Number Puns And Goroawase, The Popular Ones, Fun Internal Links
Goroawase is number wordplay. Digits map to sounds, then the sounds make a word or phrase. Brands use it, TV uses it, fans use it, and daily campaigns use it for dates and coupons. You do not need to learn every mapping. You need the common sounds and a few famous sequences. Use these as a reader’s shortcut and for light copy. Do not use puns in legal names, addresses, or forms. Keep formal reads standard and save goroawase for headlines, tags, and memory aids.
Digit to sound cheat sheet for goroawase
These are common, compact readings used inside puns. Real usage picks one that fits the target word. The list is not a rulebook. It is a toolbox.
| Digit | Compact sounds used in puns | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | れい ゼロ まる お | お comes from おー zero. Casual only. |
| 1 | い ひと わん | わん is English one for playful use. |
| 2 | に ふ つ | ふ and つ appear in set words like 肉 and 夏. |
| 3 | さん さ み | Short さ is common in blends. |
| 4 | よ し | Use よ for friendly words, し for fixed phrases. |
| 5 | ご こ | Both are frequent in brand codes. |
| 6 | ろ む | む appears in older puns. |
| 7 | な しち | な is the usual pick inside puns. |
| 8 | や は ば | Choice depends on the target word start. |
| 9 | きゅう く | Both appear. Pick by flow. Avoid harsh words in business copy. |
| 10 | と じゅう | と from 十 in compounds, used for compact blends. |
Famous sequences you will see everywhere
| Number | Pun reading | Meaning | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | さんきゅう | thank you | Sale codes, social posts, 3月9日 as Thank You Day. Link your drill to Pronunciation. |
| 4649 | よろ しく | Please treat me well | Gamer tags, plates, light greetings. Pairs well with the Converter. |
| 5963 | ごくろうさん | Thanks for your effort | Comedy, posters, work slang, rarely in formal print. |
| 2525 | にこにこ | smile | Streaming culture, friendly campaign names, emoji tags. |
| 893 | やくざ | yakuza | Pop culture and trivia. Do not use in business copy. |
| 29 | にく | meat | 2月9日 Meat Day. 11月29日 is Good Meat Day いい肉. Menus and ads love it. |
| 1129 | いい にく | good meat | Restaurant promos in late November. |
| 831 | やさい | vegetables | 8月31日 Vegetable Day. Grocery ads and kids events. |
| 110 | ひゃく とう ばん | police emergency number | Not a pun joke. Core knowledge for life in Japan. Practice clean number reads in the Quiz. |
| 119 | ひゃく じゅう きゅう | fire and ambulance | Again not a joke. Teach learners to read it fast and clear. |
Build your own goroawase in three steps
1. Pick the target word
Write the word you want. Break it into compact sounds that could map to digits. Keep it short and punchy. Aim for two to four syllables.
If the target is a greeting, scan the famous set first. You may not need to invent anything.
2. Map each sound to a digit
Use the cheat sheet. If a sound has two options, test both and choose the one that reads faster. Avoid harsh words as a byproduct.
3. Test out loud and in print
Say it three times fast. If you stumble, pick a different mapping. Then mock it on a small tag or plate size. If it still reads clean, ship it.
Good taste rules
- Do not use death jokes in hospitals, schools, or business cards.
- Do not hide legal info behind goroawase. Formal needs standard numbers.
- If a client is nervous about 4 or 9, swap to a safe sequence without debate.
Need standard forms after the joke lands Use the Converter to show kanji and kana cleanly.
Date puns used for promo days
| Date | Read | What it means | Seen where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3月9日 | さんきゅう | Thank You Day | Retail thanks events, music tie ins |
| 2月9日 | にく | Meat Day | Supermarkets, yakiniku chains |
| 11月8日 | いい は | Good Teeth Day | Dental clinics, health ads |
| 11月22日 | いい ふうふ | Good Couple Day | Wedding promos, travel bundles |
| 8月4日 | はし | Chopsticks Day | Department stores, culture centers |
Quick internal links for practice
Try the Quiz with 39 and 29, check Kanji forms for 5963, listen in the Pronunciation guide, and convert any pun back to clean forms with the Converter.
