If you have learnt numbers in Chinese language, you will master numbers in Japanese language faster. The reason is that both languages use the same concepts: counting units change every four digits and the use of counters (quantifiers in Chinese language). The difference is the pronunciation. There is irregular pronunciation in Japanese language.
Let’s go to numbers starting from one hundred.
百 (ひゃく) — 100
千 (せん) — 1000
万 (まん) — 10000
Counting units change every four digits
10,000 is ten thousand in Western countries, but Japanese language has a name for the unit: 万. Thus, 100,000 is one hundred thousand in Western countries, but it is 十万 (ten 万) in Japanese language.
The use of counters
English language: two books
Chinese language: 两本书
Japanese language: 二冊本, where 二 = 2, 冊 = the counter for book and 本 = book
Just like Chinese language, you need to keep learning so that you can get yourself familiar with the use of counters.
Lesson learnt
1. Do revision.
2. Keep learning.
