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いくつ
ikutsu
how many
りんごがいくつありますか。
How many apples are there?
informal
Used to ask or state the quantity of something.
何歳ですか。 — いくつですか。
How old are you? — How many years?
この箱には鉛筆がいくつ入っていますか。
How many pencils are in this box?
Can be used for both countable objects and abstract quantities (e.g., age). Often interchangeable with 何個 (nani-ko) for objects, but いくつ is more general.
Pro Tip
Counting with counters
いくら (ikura) asks 'how much' (price), while いくつ asks 'how many' (quantity). For objects, specify a counter if possible: りんごが何個ありますか (How many apples are there?).
Gold Rule
When to use いくつ vs. 何個
いくら (ikura) is for price. いくつ is for quantity of objects or age. 何個 (nani-ko) is a more specific counter for small objects (e.g., apples, balls).
Word Origin
From いく (iku, 'how many') + つ (tsu, a counter suffix for objects/abstract quantities). The つ suffix is archaic but persists in modern usage.
Usage Notes
いくら (ikura) is often mistakenly used for quantity, but it means 'how much' (price). いくつ is strictly for countable items or age. In formal writing, 何個 (nani-ko) or 何本 (nan-bon) may be preferred depending on the object.
Word Breakdown
いく
how many
rootつ
counter suffix (general quantity)
suffix和英辞典