Tamil numerals

Template:Tamil transliteration Template:Numeral systems

A milestone which uses both Tamil and Indo-Arabic Numerals (Tanjore Palace Museum).

Modern Tamil numerals featured on a 100 Mauritian rupee note.

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)[edit | edit source]

Zero[edit | edit source]

Old Tamil possesses a special numerical character for zero (see Old Tamil numerals below), which is read as Template:Translit (literally, no/nothing). Modern Tamil words for zero include சுழியம் (Template:Translit) or பூஜ்ஜியம் (Template:Translit).

First ten numbers (முதல் எண்கள்)[edit | edit source]

Tamil Ilakkam	Arabic Numeral	Tamil word and transliteration
௦	0	சுழியம் (Template:Translit) Old Tamil: பாழ் (Template:Translit)^[1]
௧	1	ஒன்று (Template:Translit)
௨	2	இரண்டு (Template:Translit)
௩	3	மூன்று (Template:Translit)
௪	4	நான்கு (Template:Translit)
௫	5	ஐந்து (Template:Translit)
௬	6	ஆறு (Template:Translit)
௭	7	ஏழு (Template:Translit)
௮	8	எட்டு (Template:Translit)
௯	9	ஒன்பது (Template:Translit)
௰	10	பத்து (Template:Translit)

Transcribing other numbers[edit | edit source]

Reproductive and attributive prefixes[edit | edit source]

Tamil has a numeric prefix for each number from 1 to 9, which can be added to the words for the powers of ten (ten, hundred, thousand, etc.) to form multiples of them. For instance, the word for fifty, ஐம்பது (Template:Translit) is a combination of ஐ (Template:Translit, the prefix for five) and பத்து (Template:Translit, which is ten). 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 (ண் being the unvoiced version of ணூ), hence, தொண்ணூறு).

Tamil script	Tamil prefix	Transliteration
௧	ஓர்	Template:Translit
௨	ஈர்	Template:Translit
௩	மூ	Template:Translit
௪	நால்	Template:Translit
௫	ஐ	Template:Translit
௬	ஆறு	Template:Translit
௭	ஏழ்	Template:Translit
௮	எண்	Template:Translit

These are typically void in the Tamil language except for some Hindu references; for example, அட்ட இலட்சுமிகள் (the eight Lakshmis). 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[edit | edit source]

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.

ten	hundred	thousand
௰	௱	௲

day	month	year	debit	credit	as above	rupee	numeral
௳	௴	௵	௶	௷	௸	௹	௺

Powers of ten (பதின்பெருக்கம்)[edit | edit source]

There are two numeral systems that can be used in the Tamil language: the Tamil system which is as follows^[2] ^{[clarification needed]}

The following are the traditional numbers of the Template:Translit region.^{[clarification needed]}

Original Tamil system[edit | edit source]

Rank	10¹	10²	10³	10⁴	10⁵	10⁶	10⁹	10¹²	10¹⁵	10¹⁸	10²⁰	10²¹
Words	பத்து	நூறு	ஆயிரம்	பத்தாயிரம்	நூறாயிரம்	மெய்யிரம்	தொள்ளுண்	ஈகியம்	நெளை	இளஞ்சி	வெள்ளம்	ஆம்பல்
Character	௰	௱	௲	௰௲	௱௲	௲௲	௲௲௲	௲௲௲௲	௲௲௲௲௲	௲௲௲௲௲௲	௱௲௲௲௲௲௲	௲௲௲௲௲௲௲
Transliteration	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
Translation	ten	hundred	thousand	ten thousand	hundred thousand	million	billion (milliard)	trillion (billion)	quadrillion (billiard)	quintillion (trillion)	hundred quintillion	sextillion (trilliard)

Current Tamil system[edit | edit source]

Rank	10⁵	10⁶	10⁷	10⁸	10⁹	10¹¹	10¹³	10¹⁵	10¹⁷	10¹⁹	10²¹	10²⁵
Words	இலட்சம்	பத்து இலட்சம்	கோடி	பத்துக் கோடி	அற்புதம்	நிகர்ப்புதம்	கர்வம்	சங்கம்	அர்த்தம்	பூரியம்	முக்கொடி	மாயுகம்
Character	௱௲	௲௲	௰௲௲	௱௲௲	௲௲௲	௱௲௲௲	௱௲௲௲௲	௲௲௲௲௲	௱௲௲௲௲௲	௰௲௲௲௲௲௲	௲௲௲௲௲௲௲	௰௲௲௲௲௲௲௲௲
Transliteration	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit
Translation	lakh	ten lakh	crore	ten crore	arab	kharab	nil / hundred kharab	padma	shankh / hundred padma	hundred shankh	ten thousand shankh	ten crore shankh

Partitive numerals (பகுத்தல்)[edit | edit source]

Fractions (பின்னம்)[edit | edit source]

Proposals to encode Tamil fractions and symbols to Unicode were submitted.^[3]^[4] As of version 12.0, Tamil characters used for fractional values in traditional accounting practices were added to the Unicode Standard.

