八はっ千せん

also: やち

Meanings

8000; eight thousand

The number 8000. Used in counting, prices, years, and other numerical contexts.

この山やまの高たかさは約やく八はっ千せんメートルです。
This mountain is about 8000 meters high.
八はっ千せん円えんで買かいました。
I bought it for 8000 yen.

many; a great many

Figurative use meaning 'a very large number', similar to 'thousands of'. Often used in set phrases like 八千草 (many kinds of plants) or in poetic language.

八や千ち代よに栄さかえることを願ねがう。
Wishing prosperity for thousands of generations.

Kanji

八eight, eight radical (no. 12)
千thousand

Related words

千せん
千 means 1000, while 八千 specifically means 8000 or figuratively 'many'.
万まん
万 means 10,000, a larger unit; 八千 is 8000, less than 万.

Written forms

八千Usage78%
- はっせん
  Standard kanji spelling for 8000.
- やち
  Alternate reading やち, archaic or limited to specific contexts such as old place names or poetry.
８はっ千せんUsage22%
Mixed numeral-kanji spelling, seen in some contexts.
８０００はっせん
Arabic numeral spelling, common in horizontal writing and technical contexts.
八〇〇〇はっせん
Kanji with zero characters, rare and mostly used in vertical writing or formal documents.
やち

Etymology

Compound of 八 (eight) and 千 (thousand). The reading はっせん is a regular sound change from はちせん.