The phrases such as 一人も[hitori mo] and 一度も[ichido mo] are always used in negative sentences, but they don’t have a negative meaning on their own. Make sure to use them along with the negative form of a verb!
Japanese Articles
How to use も (mo) with numbers in Japanese?
By: Mayumi Ito Tue Jun 09 2026
In Japanese there are a few different situations where we use the も[mo] to discuss numbers and quantities, usually to express surprise at a quantity or to express that a number is only approximate.
In this post, we’ll go over how and when to use も[mo] after a number + a , as in １時間[jikan](one hour) or 千円[sen en](¥1,000). Along the way, we’ll direct you towards some other resources where you can learn about the use of も[mo] in other contexts as well.
When a number is bigger or smaller than expected
In Japanese, you’ll often hear も[mo] used after a number + counter phrase to express that a quantity is larger or smaller than someone expected.
In an affirmative sentence, you’re expressing surprise that a number is bigger than expected. You might translate this using “as much as…” or “as many as…”
あの白いTシャツは１０万円もするそうだ。
Ano shiroi tiishatsu wa jūman en mo suru sō da.
I’ve heard that that white T-shirt over there costs as much as ¥100,000.
→ This price seems amazingly high.A negative sentence expresses surprise that the number is smaller than expected. You might translate this using “as little as…” or “as few as…”
ぼくのこのTシャツは５００円もしなかった。
Boku no kono tiishatsu wa gohyaku en mo shinakatta.
This T-shirt of mine didn’t cost me even as little as ¥500.
→ This price seems surprisingly low.
This use of も[mo] is a natural extension of how we use も to express surprise in other contexts, which you can read about in our post on non-parallel uses of も.
How to say “not even one” in Japanese?
One common way to say “not even one” in Japanese is to use も[mo] after a phrase with the structure 1 + counter along with a negative verb. Just like when you use “not even one” in English, this structure indicates a strong negation. For example:
1 + counterも (mo)negative verb
午前中はすごく暇でした。お客が一一人も来なかったんです。
Gozenchū wa sugoku hima deshita. Okyaku ga hitori mo konakattandesu.
It was super slow this morning. Customers did not come, not even one.
Important
How to use も (mo) to approximate?
When we either don’t know exact numbers or don’t want to present definite numbers, we can set off an approximate number with も[mo] to indicate that it’s our estimate. In this use, も means something like “or so.”
approximate numberも (mo)
この温泉町は小さいですから、１万円もあればきれいな旅館に泊まれます。
Kono onsenmachi wa chiisai desu kara, ichiman en mo areba kireina ryokan ni tomaremasu.
Because this hotspring town is small, you can stay at a neat Japanese-style inn if you have ¥10,000 or so.
Notice that the structure here is exactly the same as the structure for expressing surprise at a quantity: Number + Counter + も[mo]. Whether you’re expressing surprise or approximating will depend solely on context! Keep an eye out for words and phrases like “probably,” “I think,” or “if,” which can hint that this is a case where も[mo] is being used to estimate!
To sum up
When も[mo] is used with a number + counter there are two main meanings:
Expression of surprise that a number is bigger or smaller than expected.
A way to express that the number is a broad estimate.
The difference is only in the context, they both use the same structure. Check out our numbers with も exercises to practice with this use of も[mo]!
Ready to learn more about how to use も[mo] in Japanese? Check out this summary of all the uses of も or read more in one of these posts:
Introduction to も → What the most basic uses of も?
も with noun phrases → When to use も alongside other noun-marking particles?
も with adjectives and verbs → How can you use も to connect parallel elements that aren’t nouns?
も with numbers → How can you use も to indicate your thoughts and feelings about a quantity?
