人 (nin/ri): Counting People
Quick Answer: 人 counts people. Irregular readings for 1 and 2: 一人 = ひとり, 二人 = ふたり. From 3 onward, use Sino-Japanese + にん: 三人 (さんにん), 四人 (よにん), etc. Note: 四人 is よにん (not しにん, which sounds like 死人 = dead person).
The essential counter for the number of people
Category: Counters
The Rule
人 counts people. Irregular readings for 1 and 2: 一人 = ひとり, 二人 = ふたり. From 3 onward, use Sino-Japanese + にん: 三人 (さんにん), 四人 (よにん), etc. Note: 四人 is よにん (not しにん, which sounds like 死人 = dead person).
Why This Matters
This is one of the first counters every learner needs because it comes up constantly: 'How many people?', 'A table for three,' 'I have two siblings.' The irregular ひとり and ふたり must be memorized — they use native Japanese numbers, while 3+ switches to Sino-Japanese.
Examples
• 三人家族です。 — "We're a family of three." [さんにん = 3 people] • 一人で来ました。 — "I came alone." [ひとり = 1 person. ひとりで = by oneself] • 何人ですか？ — 四人です。 — "How many people? — Four." [何人 = なんにん. 四人 = よにん (avoid しにん)] • 二人とも合格しました。 — "Both of them passed." [ふたりとも = both people]
Common Mistakes
❌ いちにん, ににん ✅ ひとり, ふたり → 1 and 2 people are always ひとり and ふたり (native Japanese). Never いちにん or ににん ❌ しにん ✅ よにん → 四人 is read よにん. しにん would be confused with 死人 (dead person) — a taboo reading
Quick Tip
The crucial ones: ひとり (1), ふたり (2), さんにん (3), よにん (4). At restaurants, the host will ask 何名様ですか (how many, honorific) — answer with the number: ふたりです, さんにんです.
The crucial ones: ひとり (1), ふたり (2), さんにん (3), よにん (4). At restaurants, the host will ask 何名様ですか (how many, honorific) — answer with the number: ふたりです, さんにんです.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: いちにん, ににん → Correct: ひとり, ふたり. 1 and 2 people are always ひとり and ふたり (native Japanese). Never いちにん or ににん
Incorrect: しにん → Correct: よにん. 四人 is read よにん. しにん would be confused with 死人 (dead person) — a taboo reading
Quiz
How do you read 七人?