冊

Counter for Books

Level 1Sounds Like satsu

Use 冊（さつ） to count physical or digital bound items like books, notebooks, and magazines.

How It Works

冊（さつ） is a Sino-Japanese counter used for bound objects. It is the standard way to count individual physical books in daily life.

1. Mnemonic Tip:
The kanji 冊 is a pictograph representing ancient bamboo or wooden slats bound together by a string, which is why it is used for books and notebooks today.

2. Counting Chart:
Pay close attention to the small っ（gemination） in numbers 1, 8, and 10.

  • 1 volume: 一冊（いっさつ）
  • 2 volumes: 二冊（にさつ）
  • 3 volumes: 三冊（さんさつ）
  • 4 volumes: 四冊（よんさつ）
  • 5 volumes: 五冊（ごさつ）
  • 6 volumes: 六冊（ろくさつ）
  • 7 volumes: 七冊（ななさつ / しちさつ）
  • 8 volumes: 八冊（はっさつ / はちさつ）
  • 9 volumes: 九冊（きゅうさつ）
  • 10 volumes: 十冊（じゅっさつ / じっさつ）
  • How many?: 何冊（なんさつ）

3. Usage Scope:
This counter covers bound items such as:

  • Magazines and Manga
  • Notebooks and Sketchbooks
  • Dictionaries and Textbooks
  • Digital books (e-books)

4. Important Distinctions:

  • 冊（さつ） vs. 本（ほん）: Do not confuse these. 本（ほん） counts long, cylindrical objects like pens or bottles. Even though the noun for 'book' is 本（ほん）, the counter is 冊（さつ）.
  • 冊（さつ） vs. 巻（かん）: Use 冊（さつ） to count the physical items you are holding or buying (e.g., 'I bought three books'). Use 巻（かん） for specific volume numbers in a series (e.g., 'Volume 1') or to describe the total length of a series (e.g., 'a 50-volume series' is 全50巻（ぜんごじゅうかん）).
  • Thin Items: Very thin bound items like pamphlets or newspapers may sometimes be counted with 部（ぶ） or 枚（まい） depending on their thickness and context.

Examples (4)

  1. 本を二冊買いました。

    I bought two books.

    Word by Word: Book (object) two-volumes bought.

    This is the most basic usage of 冊 to count physical books.

  2. カバンの中にノートが三冊あります。

    There are three notebooks in the bag.

    Word by Word: Bag inside-in notebooks (subject) three-volumes exist.

    冊 is used for notebooks because they are bound volumes.

  3. このシリーズは全部で十冊です。

    This series has ten volumes in total.

    Word by Word: This series (topic) total-at ten-volumes is.

    Note the pronunciation of 十冊 as じゅっさつ or じっさつ.

  4. 電子書籍を五冊ダウンロードしました。

    I downloaded five e-books.

    Word by Word: Electronic books (object) five-volumes downloaded.

    Modern usage includes digital books as long as they are considered 'volumes'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 本 (hon) to count books.

    本を二本読みました。
    本を二冊読みました。

    Learners often use 本 because it means 'book,' but 本 as a counter is only for long, thin objects like pens or umbrellas. Books must be counted with 冊.

  • Incorrect pronunciation of 1 volume.

    いちさつ
    いっさつ

    For 1, 8, and 10, the 'tsu' sound at the end of the number changes into a small 'tsu' (っ) to double the 's' in satsu.

How It Connects

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

冊Level 1Counter for Books

Learn This First

To understand the counter 'satsu', learners should be familiar with the basic concept of Japanese counters and have a foundational understanding of kanji characters.

Words in This Pattern

冊