九
usually supplies the sound (jiū · Character component
usually supplies the sound (jiū, qiú, guǐ, kāo and the like) rather than a meaning, though it also writes the number nine
The old graph for 九 seems to show a bent arm with the hand curling back — an elbow, all hook and angle. You can still see that in the modern shape: one short stroke crossing a long stroke that bends sharply and hooks up at the end, like a limb doubled back on itself. How that picture came to write the number nine is unclear, and in compound characters 九 has mostly stopped meaning anything at all: in 究, 轨, 仇, 鸠 and 尻 it is there for the sound, sitting under a roof, beside a cart, a person, a bird, or a body.
九 at a glance
- Meaning
- usually supplies the sound (jiū
- Strokes
- 2
- Characters
- 20
- Role
- Contributes sound
Characters with 九 (18 of 20)
HSK 4 · 2
HSK 6 · 4
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 九 mean?
九 means "usually supplies the sound (jiū". In the characters that contain it, it contributes sound.
How many Chinese characters contain 九?
20 characters in this dictionary contain 九, including ones at HSK 4, HSK 6.
How many strokes does 九 have?
九 is written in 2 strokes.