九
nine
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Pictograph of a bent arm. Represents the limit of numbers.
Symbolism
Supreme, longevity, pinnacle of yang numbers. '九' sounds like '久' meaning eternity.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
九牛一毛
きゅうぎゅうのいちもう
small fraction (of); drop in the bucket; drop in the ocean; small fraction (of)
九死一生
きゅうしいっしょう
narrow escape from the jaw of death; narrow escape from the jaw of death
九寸五分
くすんごぶ
dagger; dagger
九分九厘
くぶくりん
almost certainly; in all probability; ten to one; almost certainly
三拝九拝
さんぱいきゅうはい
kowtowing; bowing repeatedly; three kneelings and nine prostrations; kowtowing
十中八九
じっちゅうはっく
in 8 or 9 cases out of ten; in all probability; in 8 or 9 cases out of ten
九十九折
つづらおり
winding; meandering; sinuous; winding
薬九層倍
くすりくそうばい
there is a huge markup in medicines, making it a profitable field; medicines sell for ten times the cost of their ingredients; there is a huge markup in medicines, making it a profitable field
面壁九年
めんぺきくねん
facing a wall for nine years in meditation (by Bodhidharma at Shaolin Temple); facing a wall for nine years in meditation (by Bodhidharma at Shaolin Temple)
Proverbs & Idioms
九死に一生を得る
きゅうしにいっしょうをえる
To survive against all odds
To narrowly escape death
Poetry
いにしへの 奈良の都の 八重桜 けふ九重に にほひぬるかな
Poem #61 from Hyakunin Isshu