九きゅう

きゅ

う

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 500

Meanings

numeric

nine; 9

The number nine. 玖 is a formal variant used in legal documents.

九く時じに会かい議ぎが始はじまります。
The meeting starts at nine o'clock.
猫ねこは九ここのつの命いのちがあると言いわれている。
Cats are said to have nine lives.

See all 507 example sentences ›

Kanji

九nine
玖beautiful black jewel, nine

Related words

九ここのつN5
九 is the Sino-Japanese numeral used in counting, math, and compounds, while 九つ is the native Japanese form used alone with things (as in 'nine things').
ナイン
九 is the ordinary Japanese numeral for nine used in everyday counting, while ナイン is the katakana form used in card ranks, jersey numbers, and other English-style contexts.

Don't confuse with

苦く
苦 and 九 share the same reading く but are unrelated in meaning (suffering vs. the number nine), which is why both are traditionally avoided as unlucky.

Written forms

九Usage30%
- きゅう
  Standard kanji for the number nine; the reading きゅう is the most common on'yomi.
- ここの
- く
- ここ
- この
９Usage70%
- きゅう
  Arabic numeral; common in horizontal writing and lists.
- ここの
- く
- ここ
- この
くUsage<1%
玖
- きゅう
  Formal kanji used in legal and financial documents to prevent forgery.
- く
- ここ
- この
- ここの
ここ
この
ここの

Etymology

The kanji 九 is a pictograph representing a bent elbow, historically associated with the number nine. The on'yomi きゅう and く derive from Middle Chinese.