九 is the character for “nine”. It is made out of 2 strokes.
| Chinese Character | Simplified Version | Bopomofo | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 九 | 九 | ㄐㄧㄡˇ | jiǔ |
Definition
9; nine
Historical Origins
The Chinese character 九 originated as a pictogram depicting a stylized hand or forearm with a bent wrist, symbolizing an elbow. Its earlier forms resembled characters like 手 (shǒu, “hand”) and 寸 (cùn, “inch”). Initially, 九 meant “elbow,” a meaning now conveyed by 肘 (zhǒu). Over time, this original meaning faded, and 九 came to represent the number nine. The metaphor of a fist tightening or “bumping up” against ten reflects the character’s symbolic progression within the numeric system.
Vocabulary with the Character 九
| Chinese | Bopomofo | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 九月 | ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄩㄝˋ | jiǔ yuè | September |
| 九死一生 | ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄙˇ ㄧ ㄕㄥ | jiǔ sǐ yī shēng | A narrow escape; life-threatening situation |
| 九牛一毛 | ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄧ ㄇㄠˊ | jiǔ niú yī máo | A drop in the ocean (insignificant amount) |
| 九霄 | ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄒㄧㄠˋ | jiǔ xiāo | Nine skies (a high place, lofty) |
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