Counting objects and the flat object counter 枚

The counter 枚

The counter まい is used to count flat, thin objects like paper, photographs and plates. Note in the table below that when using the counter まい after a numeral, no phonetic change occurs. In fact, for all counters starting with an m sound, no phonetic change occurs when they are preceded by a numeral.

JapaneseHiragana reading
one flat, thin object
いちまいichimai
two flat, thin objects
まいnimai
three flat, thin objects
さんまいsanmai
four flat, thin objects
よんまいyonmai
five flat, thin objects
まいgomai
six flat, thin objects
ろくまいrokumai
seven flat, thin objects
ななまいnanamai
eight flat, thin objects
はちまいhachimai
nine flat, thin objects
きゅうまいkyuumai
ten flat, thin objects
じゅうまいjuumai

Using counters to count objects

When counting objects we can place the counter after the object we are counting.

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