How to say "number" in Japanese

• 数かずJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounA number as a quantity or amount — how many, how much. This is the word for counting and comparing amounts, not for numbers that identify things.
  算数さんすうは数かずを取り扱とりあつかう。↗

  Arithmetic deals with numbers.
• 番ばんJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)A number indicating position in a series — first, second, third. It tells you where someone or something stands in an ordered sequence rather than how many there are.
  私の自宅じたくの電話番号でんわばんごうは市し外がい局番きょくばんが２０１で１２３ー４５６７番ばんです。↗

  My home phone number is, area code two-oh-one, one-two-three, four-five-six-seven.
• 号ごうJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)A number attached to an issue or edition of a publication, or to the make and model of a product. Seldom the word you want for 'number' on its own.
  あなたの定期ていき購読こうどく予約よやくは六ろく月がつ号ごうで切きれます。↗

  Your subscription expires with the June issue.
• ナンバーJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounThe katakana loanword, used much as in English — a car's plate number, for instance. It is not the word for numbers as quantities or amounts.
• 番号ばんごうJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounA number that identifies something — a phone number, a room number, a serial number: a series of digits rather than a quantity.
  ええ、じゃあ私の電話番号でんわばんごう教おしえるね。↗

  OK. Let me give you my number.

Use 数 for numbers as quantities or amounts, 番 for position in a series, 番号 for identifying strings of digits, 号 for numbered editions and models, and 「ナンバー」 as the loanword.

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

• 数かずnumber
• 番ばんnumber (in a series)
• 号ごうnumber
• ナンバーnumber
• 番号ばんごうnumber
• 本数ほんすうnumber (of long, cylindrical things, movies, trains, home runs, etc.)
• 多寡たかdegree (of something)
• 高たかquantity
• 絶対数ぜったいすうnumber (on its own, without considering its proportion to the whole)
• 員数いんずう(total) number (of people or things)
• 曲目きょくもくname of a piece of music
• 数すうnumber
• 数字すうじfigure
• 入りいりattendance
• 多少たしょうamount
• 出し物だしもの(theatrical) piece
• バックナンバーnumber (on the back of a player's uniform)