Chinese Character: 九
1. Character Basics
Radical: 九/jiǔ (it's its own radical)
Stroke Count: 2
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jiǔ (third tone)
3. Meaning
nine
4. Common Words
- 九个 (jiǔ gè) - nine
- 九月 (jiǔ yuè) - September
- 九十 (jiǔ shí) - ninety
- 九岁 (jiǔ suì) - nine years old
- 九州 (jiǔ zhōu) - ancient name for China
- 九霄 (jiǔ xiāo) - the highest heavens
5. Grammar & Usage
As a numeral: 九 is used to count things, e.g., 九本书 (nine books)
In dates: 九月五日 (September 5th)
In idioms and proverbs: 九牛一毛 (a drop in the bucket)
In time expressions: 九点 (nine o'clock)
6. Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, 九 is considered a lucky number as it sounds similar to the word for "long-lasting" (久)
It's often associated with the emperor in traditional Chinese culture
The number 99 is especially auspicious for weddings as it symbolizes everlasting love
The Forbidden City has 9,999 rooms, considered the most yang number
In Daoist philosophy, 九 represents the ultimate yang number
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 他有九本书。
Pinyin: Tā yǒu jiǔ běn shū.
Translation: He has nine books.
8. Memory Tips
The character 九 has only 2 strokes
Think of it as a person bending over with one arm raised
It looks like the number 9 in some handwritten styles
The shape resembles a hook, which can help you remember its pronunciation "jiǔ"