七(なな)

なな

number

seven

1. seven

The number seven. Like four, seven has two readings: なな and しち. なな is more commonly used in everyday counting because しち can be confused with いち (one) or し (four) when spoken.

七(なな)時(じ)に会(あ)いましょう。

Let's meet at seven o'clock.

しちじ is also used

一(いっ)週間(しゅうかん)は七(なな)日(にち)です。

A week is seven days.

七(なな)月(がつ)に日本(にほん)へ行(い)きます。

I'm going to Japan in July.

しちがつ is also correct

七(しち)月(がつ)は夏(なつ)の始(はじ)まりで、毎日(まいにち)とても暑(あつ)くなります。

July is the beginning of summer, and it gets very hot every day.

七(しち)月(がつ) uses the しち reading

朝(あさ)七(なな)時(じ)に起(お)きて、顔(かお)を洗(あら)ってから朝(あさ)ごはんを食(た)べます。それから学校(がっこう)に行(い)きます。

I wake up at seven in the morning, wash my face, and then eat breakfast. Then I go to school.

七(なな) has two readings: なな (native Japanese) and しち (Sino-Japanese). なな is preferred in most spoken contexts because しち can be confused with 一(いち) (one) or 四(し) (four).

WHEN TO USE EACH READING:

なな: safer in most situations, especially when counting aloud
しち: used in set expressions like 七(しち)月(がつ) (July), 七(しち)五(ご)三(さん) (Shichi-Go-San festival)
Either: 七(なな/しち)時(じ) (seven o'clock) — both are common

COUNTER COMBINATIONS:

七(なな)つ: seven things (native counter)
七(なな)人(にん): seven people
七(なな)本(ほん): seven long objects
七(なな)冊(さつ): seven books
七(なな)百(ひゃく): seven hundred

CULTURAL:

七(しち)五(ご)三(さん): festival celebrating children aged 7, 5, and 3 (November 15)
七(しち)福神(ふくじん): the Seven Lucky Gods
七夕(たなばた): Star Festival (July 7th — note the special reading)

basic

Added 2026.1.7 21:49 · Revised 2026.2.16 12:58

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