Japanese Number Converter
Convert numbers into Japanese kanji, hiragana, and romaji readings. Supports values up to 999,999,999.
Explore the Character Converter hub →When to Use This Converter
Writing Prices and Amounts in Japanese
When writing receipts, invoices, contracts, or price tags in Japanese, numbers must be written in kanji for formal documents. This converter helps you write amounts correctly, especially important for legal and business documents where accuracy is critical.
Reading Japanese Addresses and Phone Numbers
Japanese addresses, phone numbers, and postal codes often use kanji numerals in formal contexts. Understanding how to read and write these numbers helps with filling out forms, reading mail, and communicating addresses accurately.
Understanding Japanese Dates and Years
Japanese dates can be written with kanji numbers, especially in traditional contexts or formal documents. Converting numbers helps read historical dates, calendar dates in kanji form, and understand era year numbering.
Learning Japanese Number Pronunciation
Japanese numbers have special readings (like さんびゃく for 300 instead of さんひゃく) that aren't immediately obvious. This tool helps learners see correct kanji, hiragana, and romaji forms side-by-side for proper pronunciation practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Japanese numbers different from English?
Japanese groups numbers by 10,000 (万 - man) instead of by 1,000 like English. For example, 10,000 is 一万 (ichi-man), not 'ten thousand'. Large numbers use 億 (oku = 100 million) and 兆 (chou = trillion). This different grouping affects how numbers are read and written, making direct word-for-word translation tricky.
What are the special pronunciations for certain numbers?
Some numbers have irregular readings due to phonetic changes (rendaku). For example: 300 is さんびゃく (sanbyaku) not さんひゃく, 600 is ろっぴゃく (roppyaku), 800 is はっぴゃく (happyaku), 3000 is さんぜん (sanzen), and 8000 is はっせん (hassen). These are exceptions you must memorize for natural Japanese pronunciation.
When should I use kanji vs hiragana vs romaji for numbers?
Kanji (漢字) is used in formal writing, legal documents, checks, and traditional contexts. Hiragana (ひらがな) is used when teaching pronunciation or when kanji would be too formal. Romaji (ローマ字) is primarily for learning or when explaining pronunciation to non-Japanese speakers. In everyday modern Japanese, Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) are actually most common.
How do I say zero in Japanese?
Zero can be expressed as 零 (rei), ゼロ (zero), or まる (maru - literally 'circle'). 零 is formal/mathematical, ゼロ is common in everyday speech, and まる is often used for reading out phone numbers or saying '0' in sports scores. The choice depends on context.
Why does this converter only go up to 999,999,999?
This covers the most common practical use cases through 億 (hundred million). Numbers beyond this become increasingly rare in everyday use. For extremely large numbers, Japanese uses 兆 (trillion), 京 (quadrillion), and beyond, but these are primarily used in scientific, economic, or astronomical contexts.
Tips for Best Results
💡For Beginners
Learn the Counter Units
Japanese uses different counter words depending on what you're counting (people: 人, things: 個, animals: 匹, etc.). This number converter gives you the base number, but you'll need to add the appropriate counter for complete phrases like '三人' (san-nin, 3 people) or '五本' (go-hon, 5 cylindrical objects).
🚀Advanced Tips
Understand the 万 (Man) System
The key difference from English is grouping by 10,000s. 10,000 = 一万 (ichi-man), 100,000 = 十万 (juu-man), 1,000,000 = 百万 (hyaku-man). Practice thinking in 万 units rather than translating from thousands. This mental shift is crucial for fluency with large Japanese numbers.
Remember Special Readings
Memorize the irregular pronunciations: 300, 600, 800 for hundreds; 3000, 8000 for thousands. These aren't logical - they evolved for easier pronunciation (euphony). Flash cards or repetition exercises help cement these exceptions in memory.
⚠️Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't Mix Number Systems
A common mistake is writing numbers like '5万3千' (5 man 3 thousand) when you mean 53,000. In Japanese, 53,000 = 五万三千 (go-man san-zen), which is '5 ten-thousands and 3 thousands'. Keep the grouping consistent within the 万 system to avoid confusion.
Practice Reading, Not Just Converting
Don't just convert and copy. Practice reading the kanji, hiragana, and romaji output aloud. Japanese number fluency requires hearing yourself say them correctly, not just seeing the written form. The pronunciation patterns will become natural with verbal practice.
How the Conversion Works
- Numbers group by 10,000 in Japanese (万) instead of 1,000.
- Special readings apply to 300 (さんびゃく), 600 (ろっぴゃく), and 800 (はっぴゃく).
- Use this tool with counters like 人 (people) or 本 (long objects) for full phrases.