Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Here’s the phonetic spelling for counting to 10 in Japanese, using the standard Japanese pronunciation with a focus on clarity for English speakers:

Ichi - EE-chee
Ni - NEE
San - SAHN
Shi (or Yon) - SHEE (or YOHN)
Go - GOH
Roku - ROH-koo
Shichi (or Nana) - SHEE-chee (or NAH-nah)
Hachi - HAH-chee
Kyuu - KYOO
Juu - JOO

Notes: Japanese pronunciation is syllable-timed, so each syllable gets roughly equal stress.
For numbers 4 and 7, both "shi" and "shichi" can be replaced with "yon" and "nana" in many contexts to avoid the association of "shi" with the word for "death" (a cultural superstition).

Vowels are pronounced as follows: A (ah), I (ee), U (oo), E (eh), O (oh).