How to say "four" in Japanese

• 四しJLPT N5approx.Common
  numeralThe Sino-Japanese numeral four, used for the bare number in writing and numbering; read し, though many speakers prefer よん in speech, since し sounds identical to the word for death.
  その湖みずうみは直径ちょっけい四よんマイルである。↗

  The lake is four miles across.
• フォアCommon
  nounThe loanword 'four'. Seldom the word you want for the number itself, which is normally said with 四; it turns up within borrowed expressions rather than in everyday counting.
• 四つよっつJLPT N5approx.Common
  numeralThe native counting word: use it for four of something when no specialized counter applies, as with four chairs or four apples; it can also give a young child's age, four years old.
  この国くには季節きせつが４つあります。↗

  This country has four seasons.
• 四本よんほんCommon
  nounFour long cylindrical things, such as pens, bottles or umbrellas; use this counted form, built on the counter 本, for items of that shape.
  犬いぬは四よん本ぽん足あしである。↗

  A dog has four legs.

四 is the Sino-Japanese numeral four, 「四つ」 counts four objects, 四本 counts four long cylindrical things, and 「フォア」 is the loanword, seldom used for the plain number.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 四しfour
• フォアfour
• 四つよっつfour
• 四本よんほんfour (long cylindrical things)
• 四スーfour
• クアトロfour