Counting Animals (hiki vs. tou)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use {匹|ひき} for small animals and {頭|とう} for large animals to count them correctly in Japanese.
- Use {匹|ひき} for small animals like cats, dogs, and rabbits: {猫|ねこ}が三{匹|ひき}います。
- Use {頭|とう} for large animals like elephants, cows, and horses: {象|ぞう}が二{頭|とう}います。
- The counter follows the noun or the particle 'ga': {犬|いぬ}を二{匹|ひき}飼っています。
Overview
Japanese, like many East Asian languages, frequently employs counters (助数詞 | じょすうし | josūshi) when quantifying nouns. Instead of simply saying "three cats," you say "cat three-counter." This system categorizes objects, animals, and actions, often reflecting their perceived characteristics, shape, or function. For animals, the primary counters are ～匹 ({ひき}|hiki) and ～頭 ({とう}|tō), which broadly distinguish between smaller/medium-sized animals and larger, typically domesticated or powerful wild animals.
This distinction is not always based on literal physical size alone but also on cultural perception, utility, and historical context.
The use of counters provides a layer of nuance, indicating how an animal is perceived in a given context. For instance, counting a small dog with ～匹 emphasizes its pet-like quality, while using ～頭 for a police dog highlights its status and working role. Mastering these counters requires not just memorizing conjugations but also understanding the underlying classification principles.
This guide will clarify when to use ～匹 and ～頭, delve into their phonetic changes, and equip you with the knowledge to use them accurately in various situations.
How This Grammar Works
～匹 and those with ～頭. This categorization is complex and involves more than just an animal's physical dimensions. It often reflects how humans interact with or perceive these animals.～匹 ({ひき}|hiki) Counter:～匹 is the most common counter for animals. It applies to most small and medium-sized land animals, fish, insects, and even many wild animals that might be considered large in a Western context (e.g., wolves, bears, deer). The general rule of thumb is: if you can reasonably pick it up, or if it's not typically used for heavy labor or perceived as a massive, powerful beast, it likely takes ～匹.～匹 is famously irregular due to phonetic assimilation, causing it to undergo sound changes depending on the preceding number. This phenomenon, known as rendaku ({連濁}|れんだく), makes pronunciation smoother and more natural. You'll encounter ～匹 becoming ～piki (ぴき) or ～biki (びき).一匹 ({いっぴき}|ippiki) for one animal, 三匹 ({さんびき}|sanbiki) for three, and 六匹 ({ろっぴき}|roppiki) for six. These sound changes are crucial for native-like pronunciation.- 猫が二匹います。 (
Neko ga nihiki imasu.| There are two cats.) - 金魚を五匹飼っています。 (
Kingyo o gohiki katte imasu.| I'm raising five goldfish.) - 森で狼を一匹見ました。 (
Mori de ōkami o ippiki mimashita.| I saw one wolf in the forest.)
～頭 ({とう}|tō) Counter:～頭 is used for large animals, particularly livestock (e.g., cows, horses), zoo animals of significant size (e.g., elephants, giraffes, lions), and very large marine mammals (e.g., whales, dolphins). The kanji 頭 literally means "head," reflecting its historical use in counting heads of cattle. This counter implies a greater scale, power, or utility of the animal.～頭 can also be used honorifically for highly trained or working animals such as police dogs ({警察犬}|けいさつけん|keisatsuken), guide dogs ({盲導犬}|もうどうけん|mōdōken), or racehorses. In these cases, it signifies respect for their role and capabilities, elevating them beyond mere pets. Unlike ～匹, ～頭 is largely phonetically stable, making its conjugation more straightforward.- 牧場に牛が三頭います。 (
Bokujō ni ushi ga santō imasu.| There are three cows on the farm.) - 動物園で象を二頭見た。 (
Dōbutsuen de zō o nitō mita.| I saw two elephants at the zoo.) - 彼の家には賢い犬が一頭いる。 (
Kare no ie ni wa kashikoi inu ga ittō iru.| He has one intelligent dog at his house. [Implying a working or highly capable dog])
Formation Pattern
～匹 and ～頭 follows the general Japanese counter pattern: [Number] + [Counter]. However, ～匹 presents specific phonetic changes you must master. ～頭 is more consistent.
