Japanese Numeration

The table below presents the various ways of writing the Nombre S in Japanese. The Japanese numeral system is copied on the Chinese model. The Sinogramme S remained identical besides, in the writing Kanji.

For the figure four, し ( shi ) is used less because it means also death 死.

Once one knows this table, it is enough to put side by side the kanji to build the numbers. A difference lies in the fact that one gathers the figures by 4 and not by 3.

Examples:

  • 15: 十五 ( jū go )
  • 137: 百三十七 ( hyaku san-jū chick )
  • 1975: 千九百七十五 ( SEN kyū-hyaku chick-jū go )
  • 150.000: 十五万 ( jū go man ) and not 百五十千

In Japanese, word zero is never used for an entirety higher than 0, and this, contrary to Chinese who asks for the use of 零 everywhere where there is a group of zeros, for example 三百零二 for 302. In the same way, the word one never appears in front of ten, the hundred or the thousand: if 11 is written Japanese 十一 as in Chinese, 111 is written 百十一 (instead of Chinese 一百一十一), and 1111 is written 千百十一 (instead of 一千一百一十). It is in fact the former use of Chinese who preserved itself in the modern Japanese language.

Today, the Arab numerals are largely used in Japanese language. The kanji are to be compared with the writing in letters in the languages based on a Alphabet. Curiously, contrary the made-to-order to read the numbers (“ten myriads” for 100.000), the numbers are written as in English, the figures being gathered by groups of three separated by commas.

Powers of 10

Great numbers

The very great numbers are created by grouping the figures by four (all 10.000) rather than by three (1000) as it is the case in the Western countries: Examples: (separation by groups of four digits is given for more clearness)
  • 1 `0000: 一万 ( ichi-man )
  • 983 `6703: 九百八十三万六千七百三 ( kyū-hyaku hachi-jū san man, roku-SEN chick-hyaku san )
  • 20 `3652 `1801: 二十億三千六百五十二万千八百一 ( nor-jū oku, san-Zen rop-pyaku go-jū nor-man, SEN hap-pyaku ichi )

To make that even more confused, in the modern use, the Arab numerals are written as in English and are separated by commas all the three figures while following Western convention, but while using, for their stating, the division of 4 digits Japanese woman.

Decimal fractions

Japanese has also figures for the decimal fractions, even if in general it are not used any more (except for a promotion or scores).

To represent a rate or a promotion, the following words are used: For example:

  • 一割五分引き ( ichi-wari go-drunk biki ): “15% less”

In their modern use, the decimal numbers are written with the Arab system and are read like successive figures.

Formal numbers

Lastly, the Japanese have a separate play of Kanji for the figures of the legal documents, in order to prevent the addition of a feature or two, substitute for example two by three. It is:

See too

Random links:German democratic party | Cross from Wales of football | Carole (dance) | Tamiasciurus douglasii | Erik J.S. Castrén | Alamanni