Kai Counter (回) - Times, Occasions, Visits
The Japanese counter 回 (kai) attaches to verbs to express how many times an event happened: ik-kai (once), ni-kai (twice), san-kai (three times). Gemination at 1, 6, 8, 10 produces the kk-doubled forms.
Times / occurrences (how many times something happened).
| # | Kanji | Romaji | Notes | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一回 | ik-kai | ||
| 2 | 二回 | ni-kai | ||
| 3 | 三回 | san-kai | ||
| 4 | 四回 | yon-kai | ||
| 5 | 五回 | go-kai | ||
| 6 | 六回 | rok-kai | ||
| 7 | 七回 | nana-kai | ||
| 8 | 八回 | hak-kai | ||
| 9 | 九回 | kyū-kai | ||
| 10 | 十回 | juk-kai |
How kai attaches in a sentence
Place number + 回 (kai) before the verb. The pattern is symmetric with English “N times”:
- 一回行きました (ik-kai ikimashita): I went once.
- 二回見ました (ni-kai mimashita): I saw it twice.
- 三回試しました (san-kai tameshimashita): I tried three times.
- 一週間に二回 (isshuukan ni ni-kai): twice a week.
- 毎日三回 (mainichi san-kai): three times a day.
Sound-change pattern
Gemination at 1, 6, 8, 10: ik-kai, rok-kai, hak-kai, juk-kai. The /k/ doubles after the preceding consonant. Regular at 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9: ni-kai, san-kai, yon-kai, go-kai, nana-kai, kyu-kai.
Kai versus do (度)
- Kai (回): everyday default. Used for any countable occurrence: visits, exercises, meals, lessons, hospital appointments.
- Do (度): formal / emphatic. Used in fixed expressions: mou-ichi-do (もう一度, “once more”), ni-do-to-nai (二度と〜ない, “never again”), san-do-no-meshi (三度の飯, “the three daily meals”).
- Kaisuu (回数): the abstract noun for “number of times”. Useful when asking generally: kaisuu wa nan-kai desu ka (“how many times?”).
Frequently asked questions
How do I ask "how many times" in Japanese?
何回 (nan-kai) plus the verb. 何回行きましたか (nan-kai ikimashita ka): “How many times did you go?”. The answer pattern: number + 回 + same verb: 三回行きました (san-kai ikimashita) for “I went three times”.
What is the difference between kai and ji?
Kai (回) counts occurrences (“how many times did it happen?”). Ji (時) counts hours on the clock (“what time is it?”). They are not interchangeable. “I went twice” uses kai. “It is 2 o'clock” uses ji.
When do I use kai versus do (度)?
Kai is the general counter for occurrences. Do (度) is a more formal alternative often used for emphasis or in fixed expressions (mou-ichi-do for “once more”, ni-do-to-nai for “never again”). Kai is the everyday default; do is the formal / emphatic register.
Is san-kai or san-gai correct?
For occurrences: san-kai. The /k/ does not voice. (Note: 三階 san-gai with rendaku to /g/ is a different word meaning “third floor”. Same kanji, different reading by context.)
Continue: counters hub · time counters (ji, fun).