Numbers in Japanese

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[alpturac]

Hi, I am trying to get more familiar with the language. The question I am wondering about is this:
When do we use "shi" and when do we use "yon" for the nr. 4
end when do we use "shichi" and when do use "nana" for the nr. 7

Thanks.

Alp Turac
Kaizen Aiki Jitsu
Istanbul

[akiy]

http://www.aikiweb.com/language/counting.html

-- Jun

[mattholmes]

You might also be intersted in the following link: 24 Fighting Chickens (Article about Japanese language in Shotokan Karate) (http://www.24fightingchickens.com/shotokan/101/25_terms.html)

It is part of a much bigger set of articles about Shotokan karate, which I'm assuming are not of interest to you. The section on Japanese numbering is about half way down the page.

Have a nice day.

Matt

[MikeE]

Hey don't forget the older, peasant way to count to 5.

Chi

Sui

Ka

Fu

Ku

[akiy]

Hi Mike,

What's the reference on the "chi, sui, ka, fu, ku" counting? I've never heard of it myself.

Quick search shows they're the names of the five scrolls of the Gorin no Sho (Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void, if I remember correctly).

-- Jun

[MikeE]

When training with a high ranking Bujinkan instructor at a seminar he counted like this. I had to ask him about it. He said that was what Soke Hatsumi had told him. I found it interesting and found similarities in some Okinawan styles.

Most styles that practice San Chin no kata count name their kata in this fashion.

Chi-earth-1 and so on.

From what I gathered it was just a very old and peasant way of counting.

[alpturac]

Thank's everybody!

The links have been very helpfull. Especially the article that Matt send. You can find information there about Mike's counting suggestion too.

Here is the link again..

http://www.24fightingchickens.com/shotokan/101/25_terms.html

Take care,

Alp Turac