Counting Books with ～冊 (satsu)

Japanese uses counters for almost everything. For books and bound volumes, we use satsu. You simply take a number and glue satsu to the end of it. However, Japanese likes to make things interesting with pronunciation. Some numbers blend into the counter, changing their sound slightly. It's like a linguistic shortcut to make the words flow better. You'll notice this most with 1, 8, and 10. Don't worry, though! Most numbers follow a very predictable pattern. Once you memorize the "rebels," the rest is smooth sailing. Think of these changes as the "irregular verbs" of the counting world.

1. 1To form a count with satsu, follow these steps:
2. 2Identify the number of items you have.
3. 3Check if the number has a special pronunciation change.
4. 4Combine the number and satsu.
5. 5Here is the breakdown for the tricky ones:
6. 61: ichi + satsu becomes issatsu (Note the small tsu!)
7. 78: hachi + satsu becomes hassatsu (Another small tsu!)
8. 810: juu + satsu becomes jissatsu or jussatsu.
9. 9For all others (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9), just add satsu to the standard number: nisatsu, sansatsu, etc.
10. 10To ask "how many," use nansatsu.

Use satsu for anything that is bound together at the spine. This includes:

• Manga and Comic Books: Your collection is counted in satsu.
• Magazines: Even the thin ones at the convenience store.
• Textbooks: Yes, even the ones you haven't opened yet.
• Notebooks: Empty or full, they are still satsu.
• Dictionaries: The heavy hitters of the book world.
• Photo Albums: Bound memories count too!

Real-world scenario: You're at a bookstore in Akihabara. You want to buy three volumes of a manga. You would tell the clerk, kono manga o sansatsu kudasai. It’s simple, effective, and very polite.

This is where it gets a bit specific. Do not use satsu for:

• Loose Paper: Use mai for flat things like flyers or printer paper.
• E-books: This is a gray area, but often people use ko or just the English word "download."
• Scrolls: These use a different counter entirely (kan).
• Newspapers: Since they aren't bound with glue or staples, they often use bu.

If it’s not bound at the spine, satsu is probably not the right choice. It’s like trying to use a stapler on a single sheet of paper—it just doesn't fit!

The biggest mistake is forgetting the pronunciation changes. Saying ichisatsu instead of issatsu is a classic giveaway that you're a beginner. It’s not a crime, but it sounds a bit clunky. Another common slip-up is using hon to count books. In English, we say "one book," and hon means "book." So, ippon (one hon) should mean one book, right? Nope! hon is for long, cylindrical objects like pens or umbrellas. Using hon for a book is like calling a sandwich a "cylinder." It’s a bit confusing for the listener! Even native speakers might trip up if they are rushing, but they'll usually correct themselves instantly.

Let's look at satsu versus mai. mai is for flat, thin things like paper, shirts, or plates. If you take a book apart, you have many mai (pages), but together they form one satsu. Then there's tsu. tsu is the "general purpose" counter. You can use it for almost anything if you forget the specific counter. However, using satsu is much more precise. It's like using a scalpel instead of a butter knife. Both can cut, but one is much better for the job. If you're in a job interview and talk about your "three favorite books" using tsu, you might sound a little less professional than if you used satsu.