Japanese symbol for “nine”
九
きゅう
Romaji: kyuu
nine; 9
In Japanese, nine is 九, read きゅう (kyuu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- num nine; 9
Written forms: 九、９、玖. Readings: きゅう、く、ここの、この.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “nine”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 九つ | ここのつ kokonotsu | nine |
| ナイン | ナイン nain | nine |
| かぶ | かぶ kabu | nine (in mekuri karuta) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 九州 | きゅうしゅう kyuushuu | Kyūshū (southernmost of the four main islands of Japan) |
| 九つ | ここのつ kokonotsu | nine |
| 北九州 | きたきゅうしゅう kitakyuushuu | Kitakyushu (city) |
| 九重 | ここのえ kokonoe | ninefold |
| 九死 | きゅうし kyuushi | narrowly averting death |
| 九分 | くぶ kubu | nine parts; ninety percent; mostly |
See also: Chinese symbol for “nine”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.