Culture
JAPANese Notes | 日にちのいい方が複雑なわけは？
Why is Saying the Date Complicated?
It is often said that saying the date is difficult in Japanese. There are two methods for counting numerals in Japanese. Numbers 1, 2, 3… are generally counted as ichi, ni, sann… However, there is another method for counting numbers up to ten; this employs Yamato Kotaba, as in hitotsu, futatsu, mittsu… Various Yamato Kotaba are used for dates, making things complicated.
日本語
nihonngo
Japanese
の
no
in
日にちの
hinichi no
(the) date
いい方は
iikata ha
saying
むずかしい
muzukashii
is difficult
と
to
that
よく
yoku
often
いわれます。
iware masu.
(it) is said
日本語
nihonngo
Japanese
の
no
in
数字の数え方
suuji no kazoekata
counting numerals
には
niha
for
二通り
futatoori
two methods
あります。
ari masu.
there are
1、2、3……の
1, 2, 3 ... no
1, 2, 3…
数字は、
suuji ha,
numbers
イチ、
ichii,
ichi
ニ、
ni,
ni
サン……
sann ...
sann…
と
to
as
数えるのが
kazoeru no ga
counted
一般的
ippannteki
generally
です。
desu.
are
しかし
shikashi
However
10
juu
ten
までは
made ha
up to
ひとつ、
hitotsu,
hitotsu,
ふたつ、
futatsu,
futatsu,
みっつ……
mittsu ...
mittsu…
というように
to iu you ni
as in
大和言葉を
yamato kotoba wo
Yamato Kotaba
使う
tsukau
this employs
もうひとつの
mouhitotsu no
another
数え方が
kazoekata ga
method for counting numbers
あります。
ari masu.
there is
日にち
hinichi
dates
には
ni ha
for
さまざまな
samazama na
various
大和言葉が
yamato kotoba ga
Yamato Kotaba
使われているので、
tsukawarete iru node,
are used making
複雑になっています。
fukuzatsu ni natte imasu.
things complicated
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