単数

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 単数 is a noun read たんすう, meaning the grammatical singular used for one person or thing.
• Basic usage: It can describe whom a pronoun denotes or the form to which a plural noun is changed.
  • この代名詞は単数の人を指す。 says that the pronoun refers to one person; 名詞を複数形から単数に直した。 says that the noun was changed from plural to singular.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 単数の人
  • の links the person to the grammatical category indicating one.
• 複数形から単数に
  • から and に mark plural as the starting form and singular as the resulting form.
• 単数 and 複数
  • 単数 represents one, while 複数 represents more than one in grammatical number.