助数詞

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Japanese

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Etymology

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Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia ja
Kanji in this term
じょ
Grade: 3
すう
Grade: 2

Grade: 6
on'yomi
Alternative spelling
助數詞 (kyūjitai)

(jo, help) +‎ 数詞 (sūshi, numeral)

Pronunciation

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Noun

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(じょ)(すう)() (josūshi

  1. (grammar) counter word, a Japanese part of speech

Usage notes

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In Japanese, numerals cannot quantify nouns by themselves, except in certain cases for the numbers from one to ten (and then only using the forms ending in -tsu, such as hitotsu or futatsu). Instead, 助数詞 (counter words) are used after the number to count objects and events.

For example, (hiki) is the counter for small animals:

  • 犬二(いぬに)(ひき)
    inu nihiki
    "two dogs" (literally "dog two-small-animal")

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
  3. ^ Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  • 2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN.