Wiktionary

九

See also: 玖, 丸, and 力
九 U+4E5D, 九
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4E5D
← 乜
[U+4E5C] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 乞 →
[U+4E5E]
㈨ U+3228, ㈨
PARENTHESIZED IDEOGRAPH NINE
← ㈧
[U+3227] 		Enclosed CJK Letters and Months ㈩ →
[U+3229]
㊈ U+3288, ㊈
CIRCLED IDEOGRAPH NINE
← ㊇
[U+3287] 		Enclosed CJK Letters and Months ㊉ →
[U+3289]

Translingual

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Stroke order
 
Stroke order
 

Han character

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See images of 九
(radical 5 + 1)

九 (Kangxi radical 5, 乙+1, 2 strokes, cangjie input 大弓 (KN), four-corner 40017, composition ⿻㇓㇈)

Derived characters

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Descendants

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References

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  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 83, character 19
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 167
  • Dae Jaweon: page 168, character 2
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 48, character 5
  • Unihan data for U+4E5D

Chinese

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simp. and trad.
 九
alternative forms 玖 financial
𠔀
𢌬
𣲄
 
Wikipedia has articles on:
  • 九 (Written Standard Chinese?)
  • 九 (Cantonese)
  • 九 (Classical)
  • 9 (Eastern Min)
  • 9 (Southern Min)
 
The number nine in Chinese number gestures

Glyph origin

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Historical forms of the character 九
Shang Western Zhou Warring States Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script Bronze inscriptions Chu slip and silk script Small seal script Transcribed ancient scripts
         
 
j29822
 
j29823
 
j29824
 
j29825
 
j29826
 
j29827
 
j29828
 
j29829
 
j29830
 
j29831
 
j29832
 
j29833
 
j29834
 
j29835
 
j29836
 
j29837
 
j29838
 
j29839
 
j29840
 
j29841
 
j29842
 
j29843
 
j29844
 
j29845
 
j29846
 
j29847
 
j29848
 
j29849
 
j29850
 
j29851
 
b19923
 
b19924
 
b19925
 
b19926
 
b19927
 
b19928
 
b19929
 
b19930
 
b19931
 
b19932
 
b19933
 
b19934
 
b19935
 
b19936
 
b19937
 
b19938
 
b19939
 
b19940
 
b19941
 
b19942
 
b19943
 
b19944
 
b19945
 
b19946
 
b19947
 
b19948
 
b19949
 
b19950
 
b19951
 
b19952
 
b19953
 
b19954
 
b19955
 
b19956
 
b19957
 
s10923
Transcribed ancient scripts
 
L35389
 
L35390
 
L35391
 
L35392
 
L35393
 
L18222
 
L18223
 
L18224
 
L18225
 
L18226
 
L18227
 
L18228
 
L18229
 
L18230
 
L18231
 
L18232
References:

Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including:

  • Shuowen Jiezi (small seal),
  • Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions),
  • Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and
  • Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).
Characters in the same phonetic series (九) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
尻 *kʰuː
訄 *kʰuː, *kʰu, *ɡu
艽 *krɯːw, *qʰrɯːw, *ɡu, *ɡʷrɯw
虓 *qʰruː
鳩 *ku
勼 *ku
九 *kuʔ
究 *kus
仇 *ɡu
鼽 *ɡu
犰 *ɡu
叴 *ɡu
厹 *ɡu
頄 *ɡu, *ɡʷrɯw
朹 *ɡu, *kʷrɯwʔ
馗 *ɡu, *ɡʷrɯw
扏 *ɡu
訅 *ɡu
釚 *ɡu
肍 *ɡu
軌 *kʷrɯwʔ
宄 *kʷrɯwʔ
氿 *kʷrɯwʔ
匭 *kʷrɯwʔ
泦 *kuɡ
旭 *qʰʷoɡ

Pictogram (象形) – a stylized hand, with bent wrist/forearm (hence the hook stroke at lower right). Earlier forms resemble 手 (shǒu), 寸 (cùn). The original meaning of the glyph was “elbow”, which is now written 肘 (OC *tkuʔ).

After the meaning “elbow” was forgotten, 九 was taken to symbolize a fist tightening to bump up against something; thus, there is a metaphorical bumping up of nine against ten, which is the last number when counting on one's fingers.

Etymology 1

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From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *d/s-kəw. Compare Tibetan དགུ (dgu).

Pronunciation

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Note:
  • gāu - vernacular;
  • giū - literary.
Note:
  • gao3 - vernacular;
  • giu3 - literary.
Note:
  • káu - vernacular;
  • kiú - literary.
Note:
  • gao2 - vernacular;
  • giu2 - literary.
Rime
Character 九
Reading # 1/1
Initial (聲) 見 (28)
Final (韻) 尤 (136)
Tone (調) Rising (X)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 舉有切
Baxter kjuwX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/kɨuX/
Pan
Wuyun 		/kiuX/
Shao
Rongfen 		/kiəuX/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/kuwX/
Li
Rong 		/kiuX/
Wang
Li 		/kĭəuX/
Bernard
Karlgren 		/ki̯ə̯uX/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		jiǔ
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		gau2
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 九
Reading # 1/1
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		jiǔ
Middle
Chinese 		‹ kjuwX ›
Old
Chinese 		/*[k]uʔ/
English nine

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 九
Reading # 1/1
No. 6941
Phonetic
component 		九
Rime
group 		幽
Rime
subdivision 		1
Corresponding
MC rime 		久
Old
Chinese 		/*kuʔ/

Definitions

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九

  1. nine
  2. (figurative) many
  3. (weather) each of the nine nine-day periods from the winter solstice
    • 一九二九不出手，三九四九冰上走。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]
      From: “The Nine Nine-Day Periods Song”, a folk song
      Yī jiǔ èr jiǔ bù chū shǒu, sān jiǔ sì jiǔ bīng shàng zǒu. [Pinyin]
      In the first and the second nine-day period, one should not take out one's hand; / In the third and the fourth nine-day period, the ice is thick enough to stand.
  4. (Cantonese, minced oath, euphemistic) Synonym of 㞗 (gau1, “penis”)
See also
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  • 勾 (gōu) (in radio communications)
Chinese numbers
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 102 103 104 106 108 1012
Normal
(小寫／小写) 		〇, 零, 空 一, 蜀 二, 兩／两 三 四 五 六 七 八 九 十 百 千 萬／万,
十千 (Malaysia, Singapore) 		百萬／百万,
桶(Philippines),
面桶 (Philippines) 		億／亿 兆 (Taiwan)
萬億／万亿 (Mainland China)
Financial
(大寫／大写) 		零 壹 貳／贰 參／叁 肆 伍 陸／陆 柒 捌 玖 拾 佰 仟

Compounds

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Descendants

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Sino-Xenic (九):
  • → Japanese: 九(く) (ku); 九(きゅう) (kyū)
  • → Korean: 구(九) (gu)
  • → Vietnamese: cửu (九)

Others:

Etymology 2

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For pronunciation and definitions of 九 – see 鳩 (“to gather; to assemble”).
(This character is an obsolete form of 鳩).

Japanese

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Japanese cardinal numbers
 <  8 9 10  > 
    Cardinal : 九

Kanji

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九

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

  1. nine

Readings

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Compounds

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Compounds

Etymology 1

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Kanji in this term
九
きゅう
Grade: 1
kan'on

From Middle Chinese 九 (MC kjuwX). The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing. Borrowed after palatalization occurred in Middle Chinese. Compare modern Hakka 九 (giu3).

Pronunciation

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  • (Tokyo) きゅう [kyúꜜù] (Atamadaka – [1])[1]
  • IPA(key): [kʲɨː]
  • Audio:(file)

Numeral

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九(きゅう) • (kyū) ←きう (kiu)?

  1. nine

Noun

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九(きゅう) • (kyū) ←きう (kiu)?

  1. nine
  2. 究: an indeterminate large number, a myriad, a great many
  3. (divination) the number of yang, in opposition to 六 (roku, “six”) as the number of yin

Etymology 2

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Kanji in this term
九
く
Grade: 1
goon
Alternative spelling
玖

From Early Middle Chinese 九 (MC kjuwX). The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.

Pronunciation

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Numeral

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九(く) • (ku) 

  1. nine
  2. ninth
Usage notes
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  • Sometimes considered unlucky due to being homophonous with 苦 (ku, “suffering”).

Noun

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九(く) • (ku) 

  1. nine
  2. the ninth

Coordinate terms

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Japanese numbers
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Regular 零(れい) (rei)
零(ゼロ) (zero) 		一(いち) (ichi) 二(に) (ni) 三(さん) (san) 四(よん) (yon)
四(し) (shi) 		五(ご) (go) 六(ろく) (roku) 七(なな) (nana)
七(しち) (shichi) 		八(はち) (hachi) 九(きゅう) (kyū)
九(く) (ku) 		十(じゅう) (jū)
Formal 壱(いち) (ichi) 弐(に) (ni) 参(さん) (san) 拾(じゅう) (jū)
90 100 300 600 800 1,000 3,000 8,000 10,000 100,000,000
Regular 九(きゅう)十(じゅう) (kyūjū) 百(ひゃく) (hyaku)
一(いっ)百(ぴゃく) (ippyaku) 		三(さん)百(びゃく) (sanbyaku) 六(ろっ)百(ぴゃく) (roppyaku) 八(はっ)百(ぴゃく) (happyaku) 千(せん) (sen)
一(いっ)千(せん) (issen) 		三(さん)千(ぜん) (sanzen) 八(はっ)千(せん) (hassen) 一(いち)万(まん) (ichiman) 一(いち)億(おく) (ichioku)
Formal 一(いち)萬(まん) (ichiman)
1012 8×1012 1013 1016 6×1016 8×1016 1017 1018
一(いっ)兆(ちょう) (itchō) 八(はっ)兆(ちょう) (hatchō) 十(じゅっ)兆(ちょう) (jutchō) 一(いっ)京(けい) (ikkei) 六(ろっ)京(けい) (rokkei) 八(はっ)京(けい) (hakkei) 十(じゅっ)京(けい) (jukkei) 百(ひゃっ)京(けい) (hyakkei)

Etymology 3

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Kanji in this term
九
ここの
Grade: 1
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese from Proto-Japonic *kəkənə.

First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE.[2]

Pronunciation

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Numeral

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九(ここの) • (kokono) 

  1. nine

Etymology 4

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Kanji in this term
九
この
Grade: 1
kun'yomi

/kokono/ → /kono/

Abbreviation of Old Japanese 九 (kokono, “nine”).

Pronunciation

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Numeral

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九(この) • (kono) 

  1. nine
    ひい、ふう、みい、…なな、やあ、この、とお
    hī, fū, mī,…nana, yā, kono, tō
    one, two, three, ... seven, eight, nine, ten
Usage notes
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  • Generally only used when counting out loud, as in the example above. In writing, usually found spelled out in hiragana as この to make the reading unambiguous.

References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. ^ “九”, in 日本国語大辞典‎[1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006

Further reading

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Korean

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Etymology 1

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Korean numbers (edit)
90
 ←  8 9 10  → 
    Native isol.: 아홉 (ahop)
    Native attr.: 아홉 (ahop)
    Sino-Korean: 구 (gu)
    Hanja: 九
    Ordinal: 아홉째 (ahopjjae)

From Middle Chinese 九 (MC kjuwX).

Historical readings

Pronunciation

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Hanja

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Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

Wikisource

九 (eumhun 아홉 구 (ahop gu))

  1. hanja form? of 구 (“nine”)

Compounds

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Compounds

Etymology 2

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Related to Middle Chinese 糾 (MC kjiwX).

Hanja

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九 (eumhun 모을 규 (mo'eul gyu))

  1. (archaic) hanja form? of 규 (“to gather; to collect”)

Compounds

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References

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  • 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [3]

Vietnamese

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Han character

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九: Hán Việt readings: cửu[1][2]
九: Nôm readings: cửu[1][3][4]

  1. Chữ Hán form of cửu (“nine”).

Derived terms

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Derived terms

References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
  2. ^ Trần (2004).
  3. ^ Bonet (1899).
  4. ^ Génibrel (1898).

Zhuang

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Noun

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九

  1. Sawndip form of gyaeuj (“head; headhair”)
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