Mai Counter (枚) - Flat Thin Objects in Japanese
The Japanese counter 枚 (mai) is the easiest object counter to learn. No sound-changes. Fully regular through 1 to 10. Covers paper, plates, tickets, photos, T-shirts, cards, pancakes, blankets, CDs.
Flat, thin objects: paper, plates, T-shirts, tickets, photos, cards.
| # | Kanji | Romaji | Notes | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一枚 | ichi-mai | ||
| 2 | 二枚 | ni-mai | ||
| 3 | 三枚 | san-mai | ||
| 4 | 四枚 | yon-mai | ||
| 5 | 五枚 | go-mai | ||
| 6 | 六枚 | roku-mai | ||
| 7 | 七枚 | nana-mai | ||
| 8 | 八枚 | hachi-mai | ||
| 9 | 九枚 | kyū-mai | ||
| 10 | 十枚 | jū-mai |
What counts as a flat thin object
- Paper-class: sheets of paper (紙 kami), tickets (チケット chiketto), business cards (名刺 meishi), banknotes (お札 osatsu), envelopes (封筒 fuutoo), stamps (切手 kitte).
- Photographic / digital media: photos (写真 shashin), CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, Blu-ray discs.
- Clothing (flat / lying down): T-shirts (Tシャツ), shirts (シャツ shatsu), sweaters (セーター seetaa), blouses, scarves.
- Tableware: plates (皿 sara), saucers, flat trays.
- Food (flat): pancakes, slices of bread or cake, pizza slices, omelettes, crepes.
- Bedding (flat): blankets (毛布 moofu), sheets (シーツ shiitsu), tablecloths.
- Idiomatic: “a slice of” almost anything; a leaf (葉 ha), a petal.
Why mai is the easiest counter
No rendaku. Unlike 本 (hon -> san-bon) and 匹 (hiki -> san-biki), the /m/ in mai never voices.
No gemination. Unlike 本 (hon -> ip-pon) and 個 (ko -> ik-ko), mai never doubles.
Use mai first. Most curricula (Genki I, Marugoto) teach mai before hon for this reason.
Common mistakes
- Using mai for thick books: books take 冊 (satsu), not mai. A single page of a book takes mai (one sheet of paper), but the book as a whole is satsu.
- Using mai for trousers / jeans: trousers conventionally take 本 (hon, treating the legs as long thin objects) or 着 (chaku, treating as garments). Mai for trousers is non-standard.
Frequently asked questions
What objects use the mai counter in Japanese?
Flat thin objects: paper (紙 kami), plates (皿 sara), T-shirts (Tシャツ tii-shatsu), tickets (チケット chiketto), photos (写真 shashin), cards (カード kaado), pancakes, slices of bread (パン pan), blankets (毛布 moofu), CDs and DVDs. Anything that is two-dimensional or close to flat in form.
Are there sound-changes in mai?
No. Mai is the easiest object counter to learn precisely because it has no rendaku or gemination. The full sequence is ichi-mai, ni-mai, san-mai, yon-mai, go-mai, roku-mai, nana-mai, hachi-mai, kyu-mai, ju-mai. The /m/ sound is stable; no voicing or doubling.
Can I use mai for clothing in general?
For flat clothing items like T-shirts, dress shirts, sweaters that lie flat when folded: yes, mai. For three-dimensional items like trousers, suits, jackets fitted on a hanger: typically 着 (chaku) or 枚 in casual speech. Dictionaries record both as acceptable for shirts.
How do I say "two sheets of paper"?
紙を二枚 (kami o ni-mai). Object + particle o + counter. To request, add ください: 紙を二枚ください (kami o ni-mai kudasai) for “two sheets of paper please”.
Continue: counters hub · long objects (hon) · general small (ko).