Counting Animals: ～匹 (hiki) and ～頭 (tou)
Count small animals with `hiki` and large animals with `tou` to show you understand their size.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Use `hiki` for small to medium animals like cats, dogs, and fish.
- Use `tou` for large animals like elephants, horses, and cows.
- Numbers 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 have special pronunciations with `hiki`.
- Place the counter after the noun and particle in a sentence.
Quick Reference
| Number | Small Animals (hiki) | Large Animals (tou) | Pronunciation Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ippiki | ittou | Small 'tsu' change |
| 2 | nihiki | nitou | Standard |
| 3 | sanbiki | santou | H changes to B |
| 4 | yonhiki | yontou | Standard |
| 5 | gohiki | gotou | Standard |
| 6 | roppiki | rokutou | Small 'tsu' change |
| 8 | happiki | hattou | Small 'tsu' change |
| 10 | juppiki | juttou | Small 'tsu' change |
Key Examples
3 of 8Uchi ni wa neko ga nihiki imasu.
There are two cats in my house.
Zoo ni zou ga santou imasu.
There are three elephants at the zoo.
Kouen ni kabutomushi ga ippiki imashita.
There was one beetle in the park.
The 'Pick Up' Rule
If you can pick the animal up with your hands, it's almost certainly `hiki`. If it could pick YOU up, use `tou`.
Watch the 3!
Native speakers often listen for that 'b' sound in `sanbiki`. If you say `sanhiki`, they will still understand, but it sounds like saying 'a apples' in English.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Use `hiki` for small to medium animals like cats, dogs, and fish.
- Use `tou` for large animals like elephants, horses, and cows.
- Numbers 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 have special pronunciations with `hiki`.
- Place the counter after the noun and particle in a sentence.
Overview
Counting in Japanese is like a sorting game. You don't just say "one animal." You have to pick the right category. For animals, the two biggest categories are hiki and tou. Think of them as the "Small/Medium" and "Large" buckets. Using the wrong one won't ruin your life. However, using the right one makes you sound like a pro. It shows you understand the scale of the world. Let's dive into how to tell a hamster from a horse.
How This Grammar Works
In English, we just say "three cats" or "five cows." In Japanese, the number and the counter stick together. You place them after the noun and the particle. For example, neko ga ippiki means "one cat." The counter hiki is the most common one. It covers almost everything from ants to average-sized dogs. The counter tou is reserved for the big guys. If an animal is bigger than a human, it's usually tou. It's all about the physical presence of the creature.
Formation Pattern
- 1To count animals, follow these steps:
- 2State the animal name:
Inu(Dog). - 3Add the particle:
Inu ga(There is a dog). - 4Add the number and counter:
Inu ga ippiki imasu(There is one dog). - 5For
hiki, watch out for sound changes! They are tricky. - 61:
ippiki(not ichi-hiki) - 73:
sanbiki(not san-hiki) - 86:
roppiki(not roku-hiki) - 98:
happiki(not hachi-hiki) - 1010:
juppiki(not juu-hiki) - 11Question:
nanbiki?(How many?) - 12For
tou, the sounds are much easier. Just addtouto the number. - 131:
ittou(small change here) - 142:
nitou - 153:
santou - 1610:
juttou
When To Use It
Use hiki for your everyday animal encounters. This includes cats, dogs, and hamsters. It also includes "creepy crawlies" like spiders and beetles. Even fish and frogs fall into the hiki category. If you are at a pet shop, hiki is your best friend.
Use tou when you visit the zoo or a farm. Elephants, giraffes, and rhinos are definitely tou. Horses and cows are also counted this way. Fun fact: guide dogs are sometimes counted with tou. This is because they are seen as high-status working partners. It's like giving them a linguistic promotion!
When Not To Use It
Do not use these for birds. Birds have their own counter: wa. Even if a flightless bird like an ostrich is huge, people often use wa. Do not use them for people. That is a major social mistake! Use nin for humans. Also, avoid using hiki for very large sea creatures like whales. They usually take tou because of their massive size. If you see a rabbit, you might hear wa. Legend says monks once called them birds to eat them!
Common Mistakes
The biggest mistake is forgetting the sound changes for hiki. Saying ichi-hiki sounds very "textbook" and unnatural. Another mistake is using hiki for a cow. It makes the cow sound like a tiny pet. Imagine a cow the size of a poodle. That is what ushi ga ippiki feels like to a native speaker. Also, remember the word order. Don't say ippiki inu. Say inu ga ippiki. It flows much better in natural conversation.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
Compare hiki with wa. hiki is for four-legged friends and insects. wa is for anything with feathers. What about ko? ko is for small objects like apples. Never use ko for a living animal. It makes them sound like an inanimate toy. If you are unsure, hiki is the safer bet for small living things. But for anything that could pull a carriage, stick with tou.
