# 九

| 九 | U+4E5D, &#20061; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4E5D |
| ← 乜 [U+4E5C] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 乞 → [U+4E5E] |
| ㈨ | U+3228, &#12840; PARENTHESIZED IDEOGRAPH NINE |
| ← ㈧ [U+3227] | Enclosed CJK Letters and Months | ㈩ → [U+3229] |
| ㊈ | U+3288, &#12936; CIRCLED IDEOGRAPH NINE |
| ← ㊇ [U+3287] | Enclosed CJK Letters and Months | ㊉ → [U+3289] |

## Translingual
### Han character

九 (Kangxi radical 5, 乙+1, 2 strokes, cangjie input 大弓 (KN), four-corner 4001$_7$, composition ⿻㇓㇈)

#### Derived characters

* 仇, 㕤, 扏, 氿, 肍, 朹, 犰, 䊵(𮉠), 訅, 䜪, 軌(轨), 㐜, 釚(𫟲), 骩, 鼽, 丸, 旭, 訄, 䧱, 虓, 頄(𬱓), 馗, 㐡, 㐤, 鳩(鸠), 勼, 宄, 尻, 旯, 㶢, 艽, 究, 㭝, 㐇, 卆, 厹, 叴, 旮, 杂, 䲥, 㔲, 抛, 亴

#### Descendants

* 𛀭

#### References

* 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

* 九 (Written Standard Chinese)
* 九 (Cantonese)
* 九 (Classical)
* 9 (Eastern Min)
* 9 (Southern Min)

### Glyph origin

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 |
| Oracle bone scriptj29822j29823j29824j29825j29826j29827j29828j29829j29830j29831j29832j29833j29834j29835j29836j29837j29838j29839j29840j29841j29842j29843j29844j29845j29846j29847j29848j29849j29850j29851Bronze inscriptionsb19923b19924b19925b19926b19927b19928b19929b19930b19931b19932b19933b19934b19935b19936b19937b19938b19939b19940b19941b19942b19943b19944b19945b19946b19947b19948b19949b19950b19951b19952b19953b19954b19955b19956b19957Small seal scripts10923Transcribed ancient scriptsL35389L35390L35391L35392L35393L18222L18223L18224L18225L18226L18227L18228L18229L18230L18231L18232 |||||
| 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). |||||
| | 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

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

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): jiǔ (jiu$^3$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄡˇ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): jiu$^3$
    (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): jiù
    (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): jiǔ
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): җю (ži͡u, II)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): gau$^2$
    (Dongguan, Jyutping++): gaau$^2$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): giu$^2$
    (Yangjiang, Jyutping++): gieu$^2$
* Gan (Wiktionary): jiu$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): kiú
    (Hailu, HRS): giu$^ˊ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): giu$^3$
* Jin (Wiktionary): jiou$^2$
* Northern Min (KCR): giǔ
* Eastern Min (BUC): gāu / giū
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): gao$^3$ / giu$^3$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): káu / kiú
    (Teochew, Peng'im): gao$^2$ / giu$^2$
    (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): gao$^2$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^5$cieu / $^5$ciu / $^3$cieu / $^3$ciou / $^1$cieu / $^3$cio
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): jiou$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: jiǔ
*** Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄡˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: jiǒu
*** Wade–Giles: chiu$^3$
*** Yale: jyǒu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jeou
*** Palladius: цзю (czju)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: jiu$^3$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: giu
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕiəu⁵³/
** (Xi'an)
*** Guanzhong Pinyin: jiù
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕiɤu⁵³/
** (Nanjing)
*** Nanjing Pinyin: jiǔ
*** Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): jiu$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕiəɯ¹¹/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: җю (ži͡u, II)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕiou⁵¹/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: gau$^2$
*** Yale: gáu
*** Cantonese Pinyin: gau$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: geo$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /kɐu̯³⁵/
** (Dongguan, Guancheng)
*** Jyutping++: gaau$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /kau³⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: giu$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /kiu⁵⁵/
** (Yangjiang Yue, Jiangcheng)
*** Jyutping++: gieu$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /kiɛu²¹/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: jiu$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕiu²¹³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kiú
*** Hakka Romanization System: giu$^ˋ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: giu$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /ki̯u³¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: giu$^ˊ$
*** Sinological IPA: /kiu²⁴/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: giu$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /kiu³¹/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: jiou$^2$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡ɕiəu⁵³/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: giǔ
*** Sinological IPA : /kiu²¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: gāu / giū
*** Sinological IPA : /kau³³/, /kieu³³/
* gāu - vernacular;
* giū - literary.
* Middle Chinese: kjuwX
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 | /kɨu$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /kiu$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /kiəu$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /kuw$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /kiu$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /kĭəu$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ki̯ə̯u$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | jiǔ |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | gau$^2$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[k]uʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*kuʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 九 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | jiǔ |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ kjuw$^X$ › |
| 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

