九きゅう

きゅ

う

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 500

Meanings

1

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.

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

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.

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