What is the difference between 第 and 番目?

第〇 (dai-N) is a formal prefix meaning 'the Nth' and is common in lists, chapters, and articles (第一章 = Chapter 1). 〇番目 (N-banme) is the everyday spoken way to say 'the Nth one' when counting through items. Both are valid ordinals; the tool offers both.

When should I use 位 or 着?

位 (-i) marks a rank or placing, as in 第一位 (first place / rank 1). 着 (-chaku) marks a finishing position, especially in races and horse racing, as in 一着 (first to finish). Use them when the context is competition or ranking rather than a plain ordered list.

How is the number written in kanji?

Ordinals use Sino-Japanese numerals: 一, 二, 三 with units 十百千 and the myriad scale 万億兆. A leading 1 before 十/百/千 is dropped, so 10 is 十. The tool builds the kanji and then attaches the chosen ordinal prefix or suffix.

Can it handle large numbers?

Yes, up to 99,999,999. The number is grouped every four digits by the myriad units 万 and 億, so 第一万 (10,000th) and similar large ordinals are produced correctly.

Yes. The kanji conversion and ordinal affixing run entirely in your browser with built-in numeral tables. No input is sent to a server.

Japanese Ordinal Number Converter

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Cardinal numbers, written as Japanese ordinals

Japanese marks ordinals mainly with the prefix 第 (dai-) placed before a Sino-Japanese numeral, often paired with a counter such as 番, 位, or 着. Which combination you use depends on whether you mean a numbered section, the Nth item, a rank, or a race finish. This tool builds the kanji number and attaches the ordinal marker you choose.

How it works

The number is first converted to Sino-Japanese kanji. Digits use 一 through 九, the within-group units are 十 (ten), 百 (hundred), 千 (thousand), and larger numbers are grouped every four digits by the myriad units 万 (10,000) and 億 (100 million). A leading 1 before a unit is dropped, so ten is 十, not 一十.

The ordinal marker is then applied:

第三      (dai-san)   — the 3rd, formal
三番目    (san-banme) — the 3rd one, spoken
第三位    (dai-san-i) — 3rd place / rank
三着      (san-chaku) — 3rd to finish (race)

Tips and notes

Use 第〇 for chapters, articles, and formal lists (第一章, 第二条). Reach for 〇番目 in everyday speech when pointing at the Nth item in a row. Keep 位 and 着 for rankings and races. The readings shown are a guide — the kanji itself is the form you paste into a document. For a plain cardinal in kanji without an ordinal marker, use the Japanese Number to Words tool.