八
eight · eight radical (no. 12)
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Shape of dividing something in two. Opening to both sides.
Symbolism
Spreading prosperity, good fortune. Eight is an auspicious number.
Words & Expressions
Words written with 八
Four-Character Compounds
四苦八苦
しくはっく
being in dire distress; being hard put to it; being hard pressed (for money)
四通八達
しつうはったつ
traffic network extending in all directions
四方八方
しほうはっぽう
in all directions
十中八九
じっちゅうはっく
in 8 or 9 cases out of ten; in all probability
八紘一宇
はっこういちう
universal brotherhood; all eight corners of the world under one roof
八方美人
はっぽうびじん
everybody's friend; people pleaser; person who is affable to everybody
八面玲瓏
はちめんれいろう
beautiful from all sides; perfect serenity; affability
八面六臂
はちめんろっぴ
competent in all fields; jack of all trades; very active in many fields
岡目八目
おかめはちもく
bystander's vantage point; outsider's better grasp of the situation; onlookers see more of the game than the players do
七転八倒
しちてんばっとう
tossing oneself about in great pain; writhing in agony
七難八苦
しちなんはっく
the Seven Misfortunes and Eight Pains; a series of disasters
永字八法
えいじはっぽう
Eight Principles of Yong; principles for writing the eight basic brush strokes in Chinese characters
八大地獄
はちだいじごく
The Eight Greater Hells
百八煩悩
ひゃくはちぼんのう
the 108 kleshas; the 108 afflictions
八月大名
はちがつだいみょう
the 8th month (of the lunar calendar) is the quietest for farmers
七転八起
しちてんはっき
not giving up; keeping at it until one succeeds
Poetry
わたの原 八十島かけて 漕ぎ出でぬと 人には告げよ あまのつり舟
Tell them for me, fishing boats: that I have rowed out across the wide sea, past the eighty islands.
八重むぐら しげれる宿の さびしきに 人こそ見えね 秋は来にけり
To this lonely house, overgrown with layered weeds, no one comes. Yet autumn has come.
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
The double cherry blossoms of the old capital at Nara are in bloom today within the ninefold palace.
Anime & Manga
八男って、それはないでしょう！
The 8th Son? Are You Kidding Me?
A well-known work with 八 in its Japanese title.
八雲さんは餌づけがしたい。
Beauty and the Feast
A well-known work with 八 in its Japanese title.
八月九日 僕は君に喰われる
Hachigatsu Kokonoka Boku wa Kimi ni Kuwareru.
A well-known work with 八 in its Japanese title.
サムライ8 八丸伝
Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru
A well-known work with 八 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
東郷平八郎
Name contains 八
Tōgō Heihachirō was a Japanese naval officer who served as a gensui or admiral of the fleet in the Imperial Japanese Navy and became one of Japan's…
Wikipedia永倉新八
Name contains 八
Nagakura Shinpachi was the captain of the 2nd troop of the Shinsengumi, He was later known as Sugimura Yoshie during the Meiji era.
Wikipedia新島八重
Name contains 八
Niijima Yae ; 1 December 1845 – 14 June 1932), also known as Yamamoto Yaeko , was a Japanese educator, nurse, and scholar during the Bakumatsu and…
Wikipedia多田三八郎
Name contains 八
Tada Mitsuyori was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period .
WikipediaFrequently Asked Questions
What does 八 mean in Japanese?
八 means eight, eight radical (no. 12).
How do you read 八?
On'yomi: ハチ、ハツ (HACHI, HATSU). Kun'yomi: や、や.つ、やっ.つ、よう (ya, yatsu, yattsu, you).
How many strokes does 八 have?
八 has 2 strokes. Its radical is 八 (eight).
Is 八 a good kanji for a tattoo?
八 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means eight, eight radical (no. 12). Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:eight