一二三四五六七八九十
Japanese numerals
A naming system in base 10, with a zero.
StructureMultiplicative — digit times named power, written as the number is said
Base10
ZeroYes — a true zero, holding an empty place
RegionJapan
Datesborrowed with the Chinese script, from c. 5th c. CE
Unicodewithin the Han blocks
Status living
Curatorial note
The Chinese system borrowed whole, and then run in parallel with Arabic digits — which is the ordinary modern condition. Vertical text takes kanji numerals, horizontal text usually takes digits, and the same document may do both. Japan also kept the anti-fraud forms, as daiji, for legal and financial writing.
Specimen
The digits, at size 56 一二三四五六七八九十
40 一二三四五六七八九十
26 一二三四五六七八九十
17 一二三四五六七八九十