[Number] + 匹/頭
何匹 ({なんびき}|nanbiki) for ～匹 and 何頭 ({なんとう}|nantō) for ～頭. Note that for 何匹, the hiki also undergoes rendaku to biki.
～匹 and ～頭:
～匹 and the consistent pattern for ～頭:
～匹 (small/medium animals) | ～頭 (large/working animals) |
～匹:
一 ({いち}|ichi), 六 ({ろく}|roku), 八 ({はち}|hachi), 十 ({じゅう}|jū) trigger a small っ (sokuon) followed by piki. This forms いっぴき, ろっぴき, はっぴき, じゅっぴき (or じっぴき). This is a common pattern in Japanese, where a consonant at the end of a number merges with the following counter's consonant, often resulting in a geminate (double) consonant pp.
三 ({さん}|san) and 何 ({なん}|nan) trigger biki. This forms さんびき, なんびき. This n to b change is another example of rendaku.
二 ({に}|ni), 四 ({よん}|yon), 五 ({ご}|go), 七 ({なな}|nana), 九 ({きゅう}|kyū) are relatively regular, taking hiki directly: にひき, よんひき, ごひき, ななひき, きゅうひき.
ろくとう is grammatically correct for six ～頭, the contracted ろっとう is also very common, especially in casual speech. Similarly, for 十頭, じゅっとう is frequently heard alongside じっとう.
Kōen ni wa hato ga nanbiki imasu ka? | How many doves are in the park?)
Zō no akachan ga gotō umaremashita. | Five baby elephants were born.)
Watashi no heya ni ka ga ippiki haitte kita. | One mosquito came into my room.)
When To Use It
～匹 and ～頭 hinges on the speaker's perception of the animal, its typical size, its role, and sometimes its species. While general guidelines exist, Japanese speakers occasionally make subjective distinctions. Understanding these nuances is key to natural usage.～匹 ({ひき}|hiki) for:- Most common pets: Dogs ({犬}|いぬ|inu), cats ({猫}|ねこ|neko), hamsters ({ハムスター}|hamusutā), birds (though
～羽is also common), and smaller reptiles. This reflects their manageable size and often their status as companions. - 私は犬を二匹と猫を一匹飼っている。 (
Watashi wa inu o nihiki to neko o ippiki katte iru.| I have two dogs and one cat.) - Fish and other aquatic creatures: From goldfish to sharks, most fish are counted with
～匹, regardless of size, while they are alive or in the water. This also extends to shrimp ({海老}|えび|ebi), crabs ({蟹}|かに|kani), and sometimes jellyfish ({クラゲ}|kurage). - 水槽に熱帯魚が十匹います。 (
Suisō ni nettaigyo ga juppiki imasu.| There are ten tropical fish in the tank.) - Insects and arachnids: All insects ({虫}|むし|mushi), spiders ({蜘蛛}|くも|kumo), and similar creatures are counted with
～匹, even if they are large or frightening. - 夏には蚊が何匹も出る。 (
Natsu ni wa ka ga nanbiki mo deru.| Many mosquitos appear in summer.) - Many wild animals: Deer ({鹿}|しか|shika), foxes ({狐}|きつね|kitsune), raccoons ({たぬき}|tanuki), rabbits ({兎}|うさぎ|usagi, though
～羽is also frequently used due to a historical quirk), and even larger predators like wolves ({狼}|おおかみ|ōkami) or bears ({熊}|くま|kuma) are typically counted with～匹. The boundary here can sometimes blur with～頭if the animal is perceived as exceptionally large or powerful in a specific context. - 山で熊を一匹見かけた。 (
Yama de kuma o ippiki mikaketa.| I caught sight of one bear in the mountains.)
～頭 ({とう}|tō) for:- Large livestock: Cows ({牛}|うし|ushi), horses ({馬}|うま|uma), pigs ({豚}|ぶた|buta), sheep ({羊}|ひつじ|hitsuji). These animals are typically raised for labor, food, or products, and their size and utility are prominent features.
