匹

Counter for Small Animals

Level 1Sounds Like hiki

匹（ひき） is the standard counter for animals smaller than a human. It is used for pets, insects, and fish.

How It Works

1. What to count with 匹（ひき）:
This counter is used for small to medium-sized animals. Use it for:

  • Mammals: Cats, dogs, hamsters, mice.
  • Insects: Ants, flies, beetles.
  • Reptiles/Amphibians: Frogs, lizards, snakes.
  • Fish: Goldfish, tropical fish.

Note: Large animals (like elephants, cows, or horses) use 頭（とう）.

2. Special Exceptions:

  • Rabbits: Traditionally, rabbits are counted with 羽（わ）, the same counter used for birds. However, in modern casual conversation, 匹（ひき） is also commonly used.
  • Fish: While live fish are counted with 匹（ひき）, fish that are caught for food or sold in markets are often counted with 尾（び）.

3. Sound Changes:
Because 匹（ひき） starts with an 'h' sound, it changes depending on the number before it:

  • 1: 一匹（いっぴき）
  • 3: 三匹（さんびき）
  • 6: 六匹（ろっぴき）
  • 8: 八匹（はっぴき）
  • 10: 十匹（じゅっぴき）
  • Question (How many?): 何匹（なんびき）

4. Sentence Structure:
The counter usually comes after the object and the particle, or directly before the verb:
猫（ねこ）が三匹（さんびき）います。
(There are three cats.)

Examples (4)

  1. 猫を三匹飼っています。

    I have three cats.

    Word by Word: Cats (object) three-small-animals am-keeping.

    Notice how 'three' becomes 三匹（さんびき） due to the sound change after 三（さん）.

  2. 池に金魚が五匹います。

    There are five goldfish in the pond.

    Word by Word: Pond in goldfish (subject) five-small-animals exist.

    For the number 5, the reading is standard: 五匹（ごひき）.

  3. 昨日、蚊を一匹たたいた。

    I swatted one mosquito yesterday.

    Word by Word: Yesterday, mosquito (object) one-small-animal swatted.

    One animal is always 一匹（いっぴき）, never いちひき.

  4. 犬が何匹いますか？

    How many dogs are there?

    Word by Word: Dogs (subject) how-many-small-animals exist (question)?

    When asking 'how many,' use 何匹（なんびき）.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the wrong sound for 1, 3, 6, 8, or 10.

    猫がいちひきいます。
    猫がいっぴきいます。

    Numbers 1, 6, 8, and 10 change to a 'p' sound (ぴき), and 3 changes to a 'b' sound (びき). Becoming proficient in these irregulars is essential for natural speech.

  • Using 匹 for birds or very large animals.

    鳥が二匹います。
    鳥が二羽います。

    Even though birds are small, they use the counter 羽（わ）. Large animals like elephants or horses use 頭（とう）.

  • Omitting the counter entirely.

    三猫がいます。
    猫が三匹います。

    In Japanese, you cannot attach a number directly to a noun like in English. You must use the appropriate counter after the noun and particle.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

匹Level 1Counter for Small Animals

Learn This First

To use the counter '匹' effectively, you need to understand the general concept of Japanese counters and how they interact with verbs of existence like 'いる'. Familiarity with basic kanji is also necessary for reading the counter and its numerical combinations.

Words in This Pattern

匹