Goroawase (語呂合わせ) is a type of Japanese wordplay. It is especially common for numbers to read differently from their original readings. Each number has several fixed readings, and the readings corresponding to the numbers are derived or associated with Japanese, Yamato Kotoba(old Japanese), Chinese (mahjong terms), English, etc.
We, Japanese, use them in everyday life, such as when memorizing telephone numbers or important historical dates by associating them with words or giving meaning to one’s car license plate number.
Table of Contents
0 (ゼロ [zero]、れい [rei])
Major Goroawase readings: れい [rei], れ [re], ぜろ [zero], まる [maru], わ [wa], おー [ō], お [o]
3150: さ・い・こ・お
3150 = 最高 [さいこう / “best”, “great”, “awesome”]
3 = さ [sa], 1 = い [i], 5 = こ [ko], 0 = お [o]
#3150 is a popular Goroawase hashtag on Instagram, and it has been used in over 450,000 posts.
0141: お・い・し・い
0141 = 美味しい [おいしい / “delicious”, “tasty”]
0 = お [o], 1 = い [i], 4 = し [shi], 1 = い [i]
It is sometimes used in license plates and telephone numbers for food services.
1028: と・お・ふ・や
1028 = 豆腐屋 [とうふや / “tofu shop”]
10 = とお [tō], 2 = ふ [fu], 8 = や [ya]
I’ve seen this number used a few times in the phone numbers of tofu shops!
1 (いち [ichi])
Major Goroawase readings: いち [ichi], い [i], わん [wan], あい [ai], ひ [hi]
15: いち・ご / 15: わん・こ
15 = いちご [“strawberry”]
1 = いち [ichi], 5 = ご [go]
15 = わんこ [“dog”]
1 = わん [wan], 5 = こ [ko]
The same combination of numbers can be read differently.
1122: い・い・ふ（ー）・ふ
1122 = 良い夫婦 [いいふうふ / “good married couple”]
1 = い [i], 1 = い [i], 2 = ふ [fu], 2 = ふ [fu]
Many couples get married on November 22, which reads 「良い夫婦」(“good married couple”) in Goroawase.
8131: は・い・さ・い
8131 = ハイサイ [はいさい / “hello” in the Okinawa dialect]
8 = は [ha], 1 = い [i], 3 = さ [sa], 1 = い [i]
It is one of the most popular numbers for car license plates in Okinawa.
2 (に [ni])
Major Goroawase readings: に [ni], ふ [fu], つー [tsū], つ [tsu], とぅー [tū]
2951: ふ・く・こ・い
2951 = 福来い [ふくこい / “Come, fortune.”]
2 = ふ [fu], 9 = く [ku], 5 = こ [ko], 1 = い [i]
It is sometimes used on license plates as a Goroawase that brings good luck.
1126: い・い・ふ・ろ
1126 = 良い風呂 [いいふろ / “good bath”]
1 = い [i], 1 = い [i], 2 = ふ [fu], 6 = ろ [ro]
It is often used in telephone numbers or website URLs of spa facilities.
2989: に・く・や・く / 8929: や・く・に・く
2989 = 肉焼く [にくやく / “to grill meat”]
2 = に [ni], 9 = く [ku], 8 = や [ya], 9 = く [ku]
8929 = 焼く肉 [やくにく / “meat to grill”]
8 = や [ya], 9 = く [ku], 2 = に [ni], 9 = く [ku]
Both are often used in the telephone numbers of yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) restaurants.
3 (さん [san])
Major Goroawase readings: さん [san], みつ [mitsu], み [mi], すり [surī]
39: さん・きゅー
39 = “Thank you.” [さんきゅー]
3 = さん [san ≒ than], 9 = きゅー [kyū]
It is the most popular Goroawase for English vocabulary.
0343: お・さ・し・み
0343 = お刺身 [おさしみ / “sashimi”]
0 = お [o], 3 = さ [sa], 4 = し [shi], 3 = み [mi]
It is a Goroawase, often used as a telephone number for fish stores and seafood restaurants.
3110: さ・い・とー (=斎藤)
3110 = 斎藤 [さいとう / “Saitou (a Japanese common family name)”]
3 = さ [sa], 1 = い [i], 10 = とー [tō]
I know of two Saito-san who chose this Goroawase for their license plates.
4 (よん [yon]、し [shi])
Major Goroawase readings: よん [yon], よつ [yotsu], よ [yo], し [shi], ふぉー [fō], す[su]
4771: し・な・な・い
4771 = 死なない [しなない / “not to die”
4 = し [shi], 7 = な [na], 7 = な [na], 1 = い [i]
It is a popular Goroawase for license plate numbers wishing safe driving.
8148: は・い・し・や
8148 = 歯医者 [はいしゃ / “dentist”, “dental clinic”]
8 = は [ha], 1 = い [i], 4 = し [shi], 8 = や [ya]
This Goroawase is sometimes used for dentist phone numbers.
4133: よ・い・み・み
4133 = 良い耳 [よいみみ / “good ear”]
4 = よ [yo], 1 = い [i], 3 = み [mi], 3 = み [mi]
It is often used for telephone numbers of ENT clinics. Some places use 1133 (=良い耳 [いいみみ/”good ear”] instead of 4133.
