人 - COUNTING PEOPLE and SMART ANIMALS

“This counter counts people” 

The Kanji 人 means "person," and the Japanese counter 人 is used to count people. And although there are some exceptions—including very smart animals, pets, and "monsters" that are friendly to humans—we'll talk about those later. Most of your use of 人 will be related to good old homo sapiens.

Before you get into it, though, take a few moments to learn the pronunciation of 人 when it's used as a counter. It's a bit tricky, since it uses a mix of the wago and kango counting methods. The chart below and the notes that follow can help you.

For one person and two people, we use the wago pronunciation for both number and counter. These come up a lot, so it's best just to memorize them. Three or more people are counted with the kango pronunciation.

PEOPLE

"People" aren't just folks—you've got women, men, sisters, brothers, friends, actors, sports stars, and more. If they're part of the human crew, they're fair game for counting with 人. And guess what? You can even use 人 to count things they own, like shadows, footprints, and furry friends. Anything goes!

• 兄弟は何人いますか？(How many siblings do you have?)

• 三人の影が見えた。(I could see three people's shadows.)

A MORE POLITE PEOPLE COUNTER

If you want to be more formal or polite, though, be aware that the counter 名 (めい) or 方 (かた) is sometimes preferred in certain contexts. You may walk into a restaurant and the host will ask, 何名様ですか?—essentially, "how many 名s?" If you are asked this, you would typically reply using the same counter: 一名 or 二名!

• 何名様のご予約ですか？(A reservation for how many people?)

• 五名様ですね。かしこまりました。(For five people? Understood.)

PORTIONS OF FOOD

Calling all food enthusiasts! Combine 人 with 前 (まえ), and voila—you've got a culinary counter. Craving a single serving? It's 一人前. But remember, 一人前 and 二人前 rock the kango pronunciations—so it's いちにんまえ and ににんまえ, not ひとりまえ and ふたりまえ.

• 枝豆を二人前ください。(Can we get two portions of edamame, please?)

• 一人前のカレーを二人で分けて食べた。(The two of us split a one-person portion of curry.)

SMART ANIMALS

Hold onto your textbooks because clever critters usually team up with 人, not the usual animal counters like 匹 (ひき) or 頭 (とう). Genius animals get the VIP treatment!

• この研究所には、三人のチンパンジーが暮らしています。(Three chimpanzees are living in this research center.)

"FAMILY MEMBERS"

We're not talking about your mother, your father, your uncle, or even your second cousin. We're talking about that furry four-legged companion that lives in your house, the one whom you give kisses and treats to every day. That family member.

• ミニチュアダックスフンドの家族が一人増えました。(We got a new family member who is a miniature dachshund.)

HUMAN-LIKE CREATURES, FRIENDS OF HUMANS

Picture this: mermaids, mermen, centaurs, angels, and friendly aliens—all joining the 人 party! As long as they're buddies with Team Human (and not out to snack on us), they're counted with 人.

And there you have it, folks—a wild journey through counting with 人. From people to paws and even the fantastical, this counter is your ultimate sidekick. Start counting and remember, the 人 realm isn't just for humans—everyone's invited to this counting extravaganza!"

• 公園で二人の妖精に会いました。(I met two fairies in the park.)
• 五匹のケンタウルスに襲われた。(I was attacked by five centaurs.)

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