- あの農家は馬を七頭飼育している。 (
Ano nōka wa uma o nanatō shiiku shite iru.| That farmer is raising seven horses.) - Very large wild or zoo animals: Elephants ({象}|ぞう|zō), giraffes ({麒麟}|きりん|kirin), lions ({ライオン}|raion), tigers ({虎}|とら|tora), rhinoceroses ({サイ}|sai). These are often animals that command respect due to their size, strength, or exotic nature.
- 動物園には新しい{ライオン}が二頭来たらしい。 (
Dōbutsuen ni wa atarashii raion ga nitō kita rashii.| Apparently, two new lions came to the zoo.) - Large marine mammals: Whales ({鯨}|くじら|kujira), dolphins ({イルカ}|iruka), seals ({アザラシ}|azarashi). Despite living in water, their immense size and intelligence place them in the
～頭category. - 沖に鯨が何頭か見えた。 (
Oki ni kujira ga nantō ka mieta.| Several whales were visible offshore.) - Working or highly trained animals: Police dogs, guide dogs, therapy animals, or even exceptional pet dogs whose capabilities are being highlighted. This usage elevates their status and is a significant cultural nuance. A pet dog might be
一匹, but a service dog performing duties might be一頭. - 事件の捜査には警察犬が三頭出動した。 (
Jiken no sōsa ni wa keisatsuken ga santō shutsudō shita.| Three police dogs were dispatched for the incident investigation.)
～匹 and ～頭 isn't always strictly biological. A small horse (a pony) is still counted with ～頭 because it is perceived as a horse. Conversely, a large snake, despite its length, is typically ～匹 because it aligns with the category of non-mammalian, often wild or exotic, creatures not typically associated with human labor or massive size perception in the same way as cattle.～匹 can sometimes still be preferred (e.g., a very large wild bird of prey might be 一匹).Common Mistakes
～匹, the subjective nature of "size," and confusion with other counters. Being aware of these pitfalls can significantly improve your accuracy.- Forgetting
～匹's Phonetic Changes (Rendaku): This is arguably the most common error. Sayingいちひき(ichihiki) instead ofいっぴき(ippiki), orさんひき(sanhiki) instead ofさんびき(sanbiki), immediately marks you as a non-native speaker. Theっ(sokuon) andb(rendaku) changes are fundamental. Dedicate time to practicing the full conjugation table until these come naturally. Think ofippikiorsanbikias single words rather thanichi+hikiorsan+hiki.
- Misjudging "Size" and Animal Classification: The division isn't always intuitive for speakers of languages without such a counter system. For example, a wolf ({狼}|おおかみ|ōkami) or a bear ({熊}|くま|kuma) might seem large enough for
～頭, but they are usually counted with～匹. Similarly, a small pony ({子馬}|こうま|kōma) is still～頭because it's a horse. This highlights that it's about species categorization and cultural perception, not just absolute physical size. Remember the honorific～頭for working animals; failing to use it when appropriate can miss a subtle but important nuance of respect.
- Confusing with
～羽({わ}|wa): While～匹covers many animals, birds ({鳥}|とり|tori) are typically counted with～羽. This also extends to rabbits ({兎}|うさぎ|usagi), a notable exception for a land mammal. Incorrectly using～匹for birds or～羽for a cat are common mix-ups. The historical reason for rabbits being counted with～羽(linked to medieval Buddhist dietary restrictions) is a classic piece of Japanese counter trivia. - Incorrect: 公園で鳥を三匹見た。 (
Kōen de tori o sanbiki mita.) - Correct: 公園で鳥を三羽見た。 (
Kōen de tori o sanba mita.| I saw three birds in the park.)
- Using
～個({こ}|ko) for Animals:～個is a general counter for small, discrete, often inanimate objects. Applying it to living animals is grammatically incorrect and can sound dehumanizing or objectifying, as if you're referring to them as mere items. Always use an appropriate animal counter. - Incorrect: 私の猫は二個{います}|。 (
Watashi no neko wa niko imasu.) - Correct: 私の猫は二匹{います}|。 (
Watashi no neko wa nihiki imasu.| I have two cats.)
