Counting birds and rabbits with 羽

The idea

Put a number before 羽: 一羽 is いちわ, 二羽 にわ and 三羽 さんわ or さんば. 六羽 is ろくわ or ろっぱ, and 何羽 is なんわ or なんば. The quantity can follow the noun, as in 鳥が二羽います.

Examples

• 庭にわに鳥とりが一羽いちわいます。There is one bird in the garden.
• 学校がっこうにうさぎが二羽にわいます。There are two rabbits at school.
• 空そらを鳥とりが三羽さんわ飛とんでいます。Three birds are flying in the sky.
• 池いけのそばでかもを四羽よんわ見みました。I saw four ducks by the pond.
• 友達ともだちはにわとりを六羽ろくわ飼かっています。My friend keeps six chickens.
• 公園こうえんにうさぎが何羽なんわいますか。How many rabbits are there in the park?

Watch out

Do not confuse 羽 with 匹, a common counter for small animals. Rabbits can be counted with either; 羽 is not limited to animals that fly.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading in hiragana: 一羽

   Show answer or example answer

   いちわ

   一羽 is いちわ: the number retains いち before わ.

2. Write a reading in hiragana: 三羽

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   さんわ / さんば

   三羽 can be さんわ or さんば; both readings are accepted.

3. Write a reading in hiragana: 何羽

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   なんわ / なんば

   何羽 can be なんわ or なんば and asks how many birds or rabbits.

Use it today

Count birds or rabbits using 羽, then ask someone how many there are.