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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "nine" in Japanese?
九
kyū
In Japanese, "nine" is 九 (kyū).
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Pronunciation
九 is written using kanji. Romanised as kyū, it sounds roughly like "kyoo" to an English ear.
Writing and usage
九 resembles a hook or the digit 9, with a distinctive curve. It completes the single-digit numerals with a memorable shape.
Example sentence
テーブルの上に九個のりんごがあります。
Teburu no ue ni kyū ko no ringo ga arimasu.
There are nine apple(s) on the table.
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How to remember 九
The kanji 九 curves like the numeral 9.
Related words
- sleet みぞれ mizore
- seven 七 nana
- thirty-one 三十一 sanjūichi
- thirty-seven 三十七 sanjūnana
- fast 速い hayai
- thirty-three 三十三 sanjūsan
- twenty-five 二十五 nijūgo
- ugly 醜い minikui
- zero ゼロ zero
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 九
How do you pronounce 九?
九 is romanised as kyū. Say it roughly like "kyoo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.
Is 九 formal or casual?
九 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 九 written in Japanese?
九 is written using kanji. 九 resembles a hook or the digit 9, with a distinctive curve.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
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"Nine" in other languages
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