Number appearing after counter


In the deckbuilding card game Slay the Spire, I encountered this card
description:

> 強打：８ダメージを与える。弱体２を与える。
>
> (弱体 is a status effect that in this case, lasts for 2 turns.)

Previously I had only seen numbers come before their counters, so I wondered
why the choice was made to put it afterwards in the second sentence.

The only analysis I could think of is that this is a noun + number + counter
combination, where there's an implied counter being omitted, as in:

> 弱体２（回）を与える

My question is why would one put a number after a counter/noun, how does it
work grammatically, and how does it differ in meaning with putting it
beforehand?




In short, `2弱体` looks like "two 弱体's" or "two units of 弱体", whereas `弱体2`
looks like "弱体 type 2", "弱体 level 2", "弱体 II", etc.

When a word comes after a number, it describes the **unit/counter** of the
number. When a word comes before a number, it describes the **type** of the
number. Common examples:

  * 秒速5メートル: 5 meters per second (lit., "5 meters in per-second speed")
  * 摂氏30度: 30 degrees in celsius
  * 地上5000メートル: 5000 meters above ground
  * 震度5強: Intensity 5+ in [JMA Seismic Scale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Meteorological_Agency_seismic_intensity_scale)

Note that 秒速 and so on are not technically counters (it's not "5 speeds", "30
celsiuses", "5000 grounds", "5 scales").

Some words work as both. For example, バージョン3 means "Version 3", whereas 3バージョン
means "3 versions". バージョン is a counter only in the latter.

In your example, 弱体2 is unit-less, so you first need to refer to the rule book
to see what it means. It's probably a stronger version of 弱体, but 弱体2 is not
necessarily twice as strong as 弱体. If 弱体 is clearly defined as a "stackable"
status that works additively, 弱体2 and 2弱体 might refer to the same thing ("two
levels/layers of 弱体").




In short, `2弱体` looks like "two 弱体's" or "two units of 弱体", whereas `弱体2`
looks like "弱体 type 2", "弱体 level 2", "弱体 II", etc.

When a word comes after a number, it describes the **unit/counter** of the
number. When a word comes before a number, it describes the **type** of the
number. Common examples:

  * 秒速5メートル: 5 meters per second (lit., "5 meters in per-second speed")
  * 摂氏30度: 30 degrees in celsius
  * 地上5000メートル: 5000 meters above ground
  * 震度5強: Intensity 5+ in [JMA Seismic Scale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Meteorological_Agency_seismic_intensity_scale)

Note that 秒速 and so on are not technically counters (it's not "5 speeds", "30
celsiuses", "5000 grounds", "5 scales").

Some words work as both. For example, バージョン3 means "Version 3", whereas 3バージョン
means "3 versions". バージョン is a counter only in the latter.

In your example, 弱体2 is unit-less, so you first need to refer to the rule book
to see what it means. It's probably a stronger version of 弱体, but 弱体2 is not
necessarily twice as strong as 弱体. If 弱体 is clearly defined as a "stackable"
status that works additively, 弱体2 and 2弱体 might refer to the same thing ("two
levels/layers of 弱体").