九
* nine
    From: “The Mnemonic of Multiplication”
    Jiǔ jiǔ bāshíyī. [Pinyin]
    Nine times nine is eighty-one.
* (figurative) many
    From: 822?, Liu Yuxi, “Ripples Sifting Sand”
    Jiǔ qū huánghé wàn lǐ shā, làng táo fēng bò zì tiānyá. [Pinyin]
    The Yellow River with its many twists and turns flows thousands of miles full of sand / Carried by its waves stirred up by the wind coming from a faraway land.
* (weather) each of the nine nine-day periods from the winter solstice
    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.
* (Cantonese, minced oath, euphemistic) Synonym of 㞗 (gau1, “penis”)

##### See also

* 勾 (gōu) (in radio communications)
Chinese numbers :
| | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10$^2$ | 10$^3$ | 10$^4$ | 10$^6$ | 10$^8$ | 10$^{12}$ |
| 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 | 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) |

#### Compounds

* 一一九
* 一丈差九尺 (yīzhàngchājiǔchǐ)
* 一歲九遷 / 一岁九迁
* 一禾九穗 (yīhéjiǔsuì)
* 一言九鼎 (yīyánjiǔdǐng)
* 七返九還 / 七返九还
* 七零九 (Qīlíngjiǔ)
* 七零九所 (Qīlíngjiǔsuǒ)
* 上九
* 下九
* 三九天
* 三六九等 (sānliùjiǔděng)
* 三回九曲
* 三回九轉 / 三回九转
* 三教九流 (sānjiàojiǔliú)
* 三槐九棘
* 三等九格
* 三貞九烈 / 三贞九烈
* 三跪九叩 (sānguìjiǔkòu)
* 三部九候
* 中九
* 九一八事變 / 九一八事变 (Jiǔ-Yībā Shìbiàn)
* 九一四
* 九七大限
* 九七期限
* 九丘
* 九世之仇 (jiǔshìzhīchóu)
* 九九 (jiǔjiǔ)
* 九九歸一 / 九九归一
* 九九歸原 / 九九归原
* 九九登高
* 九五 (jiǔwǔ)
* 九五之位
* 九五之尊 (jiǔwǔzhīzūn)
* 九份 (Jiǔfèn)
* 九佐
* 九冬
* 九分
* 九刑
* 九功
* 九勢 / 九势
* 九卿 (Jiǔqīng)
* 九原
* 九原可作
* 九合 (jiūhé)
* 九合一匡
* 九吊六的
* 九命
* 九命奇冤
* 九品 (jiǔpǐn)
* 九品中正 (jiǔpǐn zhōngzhèng)
* 九品詞 / 九品词
* 九國公約 / 九国公约
* 九土
* 九地
* 九垓
* 九夏
* 九大行星
* 九天 (Jiǔtiān)
* 九天仙女
* 九天玄女
* 九如 (Jiǔrú)
* 九如鄉 / 九如乡
* 九姻
* 九嬪 / 九嫔
* 九子母
* 九孔 (jiǔkǒng)
* 九官鳥 / 九官鸟 (jiǔguānniǎo)
* 九宮 / 九宫
* 九宮格 / 九宫格 (jiǔgōnggé)
* 九尾狐 (jiǔwěihú)
* 九尾龜 / 九尾龟
* 九層塔 / 九层塔 (jiǔcéngtǎ)
* 九嶷山 (Jiǔyíshān)
* 九州 (Jiǔzhōu)
* 九幽
* 九思
* 九懷 / 九怀
* 九成 (jiǔchéng)
* 九成九 (jiǔchéngjiǔ)
* 九成宮 / 九成宫
* 九折臂
* 九故十親 / 九故十亲
* 九數 / 九数
* 九方
* 九方皋
* 九族 (jiǔzú)
