Meet 九 in words about the number nine. The examples connect each reading to a useful everyday context.

The idea

九 has 2 strokes; follow their order in the linked diagram. Read 九時（くじ） and 九月（くがつ） as complete words, because a character’s pronunciation depends on the word.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
九時くじThe shop opens at nine.
九月くがつI will go to Japan in September.
九つここのつI bought nine apples.
九日ここのかToday is the ninth of the month.
九人きゅうにんThere are nine students.
九百円きゅうひゃくえんThis book costs nine hundred yen.

Examples

  • 店みせは九時くじに開あきます。The shop opens at nine.
  • 九月くがつに日本にほんへ行いきます。I will go to Japan in September.
  • りんごを九ここのつ買かいました。I bought nine apples.
  • 今日きょうは九日ここのかです。Today is the ninth of the month.
  • 九人きゅうにんの学生がくせいがいます。There are nine students.
  • この本ほんは九百円きゅうひゃくえんです。This book costs nine hundred yen.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

九時 is くじ and 九月 is くがつ, while the date 九日 is ここのか. Nine general objects are 九つ（ここのつ）. Compare the shape of 九 with 丸.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 九時 in hiragana. 「店みせは九時に開あきます。」

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    くじ

    九時 is read くじ. In the example: The shop opens at nine. Here it means “nine o’clock”.

  2. Write the reading of 九月 in hiragana. 「九月に日本にほんへ行いきます。」

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    くがつ

    九月 is read くがつ. In the example: I will go to Japan in September. Here it means “September”.

  3. Write the missing kanji: ＿時［九／丸］（くじ）.

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    九

    九 completes 九時, read くじ. In the example: The shop opens at nine. Here it means “nine o’clock”.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 九 from memory and read 九時 and 九月 aloud. Then check the readings against the examples.