Transcribing fractions (பின்னம் எழுத்தல்)[edit | edit source]

Any fraction can be transcribed by affixing -இல் (-il) after the denominator followed by the numerator. For instance, 1/41 can be said as நாற்பத்து ஒன்றில் ஒன்று (Template:Translit).

The suffixing of the -இல் (Template:Translit) requires the last consonant of the number to be changed to its இ (Template:Translit) form. For example, மூன்று + இல் (Template:Translit + Template:Translit) becomes மூன்றில் (Template:Translit); note the உ (Template:Translit) has been omitted.

Common fractions (பொது பின்னங்கள்) have names already allocated to them, hence, these names are often used rather than the above method.

Glyph	x/320	Value	Decimal	Tamil name	Transliteration
𑿀	¹⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₃₂₀	0.003125	முந்திரி	Template:Translit
𑿁	²⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₁₆₀	0.00625	அரைக்காணி	Template:Translit
𑿂	⁴⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₈₀	0.0125	காணி	Template:Translit
𑿄	⁸⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₄₀	0.025	அரைய்மா	Template:Translit
𑿆	¹²⁄₃₂₀	³⁄₈₀	0.0375	முக்காணி	Template:Translit
𑿈	¹⁶⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₂₀	0.05	மா	Template:Translit
𑿋	³²⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₁₀	0.1	இருமா	Template:Translit
𑿍	⁴⁸⁄₃₂₀	³⁄₂₀	0.15	மும்மா	Template:Translit
𑿏	⁶⁴⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₅	0.2	நான்குமா	Template:Translit
𑿃	⁵⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₆₄	0.015625	கால் விசம்	Template:Translit
ழூ	¹⁰⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₃₂	0.03125	அரை விசம்	Template:Translit
𑿇	¹⁵⁄₃₂₀	³⁄₆₄	0.046875	முக்கால் விசம்	Template:Translit
𑿉,𑿊	²⁰⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₁₆	0.0625	விசம் / மாகாணி	Template:Translit / Template:Translit
𑿌	⁴⁰⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₈	0.125	அரை கால்	Template:Translit
𑿎	⁶⁰⁄₃₂₀	³⁄₁₆	0.1875	மூ விசம் / மும்மா முக்காணி	Template:Translit / Template:Translit
𑿐	⁸⁰⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₄	0.25	கால்	Template:Translit
𑿑,𑿒	¹⁶⁰⁄₃₂₀	¹⁄₂	0.5	அரை	Template:Translit
𑿓	²⁴⁰⁄₃₂₀	³⁄₄	0.75	முக்கால்	Template:Translit
𑿔^[1]	×¹⁄₃₂₀	×¹⁄₃₂₀	×0.003125	கில்	Template:Translit

^ when prefixed to a fraction, reduces (downscales) the value of the fraction by a scale of 1/320 (the value of the lowest fraction muntiri).

Other fractions include:

