助数詞
Japanese edit
Etymology edit
Kanji in this term | ||
---|---|---|
助 | 数 | 詞 |
じょ Grade: 3 |
すう Grade: 2 |
し Grade: 6 |
on’yomi |
Alternative spelling |
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助數詞 (kyūjitai) |
助 (jo, “help”) + 数詞 (sūshi, “numeral”)
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
Usage notes edit
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, 匹 (hiki) is the counter for small animals:
- 犬二匹
- inu nihiki
- "two dogs" (literally "dog two-small-animal")
See also edit
- 類別詞 (ruibetsushi)
References edit
- ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006) 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- ^ 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), Tōkyō: NHK Publishing, →ISBN
- ^ Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997) 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- 2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN.