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I recently created a web app called [Kazu](http://sebpearce.com/kazu/) which
aims to help speakers of Japanese and English learn to read numbers in both
languages.

I found a web page which said that 'for numbers over `1万`, "1000" is read as
`いっせん`.

So, to be consistent with `一千万{いっせんまん}`, I used `一千億{いっせんおく}` and
`一千兆{いっせんちょう}`.

I'm also using `いっせん` where 1000 appears in other parts of the number, so
`1万1000` comes up as `いちまん いっせん`.

I've tried to clarify with 2 native speakers whether these are the best choice
for the app, and both of them said "it depends on the person", but they also
said `せんおく` sounds better than `いっせんおく` — except when there's a counter word
like `円` or `個`.

Now I'm really confused. If you had to choose one "best" pronunciation for
`1000億` and `1000兆`, as in my situation, what would they be? What would you
say for numbers like `1万1000`? Should I change my decision?
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question
numbers
Confusion about 一千億 and 一千兆
I suppose 千億 is more abstract than the concrete number 一千億. As for your
program, just follow the normal rule, that's enough. So,

```

    1000億: いっせんおく
    1000兆: いっせんちょう
    1万1000: いちまんいっせん    
    
```

It's clear that different speakers have different preference to read 千.
([数字の読み方](http://okwave.jp/qa/q4743918.html))

* * *

By the way, I really like your app. Can you add アクセント{HLLLL} and the
pronunciation the combination of numbers and [助数詞]{counters} as well? I wanted
to create such an app many years ago, and gathered a lot of data. If you are
interested, I will share them with you.

I saw you released the source under the MIT licence, are you hosting it on
Git-hub?
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answer
This is mostly about "Names of Digits vs. Concrete Numbers" with some
exceptions.

For instance, "10,000,000", as a digit (which is an abstract concept in math),
is read either 「せんまん」 or 「いっせんまん」. Both are correct but more native speakers
would say it 「せんまん」 for a digit at least in Tokyo and Nagoya. So we go like
this:

> いち、じゅう、ひゃく、せん、まん、じゅうまん、ひゃくまん、（いっ）せんまん、（いち）おく

As a concrete number, however, "10,000,000" can only be read 「いっせんまん」. That
means that whenever a counter word is added to this, the 「いっ」 part must always
remain.

> Correct:「[10,000,000円]{いっせんまんえん}」、「[10,000,000人]{いっせんまんにん}」
>
> Incorrect:「[10,000,000円]{せんまんえん}」、「[10,000,000人]{せんまんにん}」

Moving on, "1,1000", even as a concrete number, unfortunately has two
readings. More formally, 「いちまんいっせん」 and less formally, 「いちまんせん」.

> A store clerk or bank teller will say「いちまんいっせん円」 to a customer.
>
> You look inside your wallet to check how much money you have and you will
> say to yourself 「いちまんせん円」. You say the same when telling your friend how
> much you have.

Thus, the best way to pronounce a number depends on the context, purpose, etc.
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2014-03-13T01:56:59.570
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answer