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san

san

9.9
The Japanese word for the number three
  • numeral
  • /sɑn/
translation icon : tres
  • When counting in Japanese, you say san for the number three.

Examples

  • The teacher wrote ichi, ni, san on the board to teach the students numbers.

  • In Japanese, san means three.

  • In karate class, the instructor called out san as everyone took their third step.

  • I have san apples.

  • When counting in Japanese, you say san for the number three.

  • The teacher wrote ichi, ni, san on the board to teach the students numbers.

  • In Japanese, the word san refers to the number three.

Idioms

9.9

A phrase to say something is not important or not worth worrying about

Compounds

319 1.0

A large city in western California famous for the Golden Gate Bridge and its bay

A large area of sea on the coast of western California that forms the harbor for San Francisco

A large valley in central California known for farming

A fertile valley north of Los Angeles with many homes and film studios

A long crack in the ground in California that causes earthquakes

A small capital city in the country San Marino in southern Europe

Japayuki-san
  • Archaic
9.9

A Japanese woman who works as a hostess or entertainer in another Asian country

A small independent country in southern Europe completely surrounded by Italy and famous for its long history

A form of the Apache language that people speak on reservations in east-central Arizona

An Apache language spoken in east-central Arizona on the San Carlos reservation

A large natural bay on the Pacific coast next to the city of San Diego

A hill near Santiago de Cuba where a major 1898 battle of the Spanish‑American War took place

A mountain range in southwest Colorado that is part of the Rocky Mountains

A large river in central California that starts in the Sierra Nevada and flows to the Sacramento River

San Jose scale
  • Specialized
9.3

A small insect from East Asia that damages fruit trees

Surface Forms

san cardinal word
3 cardinal digit

Etymology

San is the Japanese word written that simply means 'three' when you count. So when you say ichi, ni, san you are saying 'one, two, three' in Japanese.