十(じゅう)

じゅう
number
ten
number
1. ten
The number ten. A base number in Japanese counting, used to form larger numbers (11 = じゅういち, 20 = にじゅう, etc.). Very consistent in pronunciation across most combinations.
十(じゅっ)分(ぷん)で着(つ)きます。
I'll arrive in ten minutes.
十(じゅう)人(にん)のクラスです。
It's a class of ten people.
十(じゅう)月(がつ)は秋(あき)なので涼(すず)しいです。
October is autumn, so it's cool.
今日(きょう)は十(じゅう)時間(じかん)以上(いじょう)仕事(しごと)をしたので、とても疲(つか)れました。
I worked more than ten hours today, so I'm very tired.
毎朝(まいあさ)十(じゅう)時(じ)から十二(じゅうに)時(じ)まで日本語(にほんご)の勉強(べんきょう)をして、午後(ごご)は図書館(としょかん)で本(ほん)を読(よ)んでいます。
Every morning I study Japanese from ten to twelve o'clock, and in the afternoon I read books at the library.

十(じゅう) is the Sino-Japanese reading for ten, used in most counting and arithmetic contexts.

Pronunciation

  • じゅう: the standard reading, used in compounds and with counters
  • とお: the native reading, used on its own when counting things without a counter (…九(ここの)つ, 十(とお)) and in 十日(とおか) (the 10th, ten days)

Counting patterns

Before some counters, じゅう becomes じゅっ (or the traditional じっ):

  • 十本(じゅっぽん): ten long objects
  • 十歳(じゅっさい) / 十歳(じっさい): ten years old
  • 十回(じゅっかい): ten times
  • 二(に)十(じゅう) (20), 三(さん)十(じゅう) (30), etc.
  • 十(じゅう)一(いち) (11), 十(じゅう)二(に) (12), etc.

Common expressions

basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:41 · Revised 2026.10.3 22:18
00500/00708_juu