Quote:
Originally Posted by jacobf
Nagoyankee, thank you for that marvelous explanation, and especially that interesting tidbit about how you learned to count. It is very helpful in allowing me to understand the concept better!
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つ is the counter for the Japanese numbering system.
The Japanese numbering system still in use today goes up to 10 (とお). 10 does not have a counter. Beyond that, it falls apart badly. 20 - 90 uses ち・ぢ instead of つ.
E.g. １０ とお、２０ はたち、３０ みそぢ、４０ よそ ぢ、５０ いそぢ、６０ むそぢ、７０ ななそぢ、８ ０ やそぢ、９０ ここのそぢ
100, 1000, 10000 all do not have a counter.
１００ もも
１０００ ち
１００００ よろづ
Also, after each unit of number, you have to put あまり or まり to segregate the numbers.
E.g. 35 - みそまりいつつ, 2009 - ふたちまりここのつ, 421 - よほまりはたちまりひとつ
99,999 ここのよろづまりここのちまりここのほまりここのそぢ まりここのつ is as big as Japanese numbers can go before they hopped on the Chinese bandwagon.
It's not hard to see why they needed a new numbering system.