How do you say "sixteen" in Japanese?

十六

jūroku

Adjective Kanji

In Japanese, "sixteen" is 十六 (jūroku).

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Pronunciation

十六 is written using kanji. Romanised as jūroku, it sounds roughly like "joo-roh-koo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

十六 combines ten (十) with six (六). The regularity of compound numbers in Japanese makes numbers 11-19 easier than in English.

Example sentence

バスに十六人の乗客がいます。

Basu ni jūroku nin no joukyaku ga imasu.

There are sixteen passengers on the bus.

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How to remember 十六

Ten (十) + six (六) = sixteen; no exceptions in this system.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese adjectives.

Questions about 十六

How do you pronounce 十六?

十六 is romanised as jūroku. Say it roughly like "joo-roh-koo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 十六 formal or casual?

十六 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 十六 written in Japanese?

十六 is written using kanji. 十六 combines ten (十) with six (六).

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Sixteen" in other languages

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