2012.10.04
カテゴリ：lessons
counter suffix
In East Asian languages, counter suffixes are used when counting. For example, in Japan, you count cars with -dai, like 1dai, 2dai,3dai. T-shirts are counted with -mai, such as 1mai, 2mai, 3mai. These are some of the common suffixes, but sometimes you don't know what kind of counter suffix should be used, even if you are a Japanese. How do you count souls from the dead? One of my Western students counted them in front of me, "1hashira, 2hashira, 3hashira". His Japanese is at a very advanced level and I was astonished to see his knowledge.