Japanese dictionary
How to say "four" in Japanese
四よん · yon
"Four" in Japanese is 四, read よん (yon) or し (shi). Yon is used more often in everyday counting.
▶ plays native audio. Audio on this site plays when you are logged in to your free japanese.ccn.jp account (the same account as Japanese Talk by CCN).
Ways to say "four" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 四よん · yon | Four. |
| 四つよっつ · yottsu | Four (things). |
| 4よん · yon | Four (Arabic numeral). |
How to use it
Some words use shi: 四月 (shigatsu, April). Others use yon: 四人 (yonin, four people), 四時 (yoji, four o'clock).
Shi sounds like 死 (death), so four is sometimes avoided, for example in hospital room numbers.
Example sentences
- 四人で予約しました。Yonin de yoyaku shimashita.I made a reservation for four.
- 会議は四時からです。Kaigi wa yoji kara desu.The meeting starts at four.
- 四月に入社しました。Shigatsu ni nyūsha shimashita.I joined the company in April.
- コップを四つください。Koppu o yottsu kudasai.Four glasses, please.
- 四年間アメリカに住んでいました。Yonenkan Amerika ni sunde imashita.I lived in the United States for four years.
- 四階の会議室です。Yonkai no kaigishitsu desu.It's the meeting room on the fourth floor.
Kanji in this word
Questions
Is 4 read yon or shi?
Both exist. Yon is more common in counting (四人, 四時, 四階). Shi is used in some fixed words like 四月 (April).
Why is 4 considered unlucky in Japan?
The reading shi sounds like 死 (death), so some hotels and hospitals avoid room number 4.
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.