Japanese word

単数

Pronunciation

Romajitansū

英語では、単数の名詞にこの形を使います。ei go de wa tan sū no mei shi ni ko no katachi o tsuka i ma su

In English, we use this form with singular nouns.

この文では、主語が単数なので、動詞に特別な形を使います。ko no bun de wa shu go ga tan sū na no de dō shi ni toku betsu na katachi o tsuka i ma su

In this sentence, the subject is singular, so we use a special form of the verb.

Presents a noun's referent as one separate person, thing, or unit instead of two or more.

名詞の表す対象が一人または一つであることを表す文法上の数。mei shi no arawa su tai shō ga hito ri ma ta wa hito tsu de a ru ko to o arawa su bun pō jō no kazu

The Sino-Japanese term 単数 (tansū) is made from 単 (tan, "single") and 数 (sū, "number"), giving the sense of one in number.

In Japanese, a noun can refer to one or more items without changing form, so context often identifies a singular meaning.