N5Chapter 03

Numbers & Particles は and の

Learning objectives

  • Read and write Kanji for numbers 1-10 and large units (100, 1000, 10000).
  • Use the particle は (wa) to define the topic of a sentence.
  • Use the particle の (no) to show possession and link nouns.
  • Understand the cultural significance of numbers in Japan.
N5 context

Now that you can read the phonetic scripts, it’s time to introduce Kanji—characters that represent meanings. We’ll start with the most basic building blocks: numbers. Additionally, we will learn how to connect these words into simple sentences using Particles, the “grammatical glue” of the Japanese language.

Anime illustration of Susu holding up three fingers beside a stack of wooden blocks marked 一, 二 and 三, while Mochi the calico cat pats a block marked 十.

1. Kanji for Numbers (一 〜 十)

Japanese numbers from 1 to 10 are simple pictographs or symbols.

Kanji漢字
一
One1 strokes

On'yomi

イチ (ichi)

Kun'yomi

ひと (hito)

Examples

  • 一【いち】

    One

  • 一つ【ひとつ】

    One thing

  • 一月【いちがつ】

    January
Kanji漢字
二
Two2 strokes

On'yomi

ニ (ni)

Kun'yomi

ふた (futa)

Examples

  • 二【に】

    Two

  • 二つ【ふたつ】

    Two things

  • 二月【にがつ】

    February
Kanji漢字
三
Three3 strokes

On'yomi

サン (san)

Kun'yomi

みっ (mit)

Examples

  • 三【さん】

    Three

  • 三つ【みっつ】

    Three things

  • 三月【さんがつ】

    March
Kanji漢字
四
Four5 strokes

On'yomi

シ (shi)

Kun'yomi

よん (yon)

Examples

  • 四【よん】

    Four

  • 四つ【よっつ】

    Four things

  • 四月【しがつ】

    April
Kanji漢字
五
Five4 strokes

On'yomi

ゴ (go)

Kun'yomi

いつ (itsu)

Examples

  • 五【ご】

    Five

  • 五つ【いつつ】

    Five things

  • 五月【ごがつ】

    May
Kanji漢字
六
Six4 strokes

On'yomi

ロク (roku)

Kun'yomi

むっ (mut)

Examples

  • 六【ろく】

    Six

  • 六つ【むっつ】

    Six things

  • 六月【ろくがつ】

    June
Kanji漢字
七
Seven2 strokes

On'yomi

シチ (shichi)

Kun'yomi

なな (nana)

Examples

  • 七【なな】

    Seven

  • 七つ【ななつ】

    Seven things

  • 七月【しちがつ】

    July
Kanji漢字
八
Eight2 strokes

On'yomi

ハチ (hachi)

Kun'yomi

やっ (yat)

Examples

  • 八【はち】

    Eight

  • 八つ【やっつ】

    Eight things

  • 八月【はちがつ】

    August
Kanji漢字
九
Nine2 strokes

On'yomi

キュウ (kyuu)

Kun'yomi

ここの (kokono)

Examples

  • 九【きゅう】

    Nine

  • 九つ【ここのつ】

    Nine things

  • 九月【くがつ】

    September
Kanji漢字
十
Ten2 strokes

On'yomi

ジュウ (juu)

Kun'yomi

とお (too)

Examples

  • 十【じゅう】

    Ten

  • 十一【じゅういち】

    Eleven

  • 二十【にじゅう】

    Twenty

2. Large Numbers (百, 千, 万)

Japanese counts large numbers in units of 10,000 (万).

Kanji漢字
百
Hundred6 strokes

On'yomi

ヒャク (hyaku)

Kun'yomi

—

Examples

  • 百【ひゃく】

    One hundred

  • 三百【さんびゃく】

    Three hundred

  • 六百【ろっぴゃく】

    Six hundred
Kanji漢字
千
Thousand3 strokes

On'yomi

セン (sen)

Kun'yomi

ち (chi)

Examples

  • 千【せん】

    One thousand

  • 三千【さんぜん】

    Three thousand

  • 八千【はっせん】

    Eight thousand
Kanji漢字
万
Ten Thousand3 strokes

On'yomi

マン (man)

Kun'yomi

—

Examples

  • 一万【いちまん】

    Ten thousand

  • 十万【じゅうまん】

    One hundred thousand

  • 百万【ひゃくまん】

    One million

3. The Topic Marker: は (wa)

The particle は (wa) identifies what the sentence is about. Think of it as “As for [topic]…”.