- Overgeneralizing
～頭: While～頭is for large animals, don't assume every large creature automatically takes this counter. For example, a large fish is still～匹while it's swimming. The context (alive, in its natural habitat vs. part of a farm/zoo inventory) can sometimes influence the choice.
Real Conversations
Understanding how ～匹 and ～頭 are used in natural, everyday Japanese contexts is essential. These counters appear frequently in discussions about pets, wildlife, and even news reports about animals.
Casual Conversation about Pets:
A
(Inu, nanbiki iru no? | How many dogs do you have?)
B
(Ima wa ippiki dake da yo. | Only one right now.)
A
(Ano neko, kawaii! Nanbiki mo atsumatteru ne. | That cat is cute! So many are gathered, aren't they?)
B
(Honto da! Sanbiki iru! | Really! There are three!)
Discussing Zoo Animals or Wildlife:
A
(Dōbutsuen de kirin o gotō mo mita yo. | I saw as many as five giraffes at the zoo!)
B
(Sugoi ne! Watashi wa ittō shika minakatta. | That's amazing! I only saw one.)
A
(Yasei no kuma ga sato ni deta tte nyūsu de itteta ne. | The news said a wild bear appeared in the village, didn't it?)
B
(Un, terebi de wa nihiki tte itteta kedo, kowai ne. | Yeah, they said two on TV, but it's scary.)
Social Media/Online Context:
- {うち}の{可愛い猫}が二匹、{日向ぼっこ}してる写真。 (Uchi no kawaii neko ga nihiki, hinatabokko shiteru shashin. | A picture of my two cute cats sunbathing.)
- {昨日}、{〇〇牧場}で産まれたばかりの{子馬}を一頭見てきた！可愛かった～。
(Kinō, marumaru bokujō de umareta bakari no kouma o ittō mite kita! Kawaiikatta~. | Yesterday, I went to see one newborn foal at XX Ranch! It was so cute~.)
Notice that even for a
Counter Conjugation Table
| Number | Small (Hiki) | Large (Tou) |
|---|---|---|
|
1
|
一匹 (いっぴき)
|
一頭 (いっとう)
|
|
2
|
二匹 (にひき)
|
二頭 (にとう)
|
|
3
|
三匹 (さんびき)
|
三頭 (さんとう)
|
|
4
|
四匹 (よんひき)
|
四頭 (よんとう)
|
|
5
|
五匹 (ごひき)
|
五頭 (ごとう)
|
|
6
|
六匹 (ろっぴき)
|
六頭 (ろっとう)
|
|
7
|
七匹 (ななひき)
|
七頭 (ななとう)
|
|
8
|
八匹 (はっぴき)
|
八頭 (はっとう)
|
|
9
|
九匹 (きゅうひき)
|
九頭 (きゅうとう)
|
|
10
|
十匹 (じゅっぴき)
|
十頭 (じゅっとう)
|
Meanings
These are numeral classifiers used to count animals based on their physical size and stature.
Small Animals
Used for animals generally smaller than a human.
“{猫|ねこ}が一{匹|ひき}。”
“{兎|うさぎ}が三{匹|ひき}。”
Large Animals
Used for animals generally larger than a human or livestock.
“{馬|うま}が五{頭|とう}。”
“{象|ぞう}が一{頭|とう}。”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Noun + ga + Number + Counter + imasu
|
{猫|ねこ}が三{匹|ひき}います。
|
|
Negative
|
Noun + ga + Number + Counter + imasen
|
{猫|ねこ}が三{匹|ひき}いません。
|
|
Question
|
Noun + ga + Nan-Counter + desu ka
|
{猫|ねこ}は何{匹|ひき}ですか？
|
|
Small Animal
|
Hiki
|
{犬|いぬ}二{匹|ひき}
|
|
Large Animal
|
Tou
|
{馬|うま}二{頭|とう}
|
|
Counting 1
|
Special sound change
|
{一匹|いっぴき}
|
|
Counting 6
|
Special sound change
|
{六匹|ろっぴき}
|
Formality Spectrum
{猫|ねこ}を二{匹|ひき}飼っております。 (Talking about pets)
{猫|ねこ}を二{匹|ひき}飼っています。 (Talking about pets)
{猫|ねこ}二{匹|ひき}飼ってるよ。 (Talking about pets)
猫二匹いるわ。 (Talking about pets)
Animal Counter Map
Small
- {匹|ひき} hiki
Large
- {頭|とう} tou
Examples by Level
{猫|ねこ}が二{匹|ひき}います。
There are two cats.
