いち
りんごを一個ください。
Please give me one apple.
The cardinal number 1; the lowest positive integer.
一日は二十四時間です。
One day has twenty-four hours.
一番目に座ってください。
Please sit in the first seat.
Used in counting, numbering, and ordinal contexts (e.g., 一番 'first').
The first; top rank or position.
彼はクラスで一番優秀です。
He is the best in the class.
Often paired with の to form ordinals (e.g., 一番目 'first item').
A unit of measurement or standard (e.g., in sports or games).
一本の矢を射る。
Shoot one arrow.
Common in phrases like 一本 (one long object) or 一杯 (one cup).
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Counting Objects
Use いち with classifiers like 個 (こ) for small objects, 本 (ほん) for long objects, and 枚 (まい) for flat objects. Example: いちまいの紙 (one sheet of paper).
Gold Rule
いち vs. 1
いち is the Japanese word for 'one,' while 1 is the Arabic numeral. In writing, いち is preferred in native Japanese contexts, but 1 is commonly used in modern contexts (e.g., dates, addresses).
Word Origin
From Old Japanese *pitö, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *pito. Cognate with modern Japanese 一つ 'one (thing)'.
Usage Notes
いち is the native Japanese reading of the kanji 一. In formal contexts, 一 is often used alone. The word can also appear in compound forms like 一人 'one person' (ひとり) or 一度 'once' (いちど).