Japanese Conversation · Level 40
90 words
Japanese word
番
Pronunciation
Romajiban
Meaning
- nounnumber
Example
何番ですか？nan ban de su ka
What number is it?
More examples
あなたは何番ですか？a na ta wa nan ban de su ka
What number are you?
前の人が終わったら、私の番です。mae no hito ga o wa tta ra watashi no ban de su
Once the person in front finishes, it is my turn.
Core concept
It marks a place in an ordered series, so it can identify a number or a person's turn.
Common phrases
次の番tsugi no ban
next turn
番が来るban ga ku ru
one's turn comes
番を待つban o ma tsu
wait for one's turn
Similar words
番号bangō: A number assigned to identify a person, thing, or place.
順番junban: The position of a person or thing in an ordered sequence.
Definition in Japanese
順序を表す数。また、その数で示される順番。jun jo o arawa su kazu ma ta so no kazu de shime sa re ru jun ban
Word origin
番 (ban, "number" or "turn") uses the Sino-Japanese reading of the Chinese character 番 (fān), whose meanings include a turn and an order.
Usage tips
- In Japanese, 番 (ban) follows a numeral in labels such as 三番 (sanban), meaning "number three" or "third".
Other meanings
- turnnoun