ゼロ

See also: セロ

Japanese

Alternative spellings
零 〇

Etymology

Borrowed from English zero, or French zéro. The kanji spelling is ateji (当(あ)て字(じ)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [d͡ze̞ɾo̞]

• Audio:

  (file)

• (Tokyo) ゼロ [zéꜜrò] (Atamadaka – [1])

Numeral

ゼロ • (zero) 

1. zero (number)

   Synonym: 零 (rei)

2. (informal) used to refer to something measurable being absent or missing

   ライフがゼロ ― raifu ga zero ― (video games) having zero lives left

   コミュ力(りょく)ゼロ ― komyu-ryoku zero ― utterly incompetent at talking to people

   • 2001, “いつも何度でも [Always With Me]”, 覚和歌子 (lyrics)‎^[1]performed by 木村弓:

     さよならのときの　静(しず)かな胸(むね)　ゼロになるからだが　耳(みみ)をすませる

     sayonara no toki no shizu ka na mune zero ni naru karada ga mimi o sumaseru

     (please add an English translation of this example)

Usage notes

• The 〇 spelling is more common when using kanji to write positional notation.
• The katakana spelling ゼロ is more common in general contexts.

Coordinate terms

Japanese numbers
Number	Kanji	Kana	Romaji
0	零	れい, ゼロ	rei, zero
1	一	いち	ichi
2	二	に	ni
3	三	さん	san
4	四	よん, し	yon, shi
5	五	ご	go
6	六	ろく	roku
7	七	なな, しち	nana, shichi
8	八	はち	hachi
9	九	きゅう, く	kyū, ku
10	十	じゅう	jū
100	百	ひゃく	hyaku
1,000	千, 一千	せん, いっせん	sen, issen
10,000	一万, 万	いちまん, まん	ichiman, man
100,000,000	一億, 億	いちおく, おく	ichioku, oku