You can't just say "three" in Japanese — you have to say "three flat-things", "three small-animals", "three cupfuls". Counters specify what kind of thing is being counted, and many trigger sound changes (いっぽん, ろっぽん, さんびき…). Click any counter below to see the full 1-10 table with audio.
Grouped by what they count. Click any card to open the full table — readings 1-10, sound-change notes, and example sentences.
Counters cluster into "families" that share the same sound shifts. Learn the pattern once and dozens of counters fall into place.