How do you say "twenty" in Japanese?

二十

nijū

Adjective Kanji

In Japanese, "twenty" is 二十 (nijū).

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Pronunciation

二十 is written using kanji. Romanised as nijū, it sounds roughly like "nee-joo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

二十 combines two (二) with ten (十), showing how multiples of ten are formed. Twenty is 2 x 10, and the structure makes this clear.

Example sentence

店に商品が二十個あります。

Mise ni shouhin ga nijū ko arimasu.

The shop has twenty items.

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How to remember 二十

Two (二) x ten (十) = twenty; the kanji order shows the multiplication.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese adjectives.

Questions about 二十

How do you pronounce 二十?

二十 is romanised as nijū. Say it roughly like "nee-joo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 二十 formal or casual?

二十 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 二十 written in Japanese?

二十 is written using kanji. 二十 combines two (二) with ten (十), showing how multiples of ten are formed.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Twenty" in other languages

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