七つ
ななつ · nanatsu · JLPT N5 · noun
seven (things)
7️⃣ nana (seven) + tsu (thing counter) = seven things
七 is read nana, the native Japanese seven, and つ is the general counter for things, used from one to nine. The same pattern gives 五つ itsutsu and 六つ muttsu. Sound hook: seven baNANAs, nana-tsu.
七 — single horizontal stroke 一 + vertical hook 乚
Originally a pictograph showing a horizontal line cut by a vertical stroke, representing the act of cutting — the early meaning of 'cut' (later written 切). It was borrowed phonetically to write the number seven, and that borrowed numerical meaning became standard, while the original 'cut' sense moved to 切.