Video summary

Belajar Bahasa Jepang – Bab 11 Minna no Nihongo – Part 1

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main ideas / lessons

  • The video introduces Chapter 11 (Minna no Nihongo), Part 1 about Japanese counter words (auxiliary words) used with numbers.
  • A key difficulty for beginners: Japanese counters often change the sound/reading depending on the counter (unlike Indonesian, where you usually do number + auxiliary word without sound changes).
  • Counter words are grouped mainly by:
    1. Original Japanese system
    2. Chinese-based system (often used for different item categories, and some counters don’t change sound for certain numbers)

Methodology / instructions presented

  • At the start (viewer direction):
    • Viewers are asked whether, for writing vocabulary/example sentences in the course, they prefer:
      • kanji with readings, or
      • hiragana only
    • Viewers should leave suggestions in the comments.
  • Learning approach:
    • Don’t memorize everything at once; learn in stages because the counters are many and can be confusing.
  • Practice plan:
    • A quiz is mentioned, with answers provided in the next video.

Detailed breakdown of counter systems & examples

A) Counters for objects/people (general concept)

  • Japanese has many counters depending on what is being counted (objects, people, time, money, etc.).
  • Sound changes happen for some counters and number combinations.

B) People counters (examples given)

Original Japanese system

  • 1 person: hitori
  • 2 people: futari
  • 3 people: sannin
  • 4 people: yonin
  • 5 people: gonin
  • 6 people: rokunin
  • 7 people: nananin / shichinin
  • 8 people: hachinin
  • 9 people: kunin
  • 10 people: jūnin
  • 11 people and so on: use number + nin

Chinese system

  • 1 person: ichinin / hitor i (subtitles unclear, but lesson highlights Chinese-system variants)

  • 2 people: futari (subtitles inconsistent, but the key takeaway is that multiple systems exist)

  • 11 people and so on: use number + nin

Note: Subtitles contain spelling/pronunciation issues; the main takeaway is the difference between original vs. Chinese-based person counters.

C) Counters for units/pieces (件/台-like “units” concept)

  • Counter: ~dai
  • Examples:
    • 1 unit: ichidai
    • 2 units: nidai
    • 3 units: sandai
    • 4 units: yondai
    • 5 units: godai
    • 6 units: rokudai
    • 7 units: nanadai
    • 8 units: haidai
    • 9 units: kyūdai (subtitle shows “Q dai”)
    • 10 units: jūdai
    • 11 and so on: number + dai

D) Counters for “longer/flat-thin sheet-like objects”

  • Counter: ~mai
  • Examples:
    • 1 sheet: ichimai
    • 2 sheets: nimai
    • 3 sheets: sanmai
    • 4 sheets: yomai
    • 5 sheets: gomai
    • 6 sheets: rokkai / rokumai (subtitle unclear)
    • 7 sheets: nanamai
    • 8 sheets: hach ai (subtitle unclear)
    • 9 sheets: kyūmai
    • 10 sheets: jūmai
    • 11 and so on: number + mai

The video emphasizes that for ~mai, the sound may be more stable compared to other counters.

E) Time counters (times, degree/hours/days, etc.)

1) “Times” (頻度)

  • Uses ~kai (and also ~do in some contexts)
  • Distinction described:
    • ~do: usually limited/appropriate for once/twice-style meanings
    • ~kai: can be used more broadly (including “unlimited” frequency)
  • Examples:
    • 1 time: ikkai / id o?
    • 2 times: nikai / nido
    • 3 times: sankai / sando?
  • Pattern:
    • number + kai for “times”
    • similarly number + do for degrees/occasions (as described)

2) Hours

  • Counter: ~jikan
  • Examples:
    • 1 hour: ichijikan
    • 2 hours: nijikan
    • 3 hours: sanjikan
    • 10 hours: jūjikan
    • 11 and so on: number + jikan (e.g., nanjikan)

3) Minutes

  • Counter: ~fun / ippun-like (subtitle shows noisy variants like “~pung/…hung”)
  • Structure is similar to hours.
  • Emphasis point:
    • To stress duration, use ~kang after a number (subtitles noisy, but idea is to add a time-stressing particle/phrase)
  • Example intent:
    • “Run for 5 minutes” → “5 minutes + (time-stress/phrase)”

4) Days

  • Examples described (subtitles unclear in places):
    • 1 day: icchi(n)ichi / issa?
    • 2 days: futsuka
    • 3 days: mikka
    • 4 days: yokka
    • 5 days: itsuka
    • 6 days: muikka
    • 7 days: nanoka
    • 8 days: yokka (unclear)
    • 10 days: toka
  • Emphasis:
    • Use ~kang to stress the time period; without emphasis, the base form may be used.

5) Weeks / months / years

  • Weeks:
    • Pattern: (number) + (week counter) with wording like ~shūkan
    • 2 weeks and onward follow the number + week-counter pattern
  • Months:
    • Pattern: (number) + kagetsu-like counter
  • Years:
    • Pattern: (number) + nen
    • Subtitles mention stressing period with ~kang after the number/counter

F) Currency counter (money)

  • Yen:
    • Read as “en/eng”
    • Examples:
      • 1 yen: ichi en
      • 2 yen: ni en
      • 10 yen: jū en
  • Other currencies (e.g., dollars/rupiah):
    • Replace the “yen word” with the corresponding currency word in Japanese.

G) Additional counter categories explicitly covered

The video continues with many specific counter types (romaji in subtitles is inconsistent, but the categories are clear):

  1. Small objects (not too big) → counter like ~ko
    • Examples intended: fruit/toys/eggs/balls → number + ko
  2. Frequency / times → ~kai
  3. Age → ~sai
    • Examples: 1 year = issai, 2 years = ni-sai
    • Note: 20 years uses a special form (subtitles mention an exception)
  4. Bound items (books, dictionaries, magazines) → ~satsu
  5. Clothes (set/piece) → counter like ~chaku / ~soku? (subtitles show “caku”)
    • Lesson: there is a dedicated counter for clothing sets/pieces
  6. Large animals → counter like ~tō / ~tou (subtitles vary)
    • Lesson: use the animal-specific counter for larger animals
  7. Pages → ~pāge / ~pen? (subtitle indicates “page”)
    • Lesson: Japanese has a dedicated page counter
  8. Drinks in containers (glasses/cups) → ~hai
    • Examples: 1 glass ippai, 2 glasses nihai
  9. Long thin objects (pencils/sticks) → ~bon
    • Examples: 1 stick ippon, 2 sticks nihon
    • Emphasis: sound changes based on number
  10. Shaggy/small animals (tail-like measure concept) → ~hiki
    • Examples intended: ip i ki, ni hiki (subtitles noisy)
  11. Building floors / levels (also position of floors) → ~kai / ~gai
    • Examples: 1 floor ikai, 2 floors nikai
  12. Pairs for shoes/sandals/socks → ~soku / ~zoku
    • Examples: 1 pair issoku, 2 pairs nisoku
  13. Buildings (houses/shops) → ~ken / ~keng
    • Examples: 1 ikken, 2 nikken

Speakers / sources featured

  • Video host/instructor: referred to as “R sensei / R sense” (name not clearly identified in subtitles)
  • Source material referenced: Minna no Nihongo, Chapter 11, Part 1

Original video