ゼロ

ゼロ is from English "zero" and is the most common way to say zero in everyday Japanese.

Alternative forms

• ゼロ: casual, most common in conversation
• 零(れい): formal/traditional, used in official contexts
• まる: used for "0" digit (phone numbers, room numbers)

Common expressions

• ゼロから始(はじ)める: to start from scratch/zero
• ゼロに戻(もど)す: to reset to zero
• ゼロに近(ちか)い: close to zero
• ゼロ以下(いか): below zero

Usage

• 気温(きおん)がゼロ度(ど): temperature is zero degrees
• 点数(てんすう)がゼロ: score is zero
• 残高(ざんだか)がゼロ: balance is zero

In PHONE/ROOM numbers

The digit 0 is usually read as まる or ゼロ:

• 03-0123 = ゼロさん・まるいちにさん or ゼロさん・ゼロいちにさん

Related words

• マイナス: minus (ゼロ以下(いか) / マイナス5度(ど))
• プラス: plus