{"id":16,"date":"2008-12-11T21:51:07","date_gmt":"2008-12-12T01:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/japanese\/?p=16"},"modified":"2008-12-11T21:51:07","modified_gmt":"2008-12-12T01:51:07","slug":"suuji-%e3%81%99%e3%81%86%e3%81%98","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/japanese\/suuji-%e3%81%99%e3%81%86%e3%81%98\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese Numbers: Suuji (\u3059\u3046\u3058)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning Japanese suuji (\u3059\u3046\u3058<\/strong>) or numerals can be confusing and daunting at the same time.\u00a0 In particular, the number four can pose some tricky problems.\u00a0 Do not fear, I’m here to save the day!\u00a0 Aren’t you glad I’m here!\u00a0 Haha, just kidding.\u00a0 Let’s go on with our discussion of numbers.<\/p>\n

For starters, the numeral four can be pronounced in three different ways.\u00a0 It can be pronounced as yon (\u3088\u3093<\/strong>), shi (\u3057<\/strong>) and yo (\u3088<\/strong>).\u00a0<\/p>\n

When you want to say four o’clock in Japanese, you have to use yo (\u3088<\/strong>).\u00a0 Next, add the counter or word for o’clock to the number four, and you have the word for four o’clock.\u00a0 Altogether it’s going to sound something like this: yoji (\u3088\u3058<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

Let’s say you want to say four minutes in Japanese.\u00a0 Unfortunately you can’t use yo (\u3088<\/strong>) to designate the four in four minutes.\u00a0 You have to use yon (\u3088\u3093<\/strong>).\u00a0 Add the counter for minutes, and you get yonpun (\u3088\u3093\u3077\u3093<\/strong>).\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you want to say\u00a0April (as in the month)\u00a0in Japanese, you can’t use yo (\u3088<\/strong>) or yon (\u3088\u3093<\/strong>).\u00a0 You gotta use shi (\u3057<\/strong>).\u00a0 The months are named after the ordinal numbers in Japanese.\u00a0 Since April is the fourth month out of the year, it’s going to be named after the numeral four.\u00a0 Add the counter for month gatsu (\u304c\u3064<\/strong>) to the shi (\u3057<\/strong>) and you get shigatsu (\u3057\u304c\u3064<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

The number four is really an interesting number.\u00a0 It’s also a source of superstition for the Japanese people.\u00a0 The word ‘death’ is actually pronounced as shi (\u3057<\/strong>).\u00a0 In some hospitals, the entire fourth floor is omitted.\u00a0 In some elevators as well, the fourth floor is omitted; with the fifth floor following the third floor.\u00a0 Since the number four reminds people of the word ‘death,’ Japanese people feel that the number four may bring bad luck.\u00a0 If you’re planning on giving gifts this holiday season, try to avoid giving a gift in fours.\u00a0 I’m actually\u00a0planning on attending a wedding this year and giving a set of dishes as a present.\u00a0 Instead of giving the dishes in a set of four, I’m going to present it in a set of five.\u00a0 A set of three would also work as well, just as long as it’s not four.<\/p>\n

Ok, well that’s it for today.\u00a0 Expect more posts in the future!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Learning Japanese suuji (\u3059\u3046\u3058) or numerals can be confusing and daunting at the same time.\u00a0 In particular, the number four can pose some tricky problems.\u00a0 Do not fear, I’m here to save the day!\u00a0 Aren’t you glad I’m here!\u00a0 Haha, just kidding.\u00a0 Let’s go on with our discussion of numbers. For starters, the numeral four…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2756,2800],"class_list":["post-16","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-grammar","tag-japanese-numbers","tag-number-4"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t