How to Say ‘How many people’ in Japanese
何名様
なんめいさま
💬 Usage Tip: [名] (めい) is a counter for people, [様] (さま) is an honorific.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Counters are frequently used in Japanese, [様] adds respect.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
何なん
[nan]
what
Question word used to ask about things or quantities.
何人いますか。
How many people are there?
名めい
[mei]
counter for people
Counter used specifically for counting people.
三名です。
It is 3 people.
様さま
[sama]
honorific title
Polite title used to refer to others respectfully.
様、こちらへどうぞ。
This way, please.
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