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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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