What are Japanese numerals?

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What are Japanese numerals?

Japanese numerals are the number systems used in the Japanese language. There are two main sets of numerals in Japanese: the native Japanese numerals and the Sino-Japanese numerals.

The native Japanese numerals are used for counting objects and are primarily used in informal situations. They are based on a decimal system and include the numbers from one to ten: ichi (1), ni (2), san (3), yon or shi (4), go (5), roku (6), shichi or nana (7), hachi (8), kyū or ku (9), and jū (10). These native Japanese numerals can be combined to form larger numbers by simply adding them together.

On the other hand, the Sino-Japanese numerals are derived from Chinese characters and are used in formal situations, such as when counting money, telling time, or giving addresses. They are also used for large numbers. The Sino-Japanese numerals include the numbers from one to ten: ichi (一), ni (二), san (三), shi (四), go (五), roku (六), shichi (七), hachi (八), kyū (九), and jū (十). These numerals can also be combined to form larger numbers, but they follow a different counting system compared to the native Japanese numerals.

It is important to note that there are some exceptions and variations in the usage of Japanese numerals, depending on the context and the specific counting situation.