In this example, should the number 4 be read し or よん?


Recently, on another question, I left [a
comment](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/12903/pronunciation-of-
interpoint-when-listing-items/12904#comment27625_12904) where I said I thought
`１・２・３・４` might be pronounced `イチニーサンヨン`. I was quickly corrected by another
user, who said the following:

> AFAIK, 1,2,3,4 is usually read "ichi ni san shi"

But a different user suggested that it depends on context:

> I'd say it depends on what 4 counts: E.g. １・２・３・４部屋 should be イチニーサンヨンヘヤ

This left me unsure. We do already have a couple questions discussing し versus
よん:

  * <https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/331/1478>
  * <https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/2365/1478>

Both of the answers I linked to discuss し and よん in terms of **counting**.
Specifically, they say that when counting up し is usual, and when counting
down よん is usual. And when I'm not counting, I usually read `４` as よん.
However, I'm not sure whether my example is "counting" or not!

Here is the context I originally had in mind when I wrote `１・２・３・４`. It's from
[a sample question for the Japanese Language Proficiency
Test](http://www.jlpt.jp/samples/n1.html):

> ____の言葉の読み方として最もよいものを、 **１・２・３・４** から一つ選びなさい。

Would `４` be read as し or よん in this context? Or could it be either one?




In this particular instance it can be read as either し or よん. Basically you're
fine to call it either way as long as it's 単体, or rather a single number not
being used as a counter (四枚{よんまい}) or in other set compound ([４月]{しがつ}) where
the context makes it clear which one should be used.

In your example, I don't think it's counting. It's enumerating a list of
possible answers. You could replace it with A B C D, アイウエ, or whatever.
Despite the fact that it's sequential, I think it's still distinct from just
'counting,' and that's why it would be OK to use either in this situation. I
discussed this with a native who said that both are definitely fine in this
context.

I think the insistence on "ichi ni san shi" as a set kind of phrase comes from
the kind of group call and response style of counting that they use for
exercise or other things, where a leader will call out "いち に さん し！" and the
response will be "ご ろく しち はち！" Even in this situation technically it could be
both (as with 7), but that's just The Way It's Done.

So yeah, it can be both. As far as I know there's no rule that dictates which
one it should be in these situations, and I have heard both used in this kind
of test instruction setting.




In this particular instance it can be read as either し or よん. Basically you're
fine to call it either way as long as it's 単体, or rather a single number not
being used as a counter (四枚{よんまい}) or in other set compound ([４月]{しがつ}) where
the context makes it clear which one should be used.

In your example, I don't think it's counting. It's enumerating a list of
possible answers. You could replace it with A B C D, アイウエ, or whatever.
Despite the fact that it's sequential, I think it's still distinct from just
'counting,' and that's why it would be OK to use either in this situation. I
discussed this with a native who said that both are definitely fine in this
context.

I think the insistence on "ichi ni san shi" as a set kind of phrase comes from
the kind of group call and response style of counting that they use for
exercise or other things, where a leader will call out "いち に さん し！" and the
response will be "ご ろく しち はち！" Even in this situation technically it could be
both (as with 7), but that's just The Way It's Done.

So yeah, it can be both. As far as I know there's no rule that dictates which
one it should be in these situations, and I have heard both used in this kind
of test instruction setting.