* 九旒
* 九日 (jiǔrì)
* 九春
* 九曜
* 九曲洞
* 九更天
* 九有
* 九服
* 九朽一罷 / 九朽一罢
* 九歌
* 九歎 / 九叹
* 九歸 / 九归 (jiǔguī)
* 九死
* 九死一生 (jiǔsǐyīshēng)
* 九死不悔
* 九江 (Jiǔjiāng)
* 九江市
* 九泉 (jiǔquán)
* 九流 (jiǔliú)
* 九流三教 (jiǔliúsānjiào)
* 九流十家
* 九流百家
* 九淵 / 九渊
* 九湖 (Jiǔhú)
* 九渡河 (Jiǔdùhé)
* 九烏 / 九乌 (jiǔwū)
* 九烈三貞 / 九烈三贞
* 九煉成鋼 / 九炼成钢
* 九牛一毛 (jiǔniúyīmáo)
* 九牛毛
* 九牧
* 九畹溪 (Jiǔwǎnxī)
* 九畹遺容 / 九畹遗容 (Jiǔ Wǎn Yíróng)
* 九疇 / 九畴
* 九疊篆 / 九叠篆
* 九疑山 (Jiǔyíshān)
* 九百
* 九皋
* 九眷
* 九禮 / 九礼
* 九秋
* 九穀 / 九谷
* 九竅 / 九窍
* 九節鞭 / 九节鞭
* 九經 / 九经 (Jiǔjīng)
* 九經字樣 / 九经字样
* 九罭
* 九老會 / 九老会
* 九聲 / 九声
* 九芎
* 九花 (jiǔhuā)
* 九華 / 九华
* 九華山 / 九华山 (Jiǔhuá Shān)
* 九華帳 / 九华帐 (jiǔhuázhàng)
* 九蓮燈 / 九莲灯
* 九衢
* 九親 / 九亲
* 九譯 / 九译
* 九賓 / 九宾
* 九轉丹 / 九转丹
* 九轉金丹 / 九转金丹
* 九辯 / 九辩
* 九迴腸 / 九回肠
* 九通
* 九連環 / 九连环 (jiǔliánhuán)
* 九道 (Jiǔdào)
* 九還丹 / 九还丹
* 九里 (Jiǔlǐ)
* 九重 (jiǔchóng)
* 九重天 (jiǔchóngtiān)
* 九重葛
* 九重霄
* 九野
* 九針 / 九针
* 九錫 / 九锡
* 九門 / 九门
* 九間房 / 九间房 (Jiǔjiānfáng)
* 九閽 / 九阍
* 九集 (Jiǔjí)
* 九霄 (jiǔxiāo)
* 九霄雲外 / 九霄云外 (jiǔxiāoyúnwài)
* 九音鑼 / 九音锣
* 九章
* 九章律
* 九章算術 / 九章算术
* 九頭鳥 / 九头鸟
* 九香蟲 / 九香虫
* 九鼎 (jiǔdǐng)
* 九鼎大呂 / 九鼎大吕
* 九龍 / 九龙 (jiǔlóng)
* 九龍半島 / 九龙半岛 (Jiǔlóng Bàndǎo)
* 九龍壁 / 九龙壁
* 九龍杯 / 九龙杯
* 五九國恥 / 五九国耻
* 八九
* 八九分
* 八九分人
* 八病九痛
* 八索九丘
* 八花九裂
* 劉九兒 / 刘九儿
* 力濟九區 / 力济九区
* 北九州 (Běijiǔzhōu)
* 十中八九
* 十之八九 (shízhībājiǔ)
* 十八九
* 十室九空 (shíshìjiǔkōng)
* 十拿九穩 / 十拿九稳 (shínájiǔwěn)
* 十捉九著
* 十死九生
* 十清九濁 / 十清九浊
* 十生九死
* 十病九痛
* 十米九糠
* 十羊九牧
* 十親九故 / 十亲九故
* 十賭九輸 / 十赌九输 (shídǔjiǔshū)
* 十轉九空 / 十转九空
* 回九
* 回腸九回 / 回肠九回
* 天九 (tiānjiǔ)
* 天保九如
* 夷九族
* 小九九 (xiǎojiǔjiǔ)
* 小加九
* 屏風九疊 / 屏风九叠
* 廣九鐵路 / 广九铁路
* 張九齡 / 张九龄
* 愁腸九轉 / 愁肠九转
* 接三換九 / 接三换九
* 推牌九
* 搬九
* 數九 / 数九
* 數九天 / 数九天
* 易堂九子
* 暗九
* 東北九省 / 东北九省
* 深居九重 (shēn jū jiǔchóng)
* 港九 (Gǎng-Jiǔ)
* 燕九節 / 燕九节
* 牌九 (páijiǔ)
* 牢九
* 視窗九五 / 视窗九五
* 窮九 / 穷九
* 第九藝術 / 第九艺术
* 簫韶九成 / 箫韶九成
* 老九
* 耕九餘三 / 耕九余三
* 舉十知九 / 举十知九
* 言十妄九
* 重九 (Chóngjiǔ)
* 重九登高
* 陸九淵 / 陆九渊
* 陸九齡 / 陆九龄
* 陽九 / 阳九
* 陽九之會 / 阳九之会
* 陽九之阨 / 阳九之阨
* 雙九 / 双九
* 風魔九伯 / 风魔九伯
* 魄散九霄
* 鶴鳴九皋 / 鹤鸣九皋
* 齊煙九點 / 齐烟九点
* 龍生九子 / 龙生九子

#### Descendants

* → Japanese: 九(く) (ku); 九(きゅう) (kyū)
* → Korean: 구(九) (gu)
* → Vietnamese: cửu (九)
Others:
* → Proto-Tai: *kɤwꟲ (“nine”)
** Northern Tai:
*** Bouyei: guz
*** Zhuang: gouj
*** Saek: กู̂
*** Tai Do: cau
** Central Tai:
*** Caolan: cáu
*** Nùng: càu
*** Tày: cẩu
** Wenma-Southwestern Tai:
*** Sapa-Southwestern Tai:
**** Proto-Southwestern Tai:
***** Thai: เก้า (gâao)
***** Northern Thai: ᨠᩮᩢ᩶ᩣ
***** Lao: ເກົ້າ (kao)
***** Lü: ᦂᧁᧉ (k̇aw²)
***** Tai Dam: ꪹꪀ꫁ꪱ (cảu)
***** Shan: ၵဝ်ႈ (kāo)
***** Tai Laing: ကႍဝ်
***** Tai Nüa: ᥐᥝᥲ (kàw)
***** Ahom: 𑜀𑜧 (kaw)

### Etymology 2

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

### Etymology 3

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

## Japanese
### Kanji

(First grade kyōiku kanji)
* nine

#### Readings

* Go-on: く (ku, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: きゅう (kyū, Jōyō)
* Kun: ここの (kokono, 九, Jōyō)、ここのつ (kokonotsu, 九つ, Jōyō)
* Nanori: いちじく (ichijiku)、いちのく (ichinoku)、この (kono)、ひさし (hisashi)

#### Compounds

* 九(きゅう)夏(か) (kyūka)
* 九(きゅう)官(かん)鳥(ちょう) (kyūkanchō, “a mina or mynah bird”)
* 九(きゅう)牛(ぎゅう)一(いち)毛(もう) (kyū gyū ichi mō, “nine cows one hair (a drop in the ocean)”)
* 九九(くく) (kuku), 九々(くく) (kuku, “Multiplication table”)
* 九(く)月(がつ) (kugatsu, “September”)
* 九(きゅう)死(し) (kyūshi, “near death, nearly dead, a close shave”)
* 九(きゅう)州(しゅう) (Kyūshū, “Kyushu”)
* 九(ここの)重(え) (kokonoe)
* 九(く)寸(すん)五分(ごぶ) (kusun gobu, “a short sword, a dagger”)
* 九(きゅう)星(せい) (kyūsei)
* 九(きゅう)折(せつ) (kyūsetsu)
* 九(きゅう)泉(せん) (kyūsen, “the nether world”)
* 九(きゅう)地(ち) (kyūchi)
* 九(きゅう)天(てん) (Kyūten, “Ninth Heaven (the highest of heavens)”)
* 九(きゅう)拝(はい) (kyūhai)
* 九分(くぶ) (kubu)
* 九(く)輪(りん) (kurin)
* 九(くん)六(ろく) (kunroku)

### Etymology 1

* 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 literary Hokkien 九 (kiú), Hakka 九 (kiú).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) きゅう [kyúꜜù] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [kʲɨː]
* Audio:(file)

#### Numeral

九(きゅう) • (kyū)
* nine

#### Noun

九(きゅう) • (kyū)
* nine
* 究: an indeterminate large number, a myriad, a great many
* (divination) the number of yang, in opposition to 六 (roku, “six”) as the number of yin

### Etymology 2

* 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. Compare vernacular Hokkien 九 (káu).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) く [kúꜜ] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [kɯ̟]

#### Numeral

九(く) • (ku)
* nine
* ninth

##### Usage notes

* Sometimes considered unlucky due to being homophonous with 苦 (ku, “suffering”).

