九: the kanji for nine
九 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means nine. Below are its readings, 11 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
九 is written in 2 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
九 has 4 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 11 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
キュウ (kyuu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 九十きゅうじゅう · kyūjū | ninety |
| 九百きゅうひゃく · kyūhyaku | nine hundred |
| 九人きゅうにん · kyūnin | nine people |
| 九回きゅうかい · kyūkai | nine times |
| 九歳きゅうさい · kyūsai | nine years old |
| 九州きゅうしゅう · Kyūshū | Kyushu (a region of Japan) |
ク (ku)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 九時くじ · kuji | nine o'clock |
| 九月くがつ · kugatsu | September |
| 九分九厘くぶくりん · kubukurin | almost certainly |
ここの (kokono)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 九日ここのか · kokonoka | the 9th of the month; nine days |
ここのつ (kokonotsu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 九つここのつ · kokonotsu | nine (things) |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 毎朝九時に仕事を始めます。Maiasa kuji ni shigoto o hajimemasu.I start work at nine every morning.
- 九月から新しいプロジェクトが始まります。Kugatsu kara atarashii purojekuto ga hajimarimasu.A new project starts in September.
- 締め切りは九日です。Shimekiri wa kokonoka desu.The deadline is the 9th.
- 九州へ出張します。Kyūshū e shutchō shimasu.I'm going on a business trip to Kyushu.
- 参加者は九人です。Sankasha wa kyūnin desu.There are nine participants.
- この計画は九分九厘うまくいきます。Kono keikaku wa kubukurin umaku ikimasu.This plan will almost certainly work.
Questions about 九
How many strokes does 九 have?
九 is written in 2 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 九?
The on readings are kyuu (キュウ), ku (ク). The kun readings are kokono (ここの), kokonotsu (ここのつ).
Is 九 read kyū or ku?
Both are used. Ku is used in 九時 (kuji, nine o'clock) and 九月 (kugatsu, September). Kyū is used in most other numbers, such as 九十 (kyūjū, ninety).
What JLPT level is 九?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Numbers and money
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 九
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.