Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
九 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
九jiǔnineHSK 1, m, 2 strokes, radical 乙, rank #2040, Easy
九jiǔ9HSK 1, m, 2 strokes, radical 乙, rank #2040, Easy
jiǔ(jiu3) T3
  1. 1nine
  2. 29
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
九jiǔ(jiu3)

The character 九 (jiǔ) means 'nine' in Mandarin. It is a fundamental numeral used in everyday counting, mathematics, and various expressions, such as dates and quantities. Understanding this character is essential for developing basic numerical literacy in Chinese.

Strokes2Radical乙Frequency#2040DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the number nine is considered auspicious and is associated with longevity and eternity, often appearing in celebrations and traditions, such as the nine-dragon wall in ancient architecture.

Memory Tip

Imagine the shape of 九 as a person with their arms raised in celebration, representing the excitement of reaching the number nine. The pronunciation 'jiǔ' sounds like 'jew', so picture a jeweler with nine exquisite gems, highlighting the importance of this number.

Meanings of 九

jiǔ(jiu3)
1nine
29
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 九

九Simplified
2Strokes
乙Radical
数词shùcínumeral (num.)Part of Speech
#2040Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L1HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 九

JasonAmy

Podcast: 九

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 九

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine the shape of 九 as a person with their arms raised in celebration, representing the excitement of reaching the number nine. The pronunciation 'jiǔ' sounds like 'jew', so picture a jeweler with nine exquisite gems, highlighting the importance of this number.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 九 with the similar-sounding character '久' (jiǔ), which means 'long time'. In informal settings, it’s often used with other numerals to indicate quantities, such as '九个' (nine items). Pay attention to the third tone when pronouncing it.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 1 character, 九 is foundational for learners. It connects to other numbers, making it crucial for mastering counting and basic arithmetic. Focus on practicing its pronunciation and use in simple sentences.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the number nine is considered auspicious and is associated with longevity and eternity, often appearing in celebrations and traditions, such as the nine-dragon wall in ancient architecture.

Common Mistakes

Some learners mistakenly write 九 as '久' (which means 'long time') due to the similarity in pronunciation. Always remember that 九 is specifically for the number nine.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 九

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 九 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 九

Formation TypePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation

Origin unclear. There are varied explanations of what 九 is meant to represent, including a hook, an elbow, and a hand reaching out to grab something.

Memory Hint

An elbow

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 九?

Decomposition of 九

IDS Structure⿻丿乙
九Full Character
=
丿pie3
outer
乙yi3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 九?

Write 九

九

Practice writing 九 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 九

九 functions as a number. It almost always combines with a measure word before a noun (三个人, 五本书). Standalone numbers are rare outside of math or counting. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

____块三毛。

9.30 yuan.

Example Sentences for 九 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我天真地以为这是份朝九晚五的工作。

wǒ tiān zhēn dì yǐ wéi zhè shì fèn zhāo jiǔ wǎn wǔ de gōng zuò。

I thought, naively, that this would be a nine-to-five job.
2
他工作极为投入，会从早上七点一刻一直干到晚上九十点。

tā gōng zuò jí wéi tóu rù， ， huì cóng zǎo shàng qī diǎn yī kè yī zhí gān dào wǎn shàng jiǔ shí。

He works obsessively from 15 am to 9 or 10 at night.
3
他被她迷得神魂颠倒，连孩子都抛到了九霄云外。

tā bèi tā mí dé shén hún diān dǎo， ， lián hái zǐ dū pāo dào le jiǔ xiāo yún。

He became so besotted with her that even his children were forgotten.
4
虽已年届九旬，她依然头脑敏锐，个性很强。

suī yǐ nián jiè jiǔ xún， ， tā yī rán tóu nǎo mǐn， ruì ， gè xìng。

Into her nineties, her thinking remained acute and her character forceful.
5
九点过十九分.

jiǔ diǎn guò shí jiǔ fēn.

It's nineteen past nine.
6
现在是九点差五分.

xiàn zài shì jiǔ diǎn chà wǔ fēn.

It is now 9 points less than five minutes.
7
请最晚在九点之前到这里.

qǐng zuì wǎn zài jiǔ diǎn zhī qián dào zhè lǐ.

Please be here by eight o'clock at the latest.
8
一九七四年是这公司成立二百周年.

yī jiǔ qī sì nián shì zhè gōng sī chéng lì èr bǎi zhōu nián.

The company's bicentenary was in
9
作为一部小说，《一九八四》很难被列为杰作。

zuò wéi yī bù xiǎo shuō，《 ，《 yī jiǔ bā》 sì 》 hěn nán bèi liè wéi。

As a novel, Nineteen Eighty-four hardly ranks with the greats.
10
他在一九八四年被任命为牧师.

tā zài yī jiǔ bā sì nián bèi rèn mìng wéi mù shī.

He was ordained in

Cultural Notes for 九

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the number nine is considered auspicious and is associated with longevity and eternity, often appearing in celebrations and traditions, such as the nine-dragon wall in ancient architecture.

Word Family of 九

Compounds32
杂za2variant of 雜
究jiu1after all
仇chou2surname Qiu
轨gui3course
丸wan2ball
旭xu4the rising sun; brilliant, radiant
尻kao1end of spine; buttocks, sacrum
鸠jiu1pigeon; to collect, to assemble
旯la2corner, nook, recess
旮ga1corner, nook, recess
卆
厹qiu2spear; the name of a tribe
宄gui3traitor; villain
氿gui3spring
犰qiu2armadillo
虓
頄
馗kui2cheekbone; path, road, intersection
鼽qiu2sclogged nose
亴
勼
叴
扏
朹
肍
艽jiao1large-leaf gentian
訄
訅
軌gui3track, rut, path
釚
骩
鳩jiu1pigeon; to collect, to assemble
Words Containing This Character20
九jiǔ9
九月September
马英九Ma Ying-jeou (1950-), Taiwanese Kuomintang politician, Mayor of Taipei 1998-2006, president of Republic of China 2008-2016馬英九
九江also Jiujiang county
九龙Kowloon district of Hong Kong九龍
九州fig. ancient China
九成nine-tenths
九寨沟Jiuzhaigou Valley, Sichuan九寨溝
九月份September
十有八九most likely
一言九鼎one word worth nine sacred tripods (idiom); words of enormous weight
十九19
九江市Jiujiang prefecture-level city in Jiangxi
九二共识1992 Consensus, statement issued after 1992 talks between PRC and Taiwan representatives, asserting that there is only one China九二共識
九华山Mt Jiuhua in Anhui, one of the Four Sacred Mountains and Bodhimanda of Kṣitigarbha 地藏九華山
九十ninety
九三学社Jiusan Society, one of the eight political parties of the CPC九三學社
十之八九most likely
九霄云外unimaginably far away九霄雲外
九龙坡区Jiulongpo district of central Chongqing municipality, formerly in Sichuan九龍坡區
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 杂 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 九

It's pronounced as 'jiǔ', with the third tone, which sounds like a rising tone.