On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: How do you count that in Japanese? Topics Discussed The counter system used in Japanese Japanese counter suffixes The sometimes confusing nature of Japanese counters The correct suffix for counting chopsticks in Japanese Various counters used with different kinds of chopsticks How to properly count squid in Japanese How the shape of a fish can affect what counter you use to count it The correct way to count gods (kami) in Japanese Counters in Chinese and English The various ways to count robots in Japanese How the speaker's intent can influence what counter they use to count something Using the counter -hiki as a way to insult someone or for comedic effect How you count UFOs in Japanese The many different things the counter -tai can be used for What counter you should use when counting centaurs and minotaurs in Japanese Counters used for counting fictional beings in Japanese Some of the factors that go into whether a fantastical creature should be counted using the counter suffix for humans or not What counter suffix should be used to count Doraemon Counting Pokemon And much more! Support on Patreon If you enjoy Ichimon Japan and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. You can join for just $1 a month and that comes with perks like early access to episodes, a shout-out at the beginning of a future episode, bonus content, and discounts to Kimito Designs. For $3 a month you get all that plus access to Japanese Plus Alpha, a podcast produced by me (Tony Vega) that focuses on the Japanese language and its many quirks. Whether you are studying Japanese or just enjoy learning about language and linguistics, you'll enjoy Japanese Plus Alpha. And it goes without saying that if you sign up, you'll also get my undying gratitude. Thanks in advance! Support on Patreon Sources, Links, Videos, Etc. Here are some of the English-language sources used for this episode. 350 JAPANESE COUNTERS GROUPED BY USEFULNESS DIVIDED INTO 2 ABSOLUTELY MUST-KNOW, 17 MUST-KNOW, 47 COMMON, AND SO ON The Japanese love to play number games Japanese counter word (Wikipedia) Here are some of the Japanese-language sources used for this episode. イカの数え方わかりますか？状態によって数え方が変わる！ 「神」の数え方を教えてください。 ことばと文化のミニ講座 ロボット UFOの数え方の単位はなんですか？ 鬼は1人？ 人魚は1匹？ ドラえもんは1体？ 想像上の生き物の数え方、知ってる？ ポケモンの単位って何？１体？１匹？ふと気になって質問してみました。 助数詞「匹」と「頭」の用法考察 This is the Ritsumeikan article mentioned during the episode. Here are some of the other Ichimon Japan episodes that were mentioned on this one. Was Momotarō a thief? (All About Peach Bob) | Ichimon Japan 09 How do you create fake kanji? (From Ghost Kanji to Kokuji) | Ichimon Japan 22 Are rabbits counted as birds because eating meat was taboo in japan? (About the History of Meat “Bans” & the Counter -wa) | Ichimon Japan 41 Check out the latest episode of Japan Station via the link below. Maiko Masquerade: Crafting Geisha Girlhood in Japan (Dr. Jan Bardsley) | Japan Station 65 Support the show by picking up a t-shirt at KimitoDesigns.com. Check out Kimito Designs Japanese Vocabulary List Most episodes feature at least one or two interesting Japanese words or phrases. Here’s some of the ones that came up on this episode. All information is from Jim Breen's WWWJDIC. (O)hashi 箸 【はし】 (n) chopsticks Hitosoroi 一揃い : 一揃い; 一そろい; ひと揃い 【ひとそろい】 (n) a set; a suit Ichigu 一具 【いちぐ】 (n) one set Hitokumi 一組 : 一組; １組; ひと組