How to use "123" in a sentence
Here are 5 practical examples in polite everyday Japanese:
Other ways of saying "123" in Japanese
Japanese has multiple counting systems, so "123" changes depending on what you're counting:
- hyaku nijuu san (百二十三) — Standard number 123 — 100 + 20 + 3.
- ichi ni san (一二三) — Alternative reading, often used in counting games or sequences.
- hyaku nijuu san en (百二十三円) — A common price point in Japan — about 80 cents USD.
- hyaku nijuu san ban (百二十三番) — Number 123 in a sequence, queue, or address.
Learn how to say 100 in Japanese. Learn how to say 22 in Japanese. Learn how to say 2 in Japanese.
Fun fact about "123" in Japanese culture
The number 123 is considered a 'step ladder' number in Japanese culture because it ascends sequentially — 1, 2, 3. This makes it a popular choice for passwords, PINs, and even lottery numbers among Japanese people. The simplicity and ascending pattern give it a sense of natural progression and good fortune.
In Japanese baseball, wearing number 123 is impossible since jerseys only go up to 99. However, the NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) has 12 teams with 25-man rosters, meaning roughly 300 active players at any time — nowhere near 123 jerseys per team. The highest number ever worn in NPB was 99, reserved for rookies and temporary players.
The Japanese convenience store chain Lawson operates over 14,000 stores in Japan, and many are open 24/7/365. If you visited one Lawson store every day, it would take you approximately 123 years to visit them all — a fun statistic that Japanese social media users love to share.