How to say 'Ordinal' in Japanese | 第

word

Meaning

Ordinal

Reading

Kanji

第Ordinal number

Explanation

The Japanese prefix '第 (だい)' is used to indicate ordinal numbers, similar to '1st', '2nd', '3rd' in English. It is commonly attached to numbers to denote order, rank, or sequence. For example: first place「第一位」(だいいちい). Second chapter「第二章」(だいにしょう). Third time「第三回」(だいさんかい). This prefix is often used in formal or structured contexts, such as academic chapters, competition rankings, or event iterations. It is important to note that '第' is always followed by a number and does not stand alone as a word.

Part Of Speech

prefix

Kanji JLPT

N1

Kanji Grade

3

Frequency

103

Composition

kanji

Handwriting