{犬|いぬ}が一{匹|ひき}います。
There is one dog.
{馬|うま}が一{頭|とう}います。
There is one horse.
{牛|うし}が三{頭|とう}います。
There are three cows.
{公園|こうえん}で{犬|いぬ}を三{匹|ひき}みました。
I saw three dogs at the park.
{動物園|どうぶつえん}で{象|ぞう}を二{頭|とう}みました。
I saw two elephants at the zoo.
{家|いえ}に{猫|ねこ}が四{匹|ひき}います。
There are four cats in the house.
{牧場|ぼくじょう}には{牛|うし}が十{頭|とう}います。
There are ten cows on the farm.
{ペットショップ|ぺっとしょっぷ}には{子犬|こいぬ}が六{匹|ひき}もいます。
There are as many as six puppies at the pet shop.
{野生|やせい}の{熊|くま}を二{頭|とう}みつけました。
We spotted two wild bears.
{金魚|きんぎょ}を八{匹|ひき}飼っています。
I keep eight goldfish.
{鯨|くじら}が五{頭|とう}泳いでいます。
Five whales are swimming.
{保護|ほご}された{犬|いぬ}は全部で九{匹|ひき}です。
There are nine rescued dogs in total.
{牧場|ぼくじょう}の{馬|うま}は七{頭|とう}です。
There are seven horses on the farm.
{実験|じっけん}でマウスを十{匹|ひき}使いました。
We used ten mice in the experiment.
{希少|きしょう}な{動物|どうぶつ}が三{頭|とう}確認されました。
Three rare animals were confirmed.
{山|やま}の{奥|おく}で{猪|いのしし}を二{頭|とう}見ました。
I saw two wild boars deep in the mountains.
{水族館|すいぞくかん}でイルカを四{匹|ひき}見ました。
I saw four dolphins at the aquarium.
{農家|のうか}は{牛|うし}を八{頭|とう}育てています。
The farmer is raising eight cows.
{昆虫|こんちゅう}を五{匹|ひき}捕まえました。
I caught five insects.
{伝説|でんせつ}の{龍|りゅう}が二{頭|とう}現れました。
Two legendary dragons appeared.
{実験|じっけん}用ラットを六{匹|ひき}用意してください。
Please prepare six lab rats.
{牧畜|ぼくちく}において{牛|うし}は一{頭|とう}も欠かせません。
In livestock farming, not a single cow can be spared.
{猫|ねこ}を七{匹|ひき}も飼うのは大変です。
Keeping seven cats is quite a task.
Easily Confused
Both are used for small animals.
Learners use {個|こ} for everything.
Size ambiguity.
Common Mistakes
{猫|ねこ}が二{個|こ}
{猫|ねこ}が二{匹|ひき}
{一匹|いちひき}
{一匹|いっぴき}
{犬|いぬ}が二{頭|とう}
{犬|いぬ}が二{匹|ひき}
{象|ぞう}が二{匹|ひき}
{象|ぞう}が二{頭|とう}
{馬|うま}が三{個|こ}
{馬|うま}が三{頭|とう}
{六匹|ろくひき}
{六匹|ろっぴき}
{八頭|はちとう}
{八頭|はっとう}
{兎|うさぎ}が二{頭|とう}
{兎|うさぎ}が二{匹|ひき}
{鯨|くじら}が三{匹|ひき}
{鯨|くじら}が三{頭|とう}
{熊|くま}が四{匹|ひき}
{熊|くま}が四{頭|とう}
{龍|りゅう}が一{匹|ひき}
{龍|りゅう}が一{頭|とう}
{恐竜|きょうりゅう}が三{匹|ひき}
{恐竜|きょうりゅう}が三{頭|とう}
{牛|うし}を二{匹|ひき}飼う
{牛|うし}を二{頭|とう}飼う
Sentence Patterns
{___}が{___}{匹|ひき}います。
{___}が{___}{頭|とう}います。
{___}を{___}{匹|ひき}飼っています。
{___}で{___}{頭|とう}の{動物|どうぶつ}を見ました。
Real World Usage
{子犬|こいぬ}を二{匹|ひき}見ました。
{象|ぞう}が一{頭|とう}います。
{牛|うし}が五{頭|とう}います。
{猫|ねこ}二{匹|ひき}飼ってる！
{野生|やせい}の{熊|くま}が二{頭|とう}出没。
{マウス|まうす}を十{匹|ひき}使用。
Size is key
Sound changes
Birds are different
Livestock
Smart Tips
Always check the size first.
