How to say 4 in Japanese?

The number four in Japanese can be read as よん (yon) or し (shi). Yon is more common in daily speech because shi sounds like “death,” which people often avoid. You will hear four in words like 四時 (yo-ji) for 4 o’clock or 四人 (yo-nin) for four people. Still, shi may appear in set phrases and older counting forms. Practice both versions but rely mainly on yon in conversation.