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Counting Units

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FrankenBeenz

Counting Units

Post by FrankenBeenz »

I'm just curious about counting unit particles in Japanese. My workbook basically just presents the various ones in their respective categories but that's about it.

For example, with long and thin items, what's the way to know whether I should use ほん、ぼん、or ぽん?

I feel like I'm just overlooking the answer but it doesn't hurt to ask anyway

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OCgXt4Pu
Poland

Re: Counting Units

Post by OCgXt4Pu »

ほん、ぼん、ぽん are different forms of the same ほん.
It's an euphonic change that depends only on the numeral that comes before it.

It is いっぽん (1本)、にほん(2本)、さんぼん (3本)、よんほん (4本)、ごほん (5本)、ろっぽん (6本)、ななほん (7本)、はちほん or はっぽん (8本)、きゅうほん (9本)、じゅっぽん (10本)、ひゃっぽん (100本)、せんぼん (1000本). Some other counters, e.g. 匹 (ひき) or 分 (ふん), behave similarly (さんびき、さんぶん、etc).
When in doubt, it's probably best to check them on some explicit list like https://accent.u-biq.org/counter1.html (there are probably better ones).

FrankenBeenz

Re: Counting Units

Post by FrankenBeenz »

OCgXt4Pu wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 6:36 am

ほん、ぼん、ぽん are different forms of the same ほん.
It's an euphonic change that depends only on the numeral that comes before it.

It is いっぽん (1本)、にほん(2本)、さんぼん (3本)、よんほん (4本)、ごほん (5本)、ろっぽん (6本)、ななほん (7本)、はちほん or はっぽん (8本)、きゅうほん (9本)、じゅっぽん (10本)、ひゃっぽん (100本)、せんぼん (1000本). Some other counters, e.g. 匹 (ひき) or 分 (ふん), behave similarly (さんびき、さんぶん、etc).
When in doubt, it's probably best to check them on some explicit list like https://accent.u-biq.org/counter1.html (there are probably better ones).

Alright, thanks for all that. Lots to take in but I'm loving the journey through a new language.
ありがてうございます

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