Japanese dictionary
How to say "nine" in Japanese
九きゅう · kyū
"Nine" in Japanese is 九, read きゅう (kyū) or く (ku). Kyū is more common.
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Ways to say "nine" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 九きゅう · kyū | Nine. |
| 九く · ku | Nine (in some words). |
| 九つここのつ · kokonotsu | Nine (things). |
How to use it
Some words use ku: 九時 (kuji, nine o'clock), 九月 (kugatsu, September).
Ku sounds like 苦 (suffering), so 9 is sometimes avoided, like 4.
Example sentences
- 会議は九時からです。Kaigi wa kuji kara desu.The meeting starts at nine.
- 九月に日本に来ました。Kugatsu ni Nihon ni kimashita.I came to Japan in September.
- チームは九人です。Chīmu wa kyūnin desu.There are nine people on the team.
- 九階の会議室です。Kyūkai no kaigishitsu desu.It's the meeting room on the ninth floor.
- りんごを九つ買いました。Ringo o kokonotsu kaimashita.I bought nine apples.
- 九年間このマンションに住んでいます。Kyūnenkan kono manshon ni sunde imasu.I've lived in this apartment for nine years.
Kanji in this word
Questions
Is 9 read kyū or ku?
Both. Kyū is more common (九人, 九階). Ku is used in 九時 (nine o'clock) and 九月 (September).
Why is 9 considered unlucky?
The reading ku sounds like 苦 (suffering), so some places avoid the number 9.
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