十一
jūichi[d͡ʑɨːit͡ɕi]
In Japanese, eleven is said as 十一 (jūichi). Wiktionary also lists イレブン (irebun).
Meaning: the cardinal number occurring after ten and before twelve (num)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 十一 | jūichi | [d͡ʑɨːit͡ɕi] (narrow) |
| イレブン | irebun | [iɾe̞bɯ̟̃ɴ] (narrow) |
The standard way to express the number eleven is 十一. This form is used for general counting, stating ages or telling time, such as eleven o'clock.
What does it mean word for word?
The kanji form 十一 is composed of the characters for ten (十) and one (一).
Which one should you use?
十一 is the standard way to count. In contrast, the katakana loanword イレブン is used primarily in specific contexts, such as brand names or in sports (for example, a starting eleven).
How do you pronounce it?
jūichi
Did you know?
- When counting people or objects, 十一 must be followed by a specific 'counter' word, as the number alone cannot describe a quantity of items.
- The katakana form イレブン is often perceived as 'cool' or 'modern' compared to the traditional 十一, making it a popular choice for trendy brand names.
- The kanji 十 used in 十一 is one of the simplest characters in the language, consisting of only two strokes, and resembles a cross or a plus sign.
Examples in context
- 彼は十一時に全ての電気を消した。He turned off all the lights at eleven.This sentence is useful for telling time with 十一.Tatoeba #1052641 by bunbuku, translation #288383 by CK
- ヤニーはセブンイレブンの店員だった。Yanni was a 7-Eleven clerk.This sentence shows the use of the loanword イレブン in a brand name.Tatoeba #11535709 by small_snow, translation #9280999 by Amastan
- ジェーンは十一歳の時からずっと映画に出演している。Jane has been acting in films since she was eleven.This sentence shows how to use 十一 when stating an age.Tatoeba #216443 by small_snow, translation #53746 by CN
- 彼 (かれ) の 誕生日 (たんじょうび) は 9 月 (くがつ) 11 日 (にち) です。( Kare no tanjoubi wa kugatsu juuichi-nichi desu. )His birthday is on the 11th of September.
- パン (pan) を 11 本 (ほん) 買 (か)いました。( Pan o juuichi-hon kaimashita. )I bought 11 loaves of bread.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A young couple is checking the number of items in a grocery bag.
- 陽葵 Himari十一個入っているよ。juuikko haitte iru yo.There are eleven pieces in here.
- 健太 Kenta本当だ、十一個あるね。hontou da, juuikko aru ne.That's true, there are eleven.
- 陽葵 Himari健太君、足りてるかな？Kenta-kun, tariteru kana?Kenta, I wonder if it's enough?
- 健太 Kentaうん、これで大丈夫だよ。un, kore de daijoubu da yo.Yeah, this should be fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eleven” translations and entries 十一, イレブン, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
