいました。
Mikan o hitotsu moraimashita.
I was given a (one) mandarin.
| Common Compounds and Phrases | ||
| 一枚 | ichimai | one (sheet, slice) |
| 一番 | ichiban | the first; the most |
| 一週間 | isshūkan | one week |
| 一休み | hitoyasumi | a rest, a break |
| *一日 | tsuitachi; ichinichi | the first day of the month; one day |
| *一人 | hitori | one person |
2
九
nine
キュウ KYŪ ク KU ここの • つ kokono(tsu) ここの kokono
The character 九 depicted a bent elbow, an ancient way of indicating the number nine.
GR1 N5 AP
Example Sentences
1. 鉛筆が九本そこにあります。
Enpitsu ga kyūhon soko ni arimasu.
There are nine pencils there.
2. 彼は九死に一生をえた。
Kare wa kyūshi ni isshō o eta.
He narrowly escaped death.
3. 東京まで九時間かかった。
Tōkyō made kujikan kakatta.
It took me nine hours to get to Tokyo.
4. 袋にあめが九つ入っていた。
Fukuro ni ame ga kokonotsu haitte ita.
There were nine pieces of candy in the paper bag.
5. 九日から授業が始まる。
Kokonoka kara jugyō ga hajimaru.
Classes begin on the ninth of the month.
| Common Compounds and Phrases | ||
| 九本 | kyūhon | nine (long, thin cylindrical objects) |
| 九ヶ月 | kyūkagetsu | nine months |
| 九時間 | kujikan | nine hours |
| 九月 | kugatsu | September |
| 九九 | kuku | multiplication (times) table |
| 九日 | kokonoka | nine days; the ninth day of the month |
3
七
seven
シチ SHICHI なな nana なな • つ nana(tsu) *なの nano
The character 七，represented an ancient way of signaling seven, using the hands. Think of this character as a combination of five fingers and two.
GR1 N5 AP
Example Sentences
1. 七月七日は七夕です。
Shichigatsu nanoka wa tanabata desu.
July 7 is the Tanabata Festival.
2. この本は七千円しました。
Kono hon wa nanasen-en shimashita.
This book cost seven thousand yen.
3. 七つ目の駅で降りてください。
Nanatsume no eki de orite kudasai.
Please get off at the seventh station.
4. 一週間は七日です。
Isshūkan wa nanoka desu.
There are seven days in a week.
5. あの歌手は七色の声をもっている。
Ano kashu wa nanairo no koe o motte iru.
That singer can use many different voices.
| Common Compounds and Phrases | ||
| 七月 | shichigatsu | July |
| 七時 | shichiji | seven o'clock |
| 七五三 | shichigosan | festival (November 15) for children aged 3, 5 and 7 |
| 七千 | nanasen | seven thousand |
| 七つ目 | nanatsume | the seventh (one) |
| *七日 | nanoka | seven days; the seventh day of the month |
| *七夕 | Tanabata | the Tanabata (Star) Festival |
4
十
ten
ジユウ JŪ ジッ JI' とお to と to
In the character 十, 一 represents east-west, while I represents north-south; thus, 十 signifies all directions. The idea of complete and the association of the number ten derived from this meaning.
GR1 N5 AP