Grammar文法
[Noun] ＋ は

means Identifies the topic of the sentence.

Formation

Noun + は + [Description/State]

Examples

わたし は 学生 です。

Watashi wa gakusei desu.

I am a student. (As for me, I am a student.)

これ は ペン です。

Kore wa pen desu.

This is a pen.

きょう は さんじゅうにち です。

Kyou wa sanjuu-nichi desu.

Today is the 30th.

4. The Possession Marker: の (no)

The particle の (no) connects two nouns, showing that the first noun possesses or modifies the second. It works like the English apostrophe-s (‘s).

Grammar文法
[Noun 1] ＋ の ＋ [Noun 2]

means Shows possession or relationship (Noun 1's Noun 2).

Formation

Owner + の + Item

Examples

わたし の 本

Watashi no hon

My book

先生 の 車

Sensei no kuruma

The teacher's car

日本 の カメラ

Nihon no kamera

A Japanese camera (Camera of Japan)
Culture文化

5. Cultural Note: Lucky and Unlucky Numbers

In Japan, numbers carry deep cultural meanings.

  • Four (四): Often avoided because one of its readings, shi, sounds exactly like the word for Death (死). You’ll often see buildings without a 4th floor!
  • Nine (九): Sometimes considered unlucky because its reading ku sounds like Suffering (苦).
  • Seven (七): Considered lucky, much like in the West, and associated with the “Seven Lucky Gods” of Japanese mythology.
  • Eight (八): Very lucky because the Kanji widens at the bottom, suggesting growing prosperity.

Practical Conversations

Anime illustration of Susu holding up a book and asking だれの本ですか, while her teacher thinks it over and Mochi the calico cat raises a paw as if the book were hers.
Exchanging Information会話
Tanaka

スミスさん、これ は あなた の 本 です か。

Sumisu-san, kore wa anata no hon desu ka.

Mr. Smith, is this your book?

Smith

いいえ、それ は わたし の 本 ではありません。

Iie, sore wa watashi no hon dewa arimasen.

No, that is not my book.

Tanaka

だれ の です か。

Dare no desu ka.

Whose is it?

Smith

それ は アンナさん の 本 です。

Sore wa Anna-san no hon desu.

That is Anna's book.
Talking About Numbers会話
A

電話番号 は なん です か。

Denwa bangou wa nan desu ka.

What is your phone number?

B

ぜろ・きゅう・ぜろ の いち・に・さん・よん です。

Zero kyuu zero no ichi ni san yon desu.

It's 090-1234.

A

ありがとうございます。

Arigatou gozaimasu.

Thank you very much.

Chapter Summary

Key takeawaysまとめ
  • 1Kanji like 一, 二, 三 represent numerical values and meanings.
  • 2The particle は (wa) marks the topic of the sentence. It is written as 'ha'.
  • 3The particle の (no) shows possession or links nouns (Owner の Item).
  • 4Numbers 4 and 9 are often avoided in Japan due to unlucky homophones.
  • 5Japanese counts in units of 10,000 (万) for large numbers.

Knowledge Check

Test your understanding of numbers and basic particles!

Practice Quiz
1 / 20

Which Kanji represents the number 'Three'?

Applied review

Use what you learned

Focus: Numbers, は, and の. Try the task before revealing the model.

Guided practice練習

Produce the Japanese sentence, then compare it with the model answer.

  1. 1.Say “This is my three-hundred-yen notebook.”

Reading practice読解

Numbers, は, and の in context

N5 mini-reading

Target: 1 minute
このペンは ひゃくえんです。そのノートは さんびゃくえんです。
Study this passage
  1. Which item costs three hundred yen?