How to Write the Amount on a Japanese Gift Envelope: Daiji Chart for 5,000, 30,000 and 100,000 Yen

Write the inner envelope amount vertically in daiji

On the inner envelope (naka-bukuro), you write the amount so the recipient can quickly confirm how much you gave. When writing vertically, you use kanji numerals rather than Arabic ones, and the formal way is to use daiji, such as 壱, 弐 and 参.

Daiji are used so the amount can't be changed later by adding strokes. 一 can be made to look like 二 or 十 with one more stroke, and 三 like 五, but characters with many strokes such as 壱, 参 and 萬 can't be altered. It's the same reason daiji are used on receipts and promissory notes.

Daiji conversion table (壱, 弐, 参, 伍, 拾, 阡, 萬)

Only seven numerals are replaced with daiji: 一, 二, 三, 五, 十, 千 and 万. 四, 六, 七, 八, 九 and 百 also have daiji forms (肆, 陸, 漆, 捌, 玖, 佰 and so on), but these are rarely used on gift envelopes, and ordinary kanji numerals are the norm.

In line with the anti-tampering idea, don't omit 壱 before 拾, 百 and 阡 when writing in daiji. 100,000 yen is 金　壱拾萬円 and 1,000,000 yen is 金　壱百萬円. In practice 金　拾萬円 is also common, and neither is wrong.

Chart by amount (3,000 to 1,000,000 yen)

For commonly given amounts, this table shows the standard daiji form, the more formal form with old characters and 也, and the informal kanji numerals. If in doubt, the standard column on the left is fine for both weddings and funerals.

七 in 7,000 and 70,000 yen isn't replaced with daiji and stays as it is. When there's a 1 in the thousands place, as in 11,000 yen, the usual form keeps the 1 before the thousand: 金　壱萬壱阡円 in daiji, or 金　一万一千円 in kanji numerals.

Should you add 金, 也 and 圓?

• 金: normally added. It shows where the amount starts and prevents numerals being added in front.
• 也: optional. It originally showed there's no fraction, preventing additions at the end. It's often added for 100,000 yen or more, or for wedding gifts where you want extra formality.
• 圓: the old form of 円. It gives a more formal impression, but writing 円 isn't impolite.
• 萬 and 万: when writing in daiji, use 萬 consistently. Mixing daiji with the simple form, as in 参万円, looks inconsistent.

You only need to remember three combinations: 金　参萬円 (standard), 金　参萬圓也 (more formal) and 金　三万円 (informal). For 5,000 yen at a funeral, or informal envelopes such as for get-well gifts or tips, kanji numerals such as 金　五千円 are also used.

When the inner envelope has a horizontal amount field

Some recent envelopes have horizontal fields for the amount, address and name printed on the back of the inner envelope. If the field is horizontal, you don't have to force vertical daiji and can write Arabic numerals.

The leading ¥ and closing - do the same job as 金 and 也 in vertical writing, preventing numerals being added before or after. Don't forget the comma every 3 digits. If the field has 金 and 円 printed with a gap between, write 参萬 in daiji in that gap. How to write numbers in the address on the back is explained in how to write the back of the inner envelope.

Convert amounts to daiji with the tool

1. 1

   Enter the amount

   In the "Amount in Daiji" tab of the How to Write Shugi-bukuro & Kōden-bukuro tool, enter the amount in any form, such as 30000, 3万 or 3万5千.

2. 2

   Choose a style and copy it

   The inner envelope standard (金　参萬円), old characters (金　参萬圓也), kanji numerals (金　三万円), receipt (金参萬円也) and horizontal (¥30,000-) are listed, so copy the one you want.

3. 3

   Check the layout with the vertical sample

   Enter the occasion and name in the "How to Write the Envelope" tab to see a vertical sample of the front and back of the inner envelope. Use it as a guide to character size and position, and copy it with a brush pen.

A warning also appears for amounts best avoided, such as those containing 4 or 9, or even numbers that divide evenly for celebrations. How to decide the amount itself is covered in how to give a wedding money gift, and how to use kanji numerals when adding a vertical date in how to write dates vertically.

FAQ

How do I write 30,000 yen on an inner envelope?

The usual form is 金　参萬円, written vertically. For a more formal version, use 金　参萬圓也. If the inner envelope has a horizontal amount field, write ¥30,000-.

Is 5,000 yen for a funeral written 伍阡円 or 五千円?

The polite form is daiji: 金　伍阡円. For informal envelopes with a printed cord or for people close to you, 金　五千円 is also used. If in doubt, 金　伍阡円 is never impolite.

Which is correct for 100,000 yen, 拾萬円 or 壱拾萬円?

Both are used. In terms of preventing tampering, 金　壱拾萬円, which keeps 壱 before 拾, is the safer choice. 1,000,000 yen is likewise written 金　壱百萬円.

Should I add 也 to the amount on the inner envelope?

Leaving it out isn't impolite. 也 is there to prevent additions at the end, and it's often added for 100,000 yen or more, or for wedding gifts where you want extra formality.

Isn't 七 in 7,000 or 70,000 yen written in daiji?

There is a daiji form, 漆, but it's rarely used on gift envelopes, and ordinary kanji numerals are the norm, as in 金　七阡円 and 金　七萬円. 四, 六, 八 and 九 also stay as they are.