5 (ご [go])
Major Goroawase readings: ご [go], ごー [gō], こ [ko], いつ [itsu]
5371: ご・み・な・い / 5374: ご・み・な・し
5371 = ゴミ無い [ごみない / “no trash”, “no litter”]
5 = ご [go], 3 = み [mi], 7 = な [na], 1 = い [i]
5374 = ゴミ無し [ごみなし / “no trash”, “no litter”]
5 = ご [go], 3 = み [mi], 7 = な [na], 4 = し [shi]
Both are commonly used phone numbers for cleaning services.
2525: に・こ・に・こ
2525 = ニコニコ [にこにこ / “onomatopoeia for smiling”]
2 = に [ni], 5 = こ [ko], 2 = に [ni], 5 = こ [ko]
This is a popular Goroawase with a cheerful and happy impression.「ニコニコレンタカー (Nico Nico Rent-a-Car)」 (https://www.2525r.com/) is particularly famous for using this Goroawase.
6 (ろく[roku])
Major Goroawase readings: ろく [roku], ろ [ro], むつ [mutsu], む [mu], りゅー [ryū], る [ru]
4649: よ・ろ・し・く
4649 = よろしく [“a greeting to ask someone to treat you favorably”]
4 = よ [yo], 6 = ろ [ro], 4 = し [shi], 9 = く [ku]
The Goroawase was popular back in the late 1980s when pagers became popular. Although few people use it now, it is still the most famous.
14106: あい・し・て・る
14106 = 愛してる [あいしてる / “I love you.”]
1 = あい [ai], 4 = し [shi], 10 = て [te], 6 = る [ru]
This one was also famous in the pager era.They say that the reading of “6” as “りゅー (ryū)” or “る (ru)” is influenced by the Chinese language (numbers used in mahjong).
64: む・し
64 = 虫 [むし / “insect”, “bug”]
6 = む [mu], 4 = し [shi]
June 4 is known as 「虫の日 (むしのひ)」(“Insect Day”).
7 (なな [nana]、しち [shichi])
Major Goroawase readings: しち [shichi], なな [nana], な [na]
1173: い・い・な・み
1173 = 良い波 [いいなみ / “good wave”]
1 = い [i], 1 = い [i], 7 = な [na], 3 = み [mi]
It is a popular number combination for license plates among surfers.
0874: お・は・な・し
0874 = お話 [おはなし / “story”, “talk”, “conversation”]
0 = お [o], 8 = は [ha], 7 = な [na], 4 =し [shi]
This is a Goroawase often used for telephone numbers for various consultation and mental health counseling services.
0704: お・な・お・し
0704 = お直し [おなおし / “clothing repair”]
0 = お [o], 7 = な [na], 0 = お [o], 4 =し [shi]
Repairing the length or sleeves of clothes is called「お直し」 in Japanese. Therefore, this Goroawase is often used as a phone number for clothing repair shops (tailor shops).
8 (はち [hachi])
Major Goroawase readings: はち [hachi], は [ha], ぱ [pa], やつ [yatsu], や [ya]
489: よ・や・く
489 = 予約 [よやく / “reservation”, “booking”]
4 = よ [yo], 8 = や [ya], 9 = く [ku]
The Goroawase is used for reservation telephone numbers for hotels, hospitals, etc.
831: や・さ・い
831 = 野菜 [やさい / “vegetable”]
8 = や [ya], 3 = さ [sa], 1 = い [i]
August 31 is known as 「野菜の日 (やさいのひ)」(“Vegetable Day”).
1187: い・い・は・な
1187 = 良い花 [いいはな / “good flower”]
1 = い [i], 1 = い [i], 8 = は [ha], 7 = [na]
The Goroawase is a commonly used florist’s telephone number.
9 (きゅう [kyū])
Major Goroawase readings: きゅう [kyū], く [ku], ぐ [gu]
1192: い・い・く・つ
1192 = 良い靴 [いいくつ / “good shoe”]
1 = い [i], 1 = い [i], 9 = く [ku], 2 = つ [tsu]
Goroawase is sometimes used as a telephone number for shoe stores.
2934: ふ・ぐ・さ・し (=ふぐ刺し [フグの刺し身])
2934 = ふぐ刺し [ふぐさし / “blowfish sashimi”]
2 = ふ [fu], 9 = ぐ [gu], 3 = さ [shi], 4 = し [shi]
This is a part of the telephone numbers commonly used by blowfish restaurants.
1169: い・い・ろっ・く (=良いロック [lock])
1169 = 良いロック [いいろっく / “good lock”, “good key”]
1 = い [i], 1 = い [i],6 = ろっ [rokk(u]), 9 = く [ku]
This is a number combination commonly used for locksmith and key store phone numbers.
10 (じゅう [jū])
Major Goroawase readings: じゅう [jū], とお [tō], と [to], てん [ten]
1010: じゅう・じゅう
1010 = ジュージュー [じゅーじゅー / “onomatopoeia for sizzling sound”]
10 = じゅう [jū], 10 = じゅう [jū]
ジュージュー (じゅーじゅー) is an onomatopoeia for the sound of grilling meat. For this reason, this Goroawase is often in the phone number or social media account name of yakiniku restaurants.
810: は(ー)・と (=ハート) / 1002: と・わ・に (=永久に)
810 = ハート [はーと / “heart”]
8 = は [ha], 10 = と [to]
1002 = 永久に [とわに / “eternally”, “everlastingly”, “forever”]
10 = と [to], 0 = わ [wa], 2 = に [ni]
August 10 and October 2 are both popular dates to get married.
How many questions did you get right? If there’s any other Goroawase you know, please share it with us on Twitter!