Quick FAQ
Q. Can I use hiki for a big dog?
A. Yes, usually hiki is fine for all dogs.
Q. What about butterflies?
A. Usually hiki, but scientists sometimes use tou!
Q. Is it san-hiki or san-biki?
A. It is always san-biki. Think of the "b" as a softer sound for the middle number.
Q. Do I use tou for a bear?
A. Yes, a wild bear is definitely tou.
Reference Table
| Number | Small Animals (hiki) | Large Animals (tou) | Pronunciation Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ippiki | ittou | Small 'tsu' change |
| 2 | nihiki | nitou | Standard |
| 3 | sanbiki | santou | H changes to B |
| 4 | yonhiki | yontou | Standard |
| 5 | gohiki | gotou | Standard |
| 6 | roppiki | rokutou | Small 'tsu' change |
| 8 | happiki | hattou | Small 'tsu' change |
| 10 | juppiki | juttou | Small 'tsu' change |
The 'Pick Up' Rule
If you can pick the animal up with your hands, it's almost certainly `hiki`. If it could pick YOU up, use `tou`.
Watch the 3!
Native speakers often listen for that 'b' sound in `sanbiki`. If you say `sanhiki`, they will still understand, but it sounds like saying 'a apples' in English.
Butterflies are Special
In casual speech, butterflies are `hiki`. In a museum or scientific paper, they are often `tou`. It's a weird quirk of academic Japanese!
Working Animal Respect
Using `tou` for guide dogs or rescue dogs shows a level of respect for their job. It treats them more like 'personnel' than just 'pets'.
Examples
8Uchi ni wa neko ga nihiki imasu.
Focus: nihiki
There are two cats in my house.
Standard use of hiki for pets.
Zoo ni zou ga santou imasu.
Focus: santou
There are three elephants at the zoo.
Tou is used for very large animals.
Kouen ni kabutomushi ga ippiki imashita.
Focus: ippiki
There was one beetle in the park.
Insects are counted with hiki, no matter how small.
Sakana o sanbiki kaimashita.
Focus: sanbiki
I bought three fish.
Living fish are counted with hiki.
Kono gakkou ni wa moudouken ga ittou imasu.
Focus: ittou
There is one guide dog in this school.
Working dogs often get the respectful 'tou' counter.
✗ Inu ga ichihiki imasu → ✓ Inu ga ippiki imasu.
Focus: ippiki
There is one dog.
Always use the contracted form for 1.
✗ Uma ga nihiki imasu → ✓ Uma ga nitou imasu.
Focus: nitou
There are two horses.
Horses are too large for hiki.
Ano bokujou ni wa ushi ga juttou mo imasu ne.
Focus: juttou
There are as many as ten cows on that farm, aren't there?
Using 'mo' emphasizes the large number.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct counter for a pet hamster.
Hamusutaa o ___ katte imasu.
Hamsters are small animals, so we use the 'hiki' counter. Since it's one, it becomes 'ippiki'.
Choose the correct counter for three cows at a farm.
Ushi ga ___ imasu.
Cows are large livestock, which requires the 'tou' counter.
How do you ask 'How many' for small animals?
Neko ga ___ imasu ka?
The question word for 'hiki' is 'nanbiki' (with a 'b').
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Scale Comparison
Which Counter Should I Use?
Is it a bird?
Is it bigger than a human?
Is it a small/medium animal?
The 'Hiki' Sound Change Grid
The 'P' Group
- • 1 (Ippiki)
- • 6 (Roppiki)
- • 8 (Happiki)
- • 10 (Juppiki)
The 'B' Group
- • 3 (Sanbiki)
- • Question (Nanbiki)
Frequently Asked Questions
20 questionsYou use hiki. Even though they are long, they are considered small/medium pets. You would say hebi ga ippiki.
Yes, hiki is standard for all dogs regardless of breed. However, in a professional dog show, they might use tou.
No, cats just use the standard hiki. For example, neko ga nihiki (two cats).
This is called 'rendaku' or sequential voicing. It makes the word easier to say quickly in Japanese.
Whales are massive, so we use tou. You would say kujira ga ittou.
Actually, once a fish is food, it often changes to mai (flat things) or hon (long things). hiki is usually for living creatures.
Absolutely not! That would be extremely insulting. Always use nin or hitori/futari for people.
Monkeys are counted with hiki. Saru ga sanbiki is three monkeys.
If they are all small, use hiki. If they are mixed sizes, it's better to count them separately.
Yes! Small monsters are hiki, while giant boss monsters are often tou.
Rabbits are a special case. You can use hiki, but traditionally they are counted with wa (the bird counter).
You say ittou. Note the small 'tsu' that makes a slight pause: it-tou.
Usually, dragons are counted with tou because they are depicted as large and powerful.
You can use the general counter tsu (hitotsu, futatsu), but it sounds very childish when talking about animals.
Yes, even the tiniest ant is ippiki. It's the universal 'non-bird, non-human' small creature counter.
Since they are huge, you would use tou. Kyouryuu ga juttou means ten dinosaurs.
It usually comes after the particle. Inu (noun) ga (particle) ippiki (counter).
No, 4 is yonhiki and 7 is nanahiki. They stay pretty standard.
Even a baby elephant is quite large, so tou is still the most common choice.
Yes, spiders are counted with hiki. Kumo ga ippiki imasu means there is one spider.
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