When you read the 〜つ article, you'll learn that 〜つ can also be used to count shadows-and, in this case, is actually the Japanese counter we'd recommend. This is where things get a little confusing.

There are five puddles in the parking lot.

And you can use 〜つ in these situations, too, depending on your preference.

Although certain shapes use more specific counters, such as 枚 for flat things and 本 for long things, 個 can be substituted for most of these and still make perfect sense. Things that have a three-dimensional shape can be counted with 個. To learn about pronunciation changes when combined with numbers, you can always take a look at our Japanese Counters guide. Pronunciation of Japanese Counter 個īefore taking a closer look, spend some time with the pronunciation table to learn how to count using 個. In our example sentences and explanations, we equally use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) and Japanese kanji (一, 二, 三), since both are quite common in Japanese. Knowing the kanji for numbers will help, too. We'll mention the 'kango/wago/gairaigo counting method,' and you can learn about all three of these Japanese numbering systems in our Counting in Japanese article. Make sure you know how to read hiragana and katakana. Prerequisite: If you're completely new to Japanese counters, we recommend you learn the basics first. Let's Wrap This Up and Go Out for Ice Cream KOnes.

You'll see quite a bit of overlap, though, and because of that we recommend you read about the 〜つ counter (if you haven't already) soon after finishing this lesson. One main point to start with: although less versatile, 個 is similar in use-and usefulness-to the 〜つ counter. In old Japanese writings, you may come across the kanji 箇 instead of 個 to mean the same thing-these days, however, 個 is preferred. It can count a huge number of things that generally have a clear boundary (though more on that in a moment). The Japanese counter 個 (こ/ko) is one of the most useful counters you will learn.

The Japanese counter 個 (こ) is one of the most useful counters you will learn.

Onigiri pronunciation