Kanji Kickstart: Radicals, Patterns, and How to Learn Kanji Efficiently

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Kanji Kickstart: High-Utility Kanji Set — Numbers and Counting Foundations

Capítulo 8

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

+ Exercise

This chapter gives you a high-utility starter set for numbers and counting. You’ll learn the core numerals, the “place-value” kanji used to build larger numbers, and a few everyday quantity kanji you’ll see in prices and amounts. Focus on (1) clean shapes, (2) the most common readings in real words, and (3) combining them into mixed expressions.

1) Basic numerals (1–10): forms, readings, and fast usage

For numerals, the main job is accurate writing and instant recognition. Many have multiple readings, but in number strings (like 23 or 407) you’ll mostly use the on-style readings shown below.

Kanji	Stroke order highlights	Common readings	Example words (2–3)
`一`	1 stroke: left → right. Keep it level; don’t tilt.	イチひと(つ)	`一つ`（ひとつ）one (thing) `一日`（いちにち）one day / the 1st day `一番`（いちばん）number one, best
`二`	2 strokes: top line first, then bottom. Bottom line longer.	ニふた(つ)	`二人`（ふたり）two people `二月`（にがつ）February `二回`（にかい）two times
`三`	3 strokes: top → middle → bottom. Bottom longest; spacing even.	サンみっ(つ)	`三つ`（みっつ）three (things) `三月`（さんがつ）March `三人`（さんにん）three people
`四`	Enclosure first, then inside. Close the box cleanly; don’t leave it open.	シよん / よ	`四月`（しがつ）April `四つ`（よっつ）four (things) `四人`（よにん）four people
`五`	Top horizontal first. Middle vertical/hook line should be distinct from the bottom.	ゴいつ(つ)	`五つ`（いつつ）five (things) `五月`（ごがつ）May `五分`（ごふん）five minutes
`六`	Top “lid” first, then the inner strokes. Keep the bottom strokes balanced.	ロクむっ(つ)	`六つ`（むっつ）six (things) `六月`（ろくがつ）June `六時`（ろくじ）six o’clock
`七`	2 strokes: top line, then the long second stroke. Second stroke should cut down and slightly left.	シチなな	`七つ`（ななつ）seven (things) `七月`（しちがつ）July `七時`（しちじ）seven o’clock
`八`	2 strokes: left-falling first, then right-falling. Leave a clear opening at the top.	ハチやっ(つ)	`八つ`（やっつ）eight (things) `八月`（はちがつ）August `八百`（はっぴゃく）800
`九`	2 strokes: first the curved main stroke, then the short second stroke. Don’t make it look like `丸`.	キュウ / クここの(つ)	`九つ`（ここのつ）nine (things) `九月`（くがつ）September `九時`（くじ）nine o’clock
`十`	2 strokes: vertical first, then horizontal. Cross near the center.	ジュウ / ジッとお	`十日`（とおか）ten days / the 10th day `十円`（じゅうえん）10 yen `十分`（じゅっぷん）10 minutes

2) Quantity and place-value kanji: building larger numbers

Japanese number writing groups by units like 10, 100, 1000, 10,000. The key is: you stack a digit before a unit. If the digit is 1, it’s often omitted (e.g., 100 is 百, not 一百 in normal writing).

百 (100)

Component note: visually includes a “white” shape (白) inside; treat it as a single fixed form for writing.

Stroke order highlights: top line first; keep the inner box proportionate; finish with the bottom line.
Common readings: ヒャク (sound changes: 三百 さんびゃく, 六百 ろっぴゃく, 八百 はっぴゃく)
Example words: 百円（ひゃくえん）100 yen; 百点（ひゃくてん）100 points; 数百（すうひゃく）several hundred

千 (1000)

Component note: looks like a modified 十 with an extra stroke; keep the top short and the vertical long.

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Stroke order highlights: write the top short stroke, then the long vertical, then the crossing horizontal.
Common readings: セン (sound change: 三千 さんぜん, 八千 はっせん)
Example words: 千円（せんえん）1000 yen; 千人（せんにん）1000 people; 数千（すうせん）several thousand

万 (10,000)

Concept: Japanese uses 万 as a major grouping unit (10,000), so 100,000 is “10 × 10,000” → 十万.

Stroke order highlights: keep the top horizontal clean; the central vertical should be clear; don’t collapse the lower strokes.
Common readings: マン
Example words: 一万（いちまん）10,000; 十万（じゅうまん）100,000; 万年筆（まんねんひつ）fountain pen

円 (yen / circle)

Concept: In prices, 円 marks the currency. In everyday contexts, it almost always means yen.

Stroke order highlights: enclosure first; inner strokes next; close neatly so it doesn’t resemble other boxy kanji.
Common readings: エン
Example words: 百円（ひゃくえん）100 yen; 千円（せんえん）1000 yen; 円高（えんだか）strong yen

何 (what / how many)

Concept: 何 is essential for questions about quantity. It combines naturally with counters and units.

Component note: left side is the person component (亻), signaling human-related/abstract question usage; right side is the main phonetic block.
Stroke order highlights: write the left side first (two strokes), then the right block; keep the right side compact so the left doesn’t look detached.
Common readings: カ, なに, なん (common in compounds like 何円 なんえん)
Example words: 何（なに）what; 何人（なんにん）how many people; 何円（なんえん）how many yen

3) Step-by-step: how to read and write mixed number expressions

A) The assembly rule (most useful pattern)

Build numbers by combining (digit + unit) chunks, from large to small. Omit 一 before 十, 百, 千 in typical writing.

11 = 十一 (10 + 1)
20 = 二十 (2 × 10)
105 = 百五 (100 + 5) (often written without 一)
230 = 二百三十 (200 + 30)
4,007 = 四千七 (4000 + 7)
12,345 = 一万二千三百四十五

B) Sound changes you must recognize (not optional)

Some combinations change pronunciation for ease of speech. Learn these as fixed “chunks” you recognize instantly.

Written	Reading	Meaning
`三百`	さんびゃく	300
`六百`	ろっぴゃく	600
`八百`	はっぴゃく	800
`三千`	さんぜん	3000
`八千`	はっせん	8000

C) Prices and quantities: the “spot it fast” cues

Prices: look for 円. Everything before it is the amount: 二百円, 三千円, 一万五千円.
Questions about price: 何円（なんえん）= “how many yen?”
Large amounts: if you see 万, split the number at that point: 二万三千 = 23,000.

4) Practice: reading (write the reading in kana)

Read each expression aloud, then write the reading in kana. Pay attention to sound changes.

八
十
十九
二十
百
三百
八百円
千
三千円
一万
十万
一万二千三百四十五円
何円
何人

5) Practice: writing (write the kanji)

Write each in kanji. After writing, check: (1) unit placement (十/百/千/万), (2) whether 一 should be omitted, (3) whether your enclosures close cleanly (四, 円).