Value	Name	Transliteration
³⁄₁₆ = 0.1875	மும்மாகாணி	Template:Translit
³⁄₂₀ = 0.15	மும்மா	Template:Translit
³⁄₆₄ = 0.046875	முக்கால்வீசம்	Template:Translit
³⁄₈₀ = 0.0375	முக்காணி	Template:Translit
¹⁄₃₂ = 0.03125	அரைவீசம்	Template:Translit
¹⁄₆₄ = 0.015625	கால் வீசம்	Template:Translit
³⁄₃₂₀ = 0.009375	முக்கால்காணி	Template:Translit
¹⁄₃₂₀ = 0.003125	முந்திரி	Template:Translit
³⁄₁₂₈₀ = 0.00234375	கீழ் முக்கால்	Template:Translit
¹⁄₆₄₀ = 0.0015625	கீழரை	Template:Translit
¹⁄₁₂₈₀ = 7.8125Template:E	கீழ் கால்	Template:Translit
¹⁄₁₆₀₀ = 0.000625	கீழ் நாலுமா	Template:Translit
³⁄₅₁₂₀ ≈ 5.85938Template:E	கீழ் மூன்று வீசம்	Template:Translit
³⁄₆₄₀₀ = 4.6875Template:E	கீழ் மும்மா	Template:Translit
¹⁄₂₅₀₀ = 0.0004	கீழ் அரைக்கால்	Template:Translit
¹⁄₃₂₀₀ = 3.12500Template:E	கீழ் இருமா	Template:Translit
¹⁄₅₁₂₀ ≈ 1.95313Template:E	கீழ் வீசம்	Template:Translit
¹⁄₆₄₀₀ = 1.56250Template:E	கீழொருமா	Template:Translit
¹⁄₁₀₂₄₀₀ ≈ 9.76563Template:E	கீழ்முந்திரி	Template:Translit
¹⁄_2150400 ≈ 4.65030Template:E	இம்மி	Template:Translit
¹⁄_23654400 ≈ 4.22754Template:E	மும்மி	Template:Translit
¹⁄_165580800 ≈ 6.03935Template:E	அணு	Template:Translit^[2]
¹⁄_1490227200 ≈ 6.71039Template:E	குணம்	Template:Translit
¹⁄_7451136000 ≈ 1.34208Template:E	பந்தம்	Template:Translit
¹⁄_44706816000 ≈ 2.23680Template:E	பாகம்	Template:Translit
¹⁄_312947712000 ≈ 3.19542Template:E	விந்தம்	Template:Translit
¹⁄_{5320111104000} ≈ 1.87966Template:E	நாகவிந்தம்	Template:Translit
¹⁄_{74481555456000} ≈ 1.34261Template:E	சிந்தை	Template:Translit
¹⁄_{1489631109120000} ≈ 6.71307Template:E	கதிர்முனை	Template:Translit
¹⁄_{59585244364800000} ≈ 1.67827Template:E	குரல்வளைப்படி	Template:Translit
¹⁄_{3575114661888000000} ≈ 2.79711Template:E	வெள்ளம்	Template:Translit
¹⁄_{357511466188800000000} ≈ 2.79711Template:E	நுண்மணல்	Template:Translit
¹⁄_{2323824530227200000000} ≈ 4.30325Template:E	தேர்த்துகள்	Template:Translit

^ Aṇu was considered as the lowest fraction by ancient Tamils as size of smallest physical object (similar to an atom). Later, this term went to Sanskrit to refer directly to atoms.^{[citation needed]}

Decimals (பதின்மம்)[edit | edit source]

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

Percentage (விழுக்காடு)[edit | edit source]

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

Ordinal numbers (வரிசை எண்கள்)[edit | edit source]

Ordinal numbers are formed by adding the suffix -ஆம் (Template:Translit) after the number, except for 'First'.

Ordinal	Tamil	Transliteration
First	முதல்	Template:Translit
Second	இரண்டாம்	Template:Translit
Third	மூன்றாம்	Template:Translit
Fourth	நான்காம்	Template:Translit
101st	நூற்று ஒன்றாம்	Template:Translit

Collective numerals (கூட்டெண்கள்)[edit | edit source]

English	Tamil	Transliteration
Single	ஒற்றை	Template:Translit
Pair	இரட்டை	Template:Translit
Reproductives	௺ + வினைச்சொல்	Numeric prefix + noun*
Single (pillar), double (pillar)...	ஒருக்(கால்), இருக்(கால்)-	Template:Translit, Template:Translit*
Distributives	௺ + முறை	Numeric prefix + Template:Translit
Once, twice...	ஒருமுறை, இருமுறை	Template:Translit, Template:Translit

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[edit | edit source]

This song is a list of each number with a concept its primarily associated with.

Tamil	Transliteration	English
ஒரு குலம்	Template:Translit	One race
ஈரினம்	Template:Translit	Two sexes – male (ஆண், Template:Translit), female (பெண், Template:Translit)
முத்தமிழ்	Template:Translit	Three sections of Tamil – literature (இயல், Template:Translit), music (இசை, Template:Translit), and drama (நாடகம், Template:Translit)
நான்மறை	Template:Translit	Four scriptures
ஐம்புலன்	Template:Translit	Five senses
அறுசுவை	Template:Translit	Six tastes – sweet (Template:Translit), pungent (Template:Translit), bitter (Template:Translit), sour (Template:Translit), salty (Template:Translit), and astringent (Template:Translit).
ஏழிசை	Template:Translit	Seven musical notes (Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit)
எண் பக்கம்	Template:Translit	Eight directions – east (Template:Translit), west (Template:Translit), north (Template:Translit), south (Template:Translit), south-west (Template:Translit), south-east (Template:Translit), north-west (Template:Translit), and north-east (Template:Translit).
நவமணிகள்	Template:Translit	Nine gems – diamond (வைரம், Template:Translit), emerald (மரகதம், Template:Translit), blue sapphire (நீலம், Template:Translit), garnet (கோமேதகம், Template:Translit), red coral (பவளம், Template:Translit), ruby (மாணிக்கம், Template:Translit), pearl (முத்து, Template:Translit), topaz (புட்பராகம், Template:Translit), and cat's eye (வைடூரியம், Template:Translit).
தொன்மெய்ப்பாடு	Template:Translit	Also known as Template:Translit as per the dance expressions. These are joyful (Template:Translit), humour (Template:Translit), cries (Template:Translit), innocent (Template:Translit), proud (Template:Translit), fear (Template:Translit), disgust (Template:Translit), wonder (Template:Translit), and tranquility (Template:Translit).^[5]

Influence on other Dravidian languages[edit | edit source]

As the ancient classical Dravidian language, Tamil numerals influenced and shaped the numerals of the others in the family. The following table compares the main Dravidian languages.