#### Noun

九(く) • (ku)
* nine
* the ninth

#### Coordinate terms

v • d • eJapanese numbers :
| Number | Kanji | Kana | Romaji |
| 0 | 零 | れい、ゼロ | rei, zero |
| 1 | 一、壱、弌、壹 | いち | ichi |
| 2 | 二、弐、貳、貮 | に | ni |
| 3 | 三、参 | さん | san |
| 4 | 四、肆 | よん、し | yon, shi |
| 5 | 五、伍 | ご | go |
| 6 | 六、陸 | ろく | roku |
| 7 | 七、漆 | なな、しち | nana, shichi |
| 8 | 八、捌 | はち | hachi |
| 9 | 九、玖 | きゅう、く | kyū, ku |
| 10 | 十、拾 | じゅう | jū |
| 100 | 百、陌、佰 | ひゃく | hyaku |
| 1,000 | 千、阡、仟 | せん | sen |
| 10,000 | 一万、万、一萬、萬 | いちまん、まん | ichiman, man |
| 100,000,000 | 一億、億 | いちおく、おく | ichioku, oku |

### Etymology 3

* 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.

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) ここの [kòkóꜜnò] (Nakadaka – [2])
* IPA: [ko̞ko̞no̞]

#### Numeral

九(ここの) • (kokono)
* nine

### Etymology 4

* Kanji in this term
* 九
* この Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
/kokono/ → /kono/
Abbreviation of Old Japanese 九 (kokono, “nine”).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) この [kóꜜnò] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [ko̞no̞]

#### Numeral

九(この) • (kono)
* 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

* 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

* 1 2 3 4 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* ↑ “九”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006

### Further reading

* “You can count on the tales behind number-kanji”, in The Japan Times‎, 2010 March 17, archived from the original on 2014-12-21

## Korean
### Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 九 (MC kjuwX).
* Recorded as Middle Korean 구ᇢ〯 (Yale: kwǔw) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
* Recorded as Middle Korean 구 (kwu)$^訓$ (Yale: kwu) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.
* Recorded as Middle Korean 구 (kwu)$^訓$ (Yale: kwu) in Gwangju Cheonjamun (光州千字文 / 광주천자문), 1575.
* Recorded as Middle Korean 구 (kwu)$^訓$ (Yale: kwu) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [ku]
* Phonetic hangul: [구]

#### Hanja

Wikisource 九 (eumhun 아홉 구 (ahop gu))
* hanja form of 구 (“nine”)

#### Compounds

* 구경 (九卿, gugyeong)
* 구경 (九經, gugyeong)
* 구계 (九界, gugye)
* 구곡 (九穀, gugok)
* 구덕 (九德, gudeok)
* 구동 (九冬, gudong)
* 구륜 (九輪, guryun)
* 구사 (九思, gusa)
* 구십 (九十, gusip)
* 구월 (九月, guwol)
* 구족 (九族, gujok)
* 구중 (九重, gujung)
* 구천 (九天, gucheon)
* 구천 (九泉, gucheon)
* 십구 (十九, sipgu)
* 중구 (重九, junggu)
* 구관조 (九官鳥, gugwanjo)
* 구미호 (九尾狐, gumiho)
* 정구품 (正九品, jeonggupum)
* 종구품 (從九品, jonggupum)
* 구구단 (九九段, gugudan)
* 일세구천 (一歲九遷, ilsegucheon)
* 일월구천 (一月九遷, irwolgucheon)
* 일일구천 (一日九遷, irilgucheon)

### Etymology 2

Related to Middle Chinese 糾 (MC kjiwX).

#### Hanja

九 (eumhun 모을 규 (mo'eul gyu))
* (archaic) hanja form of 규 (“to gather; to collect”)

#### Compounds

* 규합 (九合/糾合, gyuhap)

### References

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

## Vietnamese
### Han character

九: Hán Việt readings: cửu
九: Nôm readings: cửu
* Chữ Hán form of cửu (“nine”).

#### Derived terms

* 九原 (cửu nguyên)
* 九章 (cửu chương)
* 九角 (cửu giác)
* 重九 (trùng cửu)

### References

* 1 2 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
* ↑ Trần (2004).
* ↑ Bonet (1899).
* ↑ Génibrel (1898).

## Zhuang
### Noun

九
* Sawndip form of gyaeuj (“head; headhair”)