I'm a super beginner in Japanese, so excuse me if this question is really
simple. Or stupid.

As an exercise, sometimes I count up the things on nearby desks or tables and
try to list them in Japanese, just to get used to the counters. Today, I was
waiting to get lunch and I saw a table with three sandwiches (amongst other
things) on it, but I don't know what the counter for the sandwiches would be.
I know if I was to count the slices of ham within one of the sandwiches, I
could use -[切れ]{きれ}. Otherwise, I don't know. Is there a counter for something
made up of smaller pieces of something else?

I suppose I could use a general counter, but I was wondering if there was a
counter for things like loaves of bread or blocks of cheese that could also
apply to things like sandwiches?
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2012-09-10T16:35:54.373
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numbers counters
Counters In Japanese
I believe the most common thing to do with sandwiches is use つ.
（サンドイッチを３つもらえますか？） There probably is a correct counter for loaves of bread,
but I don't know it, and again I think つ is more common.
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2012-09-10T16:48:34.650
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At first the counting system might seem quite random. But rather than
wondering whether there is a counter for blocks of cheese, or for objects
containing slices of ham, a better strategy might be to use the counter you
already know (and the first one you should know is つ) and take it from there.

That is to say, you start out by saying サンドイッチ2つ. When you learn about the
usage of other counters, you may choose to use サンドイッチ2個 or even サンドイッチ2切れ
(depending on the type of sandwich) and this last one is probably the most
elegant way of saying "2 sandwiches", if you are thinking of those cut
triangles.

切れ works for slices of ham, because the ham is cut. Similarly, it works best
for sandwiches, which are cut (like triangles or in whatever other way), and
one half, then, would be 1切れ. In Japan most sandwiches are made, and then cut,
which allows you to see the filling. If your sandwiches aren't cut in half,
you might get away with 切れ, because the bread and the ham are cut, but 個 (or
つ) might be more natural...

枚 works for slices of bread, but not really for sandwiches, because sandwiches
contain multiples layers themselves. 枚 works best for things, which are flat
and are essentially one layer. But then, it all depends on the sandwich. If
you were to make a flat sandwich from pita bread (which you cut open, rather
than cutting it into two halves) with, say peanut butter and honey, then 枚 may
well be appropriate.

On the other hand, Middle Eastern style sandwiches (e.g. filling rolled up in
lavash bread) might accommodate 本, etc.

In my mind, the better strategy is to start with the counter and see what
objects you can count with this counter, rather than to start with an object
and see what counters are allowed to count that object.
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2012-09-11T00:19:31.277
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Instead of giving you a long boring answer...I'll get to the facts. Yes you
can use just the **~つ** counter but the **~こ** counter works just as well.
like **いっこ、にこ、さんこ** and so on. This counter is used for round objects (like
cheese wheels,sandwiches,balls,etc...). Hope this helped!
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2014-04-11T02:36:47.227
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A loaf of bread is called 斤(kin) in general.
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