Number	Tamil	Kannada	Malayalam	Telugu	Tulu	Kolami	Kurukh	Brahui	Proto-Dravidian
1	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	*oru(1)
2	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	*iru(2)
3	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	*muC
4	Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit (II)	*nān
5	Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Translit ³	Template:Translit (II)	Template:Translit (II)	*cayN
6	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit ³	Template:Translit (II)	Template:Translit (II)	*caru
7	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Translit ³	Template:Translit (II)	Template:Translit (II)	*ēlu
8	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit, Template:Translit	Template:Translit ³	Template:Translit (II)	Template:Translit (II)	*eṭṭu
9	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit ³	Template:Translit (II)	Template:Translit (II)	*toḷ
10	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit	Template:Translit ³	Template:Translit (II)	Template:Translit (II)	*pat(tu)

Also, Tamil through the Pallava script which itself through the Kawi script, Khmer script and other South-east Asian scripts has shaped the numeral grapheme of most South-east Asian languages.

History[edit | edit source]

Before the Government of India unveiled Template:Indian rupee as the new rupee symbol, people in Tamil Nadu used the Tamil letter ௹ as the symbol. This symbol continues to be used occasionally as rupee symbol by Indian Tamils. It is also used by Tamils in Sri Lanka.^[6]

The symbol ௳ is also known as the Template:Translit (lit. 'Curl of Template:Translit'), a symbol that most Tamil Hindus will start off any auspicious document with. It is written to invoke the god Template:Translit, known otherwise as Ganesha, who is the remover of obstacles.^[7]

References[edit | edit source]

↑ N. Subrahmanian (1996). Śaṅgam polity: the administration and social life of the Śaṅgam Tamils (3 ed.). Ennes Publications. pp. 235, 416. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
↑ Selvakumar, V. (2016). History of Numbers and Fractions and Arithmetic Calculations in the Tamil Region: Some Observations. HuSS: International Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(1), 27-35. https://doi.org/10.15613/HIJRH/2016/V3I1/111730
↑ Sharma, Shriramana. (2012). Proposal to encode Tamil fractions and symbols. Retrieved 12 March 2019 from https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2012/12231-tamil-fractions-symbols-proposal.pdf
↑ Government of Tamil Nadu. (2017). Finalized proposal to encode Tamil fractions and symbols. Retrieved 12 March 2019 from http://unicode.org/wg2/docs/n4822-tamil-frac.pdf
↑ Literary theories in Tamil: with special reference to Tolka:ppiyam. Pondicherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture. 1997. p. 135.
↑ B, Sara (5 May 2022). "Travel Insurance for Sri Lanka". InsureMyTrip. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
↑ Pattanaik, Devdutt (27 January 2015). 99 Thoughts on Ganesha. Jaico Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-8495-152-3.

[1] N. Subrahmanian (1996). Śaṅgam polity: the administration and social life of the Śaṅgam Tamils (3 ed.). Ennes Publications. pp. 235, 416. Retrieved 2 December 2015.

[2] Selvakumar, V. (2016). History of Numbers and Fractions and Arithmetic Calculations in the Tamil Region: Some Observations. HuSS: International Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(1), 27-35. https://doi.org/10.15613/HIJRH/2016/V3I1/111730

[3] Sharma, Shriramana. (2012). Proposal to encode Tamil fractions and symbols. Retrieved 12 March 2019 from https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2012/12231-tamil-fractions-symbols-proposal.pdf

[4] Government of Tamil Nadu. (2017). Finalized proposal to encode Tamil fractions and symbols. Retrieved 12 March 2019 from http://unicode.org/wg2/docs/n4822-tamil-frac.pdf

[5] Literary theories in Tamil: with special reference to Tolka:ppiyam. Pondicherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture. 1997. p. 135.

[6] B, Sara (5 May 2022). "Travel Insurance for Sri Lanka". InsureMyTrip. Retrieved 8 February 2026.

[7] Pattanaik, Devdutt (27 January 2015). 99 Thoughts on Ganesha. Jaico Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-8495-152-3.

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