Nine in Japanese
"nine" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
九
kyu
2 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "nine". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
九 is nine. 玖 is the formal form used on cheques and contracts, where a simple 九 could be altered by adding strokes. Japanese keeps a second set of numerals for exactly this reason.
九View details →
Top pick
nine
Reading: kyuu
2 strokes
Where it comes from
Pictograph of a bent arm. Represents the limit of numbers.
What it carries
Supreme, longevity, pinnacle of yang numbers. '九' sounds like '久' meaning eternity.
Related kanji for "nine"
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for nine?
The most common kanji for "nine" is 九, read as kyuu. It means nine. Related kanji: 玖 (nine).
How many strokes does 九 have?
九 has 2 strokes.