With how many counters the Japanese language uses, there are just as many pros and cons. On the upside, many counters are a great way to keep things organized, as a specific counter is used for specific things, such as counters that are based on the shape of the object being counted. This results in less confusion in conversations. However, a con with so many counters is that they can be difficult to learn, especially in languages that aren’t as specific with counting.

Counter Examples:

〜つ Counter: One of the most common counters that is used for almost anything, from shapes to thoughts.

個 Counter: Also very common and close to つ , but can only be used for things that have a boundary (physical things)

円 (えん) Counter: The unit of Japanese currency. Used to count the amount of yen.

曲 (きょく) Counter: Literally means song. Counts songs/music.

片/枚 (ひら) Counter: Used to count small, flat things that flutter in the wind, such as petals and confetti.

If there was a counter that I wished existed in English, I wish it would be a counter like 振り (ふり), which is used to count the back and forth motion of objects, such as a dog’s tail wags or a can’s shakes. Instead of having so many specific counters for specific items, it would be a lot simpler to just have one counter for everything that is doing essentially the same motion.

Although there are many counters that can get confusing, I believe that Japan should continue to use the counters they have now. Every counter has remained for a reason, as Japanese can be a very nuanced language at times and having many specific counters allows one to be able to be as specific as they want with their words. In English, it would be difficult to suddenly stop using the specific counters we have, as they all have a slightly different meaning. Changing such a big thing about Japanese language would be incredibly difficult to do and would require years of adjustment that won’t go over well with older generations.