Tamil numerals


The Tamil language has number words and dedicated symbols for them in the Tamil script. They have mostly been supplanted by Arabic numerals in common usage.

Basic numbering in Tamil (Tamil Illakkam)

Zero

Old Tamil possesses a special numerical character for zero , which is read as . Modern Tamil words for zero include சுழியம் or பூஜ்ஜியம்.

First ten numbers ()

Tamil
Ilakkam		Arabic
Numeral		Tamil word and transliteration
௦0சுழியம்
Old Tamil: பாழ்
௧1ஒன்று
௨2இரண்டு
௩3மூன்று
௪4நான்கு
௫5ஐந்து
௬6ஆறு
௭7ஏழு
௮8எட்டு
௯9ஒன்பது
௰10பத்து

Transcribing other numbers

Reproductive and attributive prefixes

Tamil has a numeric prefix for each number from 1 to 9, which can be added to the words for the powers of ten to form multiples of them. For instance, the word for fifty, ஐம்பது is a combination of ஐ and பத்து. The prefix for nine changes with respect to the succeeding base 10. தொ + the unvoiced consonant of the succeeding base 10 forms the prefix for nine. For instance, 90 is தொ + ண்.
Tamil scriptTamil prefixTransliteration
௧ஓர்
௨ஈர்
௩மூ
௪நால்
௫ஐ
௬ஆறு
௭ஏழ்
௮எண்

These are typically void in the Tamil language except for some Hindu references; for example, அட்ட இலட்சுமிகள். Even in religious contexts, the Tamil language is usually more preferred for its more poetic nature and relatively low incidence of consonant clusters.

Specific characters

Unlike other modern Indian number systems, Tamil has distinct digits for 10, 100, and 1000. It also has distinct characters for other number-based aspects of day-to-day life.
tenhundredthousand
௰௱௲

daymonthyeardebitcreditas aboverupeenumeral
௳௴௵௶௷௸௹௺

Powers of ten ()

There are two numeral systems that can be used in the Tamil language: the Tamil system which is as follows
The following are the traditional numbers of the region.

Original Tamil system

Current Tamil system

Rank1051061071081091011101310151017101910211025
Wordsஇலட்சம்பத்து இலட்சம்கோடிபத்துக் கோடிஅற்புதம்நிகர்ப்புதம்கர்வம்சங்கம்அர்த்தம்பூரியம்முக்கொடிமாயுகம்
Character௱௲௲௲௰௲௲௱௲௲௲௲௲௱௲௲௲௱௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௱௲௲௲௲௲௰௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௰௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲
Transliteration
Translationlakhten lakhcroreten crorearabkharabnil / hundred kharabpadmashankh / hundred padmahundred shankhten thousand shankhten crore shankh

Partitive numerals ()

Fractions ()

Proposals to encode Tamil fractions and symbols to Unicode were submitted. As of version 12.0, Tamil characters used for fractional values in traditional accounting practices were added to the Unicode Standard.
Transcribing fractions ()
Any fraction can be transcribed by affixing -இல் after the denominator followed by the numerator. For instance, 1/41 can be said as நாற்பத்து ஒன்றில் ஒன்று.
The suffixing of the -இல் requires the last consonant of the number to be changed to its இ form. For example, மூன்று + இல் becomes மூன்றில் ; note the உ has been omitted.
Common fractions have names already allocated to them, hence, these names are often used rather than the above method.
Glyphx/320ValueDecimalTamil nameTransliteration
?0.003125முந்திரி
?0.00625அரைக்காணி
?0.0125காணி
?0.025அரைய்மா
?0.0375முக்காணி
?0.05மா
?0.1இருமா
?0.15மும்மா
?0.2நான்குமா
?0.015625கால் விசம்
ழூ0.03125அரை விசம்
?0.046875முக்கால் விசம்
?,?0.0625விசம் / மாகாணி /
?0.125அரை கால்
?0.1875மூ விசம் / மும்மா முக்காணி /
?0.25கால்
?,?0.5அரை
?0.75முக்கால்
?×××0.003125கில்

when prefixed to a fraction, reduces the value of the fraction by a
scale of 1/320.
Other fractions include:
ValueNameTransliteration
= 0.1875மும்மாகாணி
= 0.15மும்மா
= 0.046875முக்கால்வீசம்
= 0.0375முக்காணி
= 0.03125அரைவீசம்
= 0.015625கால் வீசம்
= 0.009375முக்கால்காணி
= 0.003125முந்திரி
= 0.00234375கீழ் முக்கால்
= 0.0015625கீழரை
= 7.8125கீழ் கால்
= 0.000625கீழ் நாலுமா
≈ 5.85938கீழ் மூன்று வீசம்
= 4.6875கீழ் மும்மா
= 0.0004கீழ் அரைக்கால்
= 3.12500கீழ் இருமா
≈ 1.95313கீழ் வீசம்
= 1.56250கீழொருமா
≈ 9.76563கீழ்முந்திரி
≈ 4.65030இம்மி
≈ 4.22754மும்மி
≈ 6.03935அணு
≈ 6.71039குணம்
≈ 1.34208பந்தம்
≈ 2.23680பாகம்
≈ 3.19542விந்தம்
≈ 1.87966நாகவிந்தம்
≈ 1.34261சிந்தை
≈ 6.71307கதிர்முனை
≈ 1.67827குரல்வளைப்படி
≈ 2.79711வெள்ளம்
≈ 2.79711நுண்மணல்
≈ 4.30325தேர்த்துகள்

Aṇu was considered as the lowest fraction by ancient Tamils as size of smallest physical object. Later, this term went to Sanskrit to refer directly to atoms.

Decimals ()

Decimal point is called புள்ளி in Tamil. For example, 1.1 would be read as ஒன்று புள்ளி ஒன்று. In Sri Lankan Tamil, Thasam தசம்.

Percentage ()

Percentage is known as விழுக்காடு in Tamil or சதவீதம். These words are simply added after a number to form percentages. For instance, four percent is நான்கு சதவீதம் or நான்கு விழுக்காடு. Percentage symbol is also recognised and used.

Ordinal numbers ()

Ordinal numbers are formed by adding the suffix -ஆம் after the number, except for 'First'.
OrdinalTamilTransliteration
Firstமுதல்
Secondஇரண்டாம்
Thirdமூன்றாம்
Fourthநான்காம்
101stநூற்று ஒன்றாம்

Collective numerals ()

  • As always, when blending two words into one, an unvoiced form of the consonant as the one that the second starts with, is placed in between to blend.

    Traditional Tamil counting song

This song is a list of each number with a concept its primarily associated with.
TamilTransliterationEnglish
ஒரு குலம்One race
ஈரினம்Two sexesmale, female
முத்தமிழ்Three sections of Tamilliterature, music, and drama
நான்மறைFour scriptures
ஐம்புலன்Five senses
அறுசுவைSix tastessweet, pungent, bitter, sour, salty, and astringent.
ஏழிசைSeven musical notes
எண் பக்கம்Eight directionseast, west, north, south, south-west, south-east, north-west, and north-east.
நவமணிகள்Nine gemsdiamond, emerald, blue sapphire, garnet, red coral, ruby, pearl, topaz, and cat's eye.
தொன்மெய்ப்பாடுAlso known as as per the dance expressions. These are joyful, humour, cries, innocent, proud, fear, disgust, wonder, and tranquility.