Japanese word

四

Pronunciation

Romajishi

Meaning

  • numberfour

Example

答えは四です。kota e wa shi de su

The answer is four.

Illustration for 四 (four)

More examples

犬が四匹います。inu ga shi hiki i ma su

There are four dogs.

私はりんごを四つ買います。watashi wa ri n go o shi tsu ka i ma su

I will buy four apples.

Core concept

Marks a total of four units, people, or places as a point between three and five.

Common phrases

  • 四つyot tsu

    four

  • 四人yo nin

    four people

  • 四時yo ji

    four o'clock

Definition in Japanese

物の個数や順序などを表す、三の次に当たる数。mono no ko sū ya jun jo na do o arawa su san no tsugi ni a ta ru kazu

Word origin

四 (shi, "four") is a Chinese character borrowed into Japanese, and shi is its Sino-Japanese reading for the number four.

Usage tips

  • The reading yon is common in 四人 (yonin), while the same character is read shi in the familiar month name 四月 (shigatsu).

Word lists with this word