Japanese
Lesson 112: Counting objects and the flat object counter 枚
The counter 枚
The counter 枚 is used to count flat, thin objects like paper, photographs and plates. Note in the table below that when using the counter 枚 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.
Japanese | Hiragana reading |
---|---|
one flat, thin object | 一枚 itimai |
two flat, thin objects | 二枚 nimai |
three flat, thin objects | 三枚 sanmai |
four flat, thin objects | 四枚 yonmai |
five flat, thin objects | 五枚 gomai |
six flat, thin objects | 六枚 rokumai |
seven flat, thin objects | 七枚 nanamai |
eight flat, thin objects | 八枚 hatimai |
nine flat, thin objects | 九枚 kyuumai |
ten flat, thin objects | 十枚 zyuumai |
Using counters to count objects
When counting objects we can place the counter after the object we are counting.
I want three photos. | 写真 三枚 が ほしい です。 syasin sanmai ga hosii desu. |
There are four plates. | 皿 四枚 が あります。 sara yonmai ga arimasu. |