幾つ
ikutsu[ikɯ̟t͡sɨ]
In Japanese, "how many" is expressed as 幾つ (ikutsu) or 何. Wiktionary also lists 幾- (iku-).
Meaning: what number (pron)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 幾つ | ikutsu | [ikɯ̟t͡sɨ] (narrow) |
| 何 | nan | [na̠ɲ̟i] (narrow) [nã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| 幾- | iku- |
幾つ (ikutsu) is used to ask for a quantity of items when the specific counter is unknown or not specified. It is also used when asking about age. 何 (nan) functions as a prefix when asking how many of a specific unit or counter, such as people, kilograms or nights.
Which one should you use?
幾つ is used for counting objects or asking age, whereas 何 is used as a prefix for specific counters like people, kilograms or nights.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While the kanji 幾つ is used, writing it in hiragana as いくつ is very common in standard polite writing to avoid a more formal or literary feel.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When 何 is used to mean "how many" alongside a counter, it is pronounced nan rather than nani.
How do you pronounce it?
ikutsu
Did you know?
- The linguistic root of 何 traces back to the Proto-Japonic word *n-anu-, suggesting a very ancient origin for this basic interrogative particle.
- When asking 'how many' regarding age, the word 幾つ can be replaced by the much more polite おいくつ by adding the honorific prefix お.
- The word 幾つ (ikutsu) can be used as a polite way to ask the age of a child, but for adults, more formal expressions are required to avoid being rude.
Examples in context
- 何人ですか。How many people?This sentence shows how to use 何 to ask how many people there are.Tatoeba #187378 by small_snow, translation #24515 by mccarras
- 体重何キロ？How many kilograms do you weigh?This sentence shows how to use 何 to ask about a quantity of kilograms.Tatoeba #3559171 by tommy_san, translation #3583303 by mikecash
- 何泊するの？How many nights will you be staying?This sentence shows how to use 何 to ask about a quantity of nights.Tatoeba #11637517 by small_snow, translation #10646899 by CK
- あなたの家族は 何人 ですか？How many people are there in your family?
- このテーブルクロスは 何枚 ありますか？How many tablecloths are there?
- 彼女に 何度 謝ればいい？How many times should I apologize to her?
- ボールペンは 何本 ありますか？How many ballpoint pens do you have?
- カードは 何枚 ほしいですか？How many cards do you want?
- 406 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are in the kitchen preparing for a party.
- 結衣 Yuiリンゴは幾つ必要ですか？Ringo wa ikutsu hitsuyō desu ka?How many apples do we need?
- 蓮 Ren五つあれば十分ですよ。Itsutsu areba jūbun desu yo.Five should be enough.
- 結衣 Yui了解しました。買っておきますね。Ryōkai shimashita. Katte okimasu ne.Understood. I will buy them.
- 蓮 Ren助かります、結衣さん。Tasukarimasu, Yui-san.That helps a lot, Yui.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how many” translations and entries 幾つ, 何, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 何, 幾つ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
