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COUNTING
IN JAPANESE
Start
at the beginning
In most dojo's
today, despite the various local languages that may be
spoken in the surrounding area, the language of the dojo
will often include some Japanese. One of the most
frequent times that Japanese will likely be spoken is
when the Sensei or one of the senior students is counting
out loud. In fact learning to count in Japanese is really
quite simple, and since these commands are used often,
and repeated over and over again, at least up to the
number ten, you are bound to catch on quickly.
Now if you are ever
asked to count during the course of a class try to do so
in Japanese, and always be sure and do so in a loud firm
voice so that all those present in the dojo can clearly
hear you, but be sure not to shout in an unseemly, or
disrespectful manner. If you are counting to keep the
rhythm to standing punches for example, always remember
to count before
you punch, not during, or after your technique is
finished, this will help to keep both you and the class
at a synchronized pace.
In order to learn
count up to ninety-nine all you really need to know are
the Japanese terms for the numbers 1 through 10 - after
that it is just a matter of remembering to combine these
numbers in a specific sequence to get the desired result.
The numbers from
one to ten are pronounced as follows:
one
|
ichi |
| two |
ni |
| three |
san |
| four |
shi |
| five |
go |
| six |
roku |
| seven |
shichi |
| eight |
hachi |
| nine |
kyu |
| ten |
ju |
-
- Above ten the
numbers are pronounced differently: for example the
number 11 in Japanese is translated as "10 plus
1"
| eleven |
ju ichi |
| twelve |
ju ni |
| thirteen |
ju san |
| fourteen |
ju shi |
| fifteen |
ju go |
| sixteen |
ju roku |
| seventeen |
ju shichi |
| eighteen |
ju hachi |
| nineteen |
ju kyu |
-
- Above the number
twenty the numbers are again pronounced in a slightly
different manner. For example the number 20 in Japanese
translates as "2 - 10's" and continuing on
therefore, the number 21 would be considered as "2 -
10's plus 1"
| twenty |
ni ju |
| twenty-one |
ni juichi |
| twenty-two |
ni juni |
- and so on - all the
way up to the number 99.
-
- For example the
number 56 would be "5 - 10's plus
6" - or - "gojuroku" - the number 61
would then be "6 - 10's plus
1" - or - "rokujuichi" and so on and so
on.
-
- The number 100 is
pronounced as "hyaku" so counting above
100 is basically just a matter of adding the word "hyaku" in the appropriate
place and then following the same general principle for
example the number 150 is pronounced as "hyakugoju".
-
- So give it a try,
and learn to count with confidence, at least up to the
number ten, since you will find that in most dojos the
"count" during class will normally only go up
to ten, at which point the count usually starts over
again at the number one, with this pattern repeating it's
self as often as maybe required by the sensei or senior
sempai.
-
- You just never
know, one day you may find that you too are asked to
count out loud for the benefit of the rest of the class,
at which point being able to do so in Japanese just may
make your task that much more interesting, and enjoyable.
-
-
- Part
the clouds - see the way.
-
- "The
objective of karate-do is to contribute to the evolution
- of
the human spirit through physical and mental training."
- Sensei
Peter Lindsay
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