一万
ichiman[it͡ɕimã̠ɴ]
The Japanese phrase for ten thousand is 一万 (ichiman). Wiktionary also lists 万 (man).
Meaning: 10,000 (num)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 一万 | ichiman | [it͡ɕimã̠ɴ] (narrow) [iːβ̞ã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| 万 | man | [mã̠ɴ] (narrow) [bã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
The term is used to represent the number 10,000.
Which one should you use?
While 万 (man) means ten thousand, when specifying the number 'one' ten thousand, you must use the prefix ichi to say 一万 (ichiman).
How do you pronounce it?
ichiman
Did you know?
- The phrase 万一 (man'ichi), which literally means 'one ten thousand', is used as an idiom meaning 'by any chance' or 'in the unlikely event'.
- In English, large numbers are grouped by thousands, but in Japanese, the counting system shifts to groups of ten thousand. This means a number like 'one hundred thousand' is expressed in Japanese as 'ten units of ten thousand' rather than 'one hundred thousands'.
- The character 万 is not just a number but is often used metaphorically in Japanese to imply 'an infinite or uncountable number' of things, much like 'myriad' in English.
Examples in context
- １万円以上します。It will cost more than ten thousand yen.This sentence shows how to use 万 to express a cost exceeding ten thousand yen.Tatoeba #235645 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #73025 by Zifre
- １万円では足が出る。Ten thousand yen will not cover the expenses.This sentence demonstrates using 万 to state that ten thousand yen is insufficient for expenses.Tatoeba #235646 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #73026 by CK
- この時計は一万円だった。This watch cost me ten thousand yen.This sentence uses 一万 to describe the previous price of a watch.Tatoeba #221605 by bunbuku, translation #58930 by CK
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are looking at a souvenir in a shop.
- 蓮 Renこれは一万円ですか？Kore wa ichiman-en desu ka?Is this ten thousand yen?
- 美咲 Misakiいいえ、一万五千円です。Iie, ichiman-gosen-en desu.No, it is fifteen thousand yen.
- 蓮 Ren少し高いですね。Sukoshi takai desu ne.That is a bit expensive.
- 美咲 Misakiとても質が良いですよ。Totemo shitsu ga yoi desu yo.The quality is very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ten thousand” translations and entries 一万, 万, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
