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Kotomora

八

eight, eight radical (no. 12)

JLPTN5StatusJōyō · grade 1FrequencyTop 100Strokes2

Readings

On'yomi

  • ハチ
  • ハツ

Kun'yomi

  • や
  • や.つ
  • やっ.つ
  • よう

Nanori

  • な
  • は
  • はっ
  • やち
  • やつ

Meaning

八 centers on the number eight. The radical sense is the same visible shape used as a component in other characters.

Most common words using 八

20 of 309
  • 八はち
    N5

    eight; 8

  • 八王子はちおうじ

    Hachiōji (city)

  • 八幡はちまん

    Hachiman (god of war)

  • 八つやっつ
    N5

    eight

  • 八雲やくも

    thick clouds

  • 八千代やちよ

    very long period; forever

  • 八百長やおちょう

    match fixing; put-up job; fixed game

  • 八百屋やおや
    N4

    greengrocer; fruit and vegetable shop

  • 八幡宮はちまんぐう

    shrine dedicated to Hachiman; Hachiman shrine

  • 尺八しゃくはち

    shakuhachi; end-blown fippleless bamboo flute

  • 十中八九じっちゅうはっく

    in 8 or 9 cases out of ten; in all probability

  • 四苦八苦しくはっく

    being in dire distress; being hard put to it; being hard pressed (for money)

  • 八角はっかく

    octagon

  • 十八番おはこ

    one's favourite party trick (favorite); one's specialty; one's forte

  • 八卦はっけ

    eight trigrams (divination signs); bagua

  • 八重歯やえば

    double tooth; protruding tooth (like a fang); high canine

  • 八方はっぽう

    all sides; the four cardinal directions and the four ordinal directions

  • 八つ裂きやつざき

    tearing limb from limb; tearing apart; cutting (a person) to pieces

  • 四方八方しほうはっぽう

    all directions; every direction; all sides; all quarters; everywhere

  • 村八分むらはちぶ

    ostracism

Explore all words using 八 →

Study

Etymology

八 is a pictograph of something divided or separated, originally meaning 'to divide'. It was later borrowed to represent the number eight.

Meaning mnemonic

The two strokes of 八 look like they are splitting apart, like cutting something into two. Picture dividing a cake into eight slices: the shape of the cut is 八, and you get eight pieces.

Reading mnemonic

For ハチ, imagine a bee (ハチ) landing on the shape of 八, its wings spread like the two strokes. The bee's buzzing 'hachi' sound helps you remember the reading.