How to count with rare counters


How do you pronounce "1–10 + some counter"? I have seen lists of common
counters, but they may not contain less common counters, such as ～話 or ～膳.

How do I know how to count with rare counters?




Comprehensive information can be found in a dictionary such as 数え方の辞典. (The
first page is quoted in [this
answer](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/15563/1628).)

Basically, there are three types of numbers used with counters

  * いち、に、さん、…
  * ひと、ふた、み、…
  * ワン、ツー、スリー、…

derived from Chinese, native Japanese, or derived from English, respectively.
There is no hard rule which to use with a given counter, although as a rule of
thumb,

  * Chinese-derived numbers go with _on'yomi_ counters,
  * native Japanese numbers go with _kun'yomi_ counters,
  * English-derived numbers _may_ be used with counters derived from loanwords

The rule of thumb applies to ～話 and ～膳 that you mention in your question: both
a _on'yomi_ , both are counted with Chinese-derived numbers.

> 一話【いちわ】、二話【にわ】、…  
>  一膳【いちぜん】、二膳【にぜん】、…

One word of caution, though: I would say that even with those counters that
are counted with ひと、ふた、… numbers 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 (and higher) are rarely used
and Chinese-derived numbers are used instead, i.e. you'd rarely hear 五皿【いつさら】,
even though it would be 一皿【ひとさら】.

