Dispatches from Nihongo

My latest "oy-vey moment" with Japanese came during this past week's lesson.

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Counting in English:

One, two, three... regardless of what the items are (a few exceptions for things like floors - first, second, third...).

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Counting in Japanese:

Numbers: ichi, ni, san...

Things: hitotsu, futatsu, mittsu...
People: hitori, futari, sannin...
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Clothes: icchaku, nicchaku, sancchaku...

Not to be confused with:

Socks and Shoes: issoku, nisoku, sanzoku...

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"Small Things": ikko, niko, sanko...

Not including:

"Small Animals, Fish & Insects": ippiki, nihiki, sanbiki...

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I swear I'm not making this stuff up:

Drinks: ippai, nihai, sanbai...

Houses: ikken, niken, sangen...

Machines and Vehicles: ichidai, nidai, sandai...
Books and Notebooks: issatsu, nisatsu, sansatsu...

"Thin and Flat Things": ichimai, nimai, sanmai...

"Thin and Long Things": ippon, nihon, sanbon...
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Dear lord!