Use {羽|わ} instead of {匹|ひき}.
Use {頭|とう}.
Watch for sound changes.
Pronunciation
Sound changes
Numbers 1, 6, 8, and 10 change sound when followed by 'hiki' or 'tou'.
Flat
neko ga ni-hiki
Neutral statement
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Hiki is for the 'hitchhiker' (small), Tou is for the 'towering' (large).
Visual Association
Imagine a tiny cat hitchhiking on your thumb (hiki) and a giant elephant towering over a skyscraper (tou).
Rhyme
Small is hiki, big is tou, counting animals is what we do!
Story
I went to the farm. I saw one tiny mouse, {一匹|いっぴき}. Then I saw a giant cow, {一頭|いっとう}. The mouse was small, so it got {匹|ひき}. The cow was big, so it got {頭|とう}.
Word Web
Challenge
Look at 5 animals online and name their counter in Japanese.
Cultural Notes
Size is the primary factor for animal classification.
Livestock are almost always counted with {頭|とう}.
Wild animals are often counted with {頭|とう} in news reports.
The counter {匹|ひき} originally referred to a length of cloth. {頭|とう} is a Sino-Japanese term meaning 'head'.
Conversation Starters
{家|いえ}に{ペット|ぺっと}は何{匹|ひき}いますか？
{動物園|どうぶつえん}で{一番|いちばん}好きな{動物|どうぶつ}は何{頭|とう}いますか？
{牧場|ぼくじょう}には{牛|うし}が何{頭|とう}いますか？
{野生|やせい}の{動物|どうぶつ}を{見|み}たことがありますか？
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
{猫|ねこ}が三____。
{象|ぞう}が二____。
Find and fix the mistake:
{牛|うし}が三{匹|ひき}。
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I have one dog.
Answer starts with: a...
1 cat = ____。
Use {馬|うま} and 2.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises{猫|ねこ}が三____。
{象|ぞう}が二____。
Find and fix the mistake:
{牛|うし}が三{匹|ひき}。
二 / います / 匹 / 猫 / が
I have one dog.
1 cat = ____。
Use {馬|うま} and 2.
Cat - ?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
5 exercisesdogs / saw / three / (犬を / 見た / 三匹)
How many cows?
Match the pairs:
ハムスターを___買いました。
Choose the respectful option:
Score: /5
FAQ (8)
Japanese uses counters to categorize objects by shape and size.
No, that would sound very strange.
Yes, many! {羽|わ} for birds, {枚|まい} for flat things.
Insects are small, so they use {匹|ひき}.
Yes, mostly.
Use the generic {つ|つ} if you must, but it's better to learn the right one.
No, humans use {人|にん}.
Yes, they are used in all forms of communication.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
No classifiers
Japanese uses classifiers; Spanish does not.
No classifiers
Japanese uses classifiers; French does not.
No classifiers
Japanese uses classifiers; German does not.
Measure words
Chinese has different measure words than Japanese.
No classifiers
Japanese uses classifiers; Arabic does not.
Classifiers
The system is unique to Japanese.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Videos
[GENKI Lesson 9] How to count THINGS in Japanese 🐱 Memorize general counters in 5 minutes!
Shiro Neko Japanese
How to Count (Almost) Anything in Japanese | Japanese Counter Words
Max's Japanese
【JLPT N5】How to Count Numbers - Counter | Learn Japanese for beginners
Ninjapanese
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