八つ
yatsu[ja̠t̚t͡sɨ]
The English phrase "eight things" is translated into Japanese as 八つ (yatsu).
八つ is used to refer to a group of eight items or objects. It serves as a native Japanese counter for counting general objects.
How does it change in a sentence?
八つ is a native Japanese counter specifically used for counting general objects.
How do you pronounce it?
yatsu
Did you know?
- The number eight appears in the phrase 八百万 (yaoyorozu), which literally means 'eight million' but is used to describe the infinite number of gods in Shinto.
- In Japanese, the number eight is often considered lucky and is sometimes used in place of other numbers or words to avoid bad luck. This is because the character 八 widens at the bottom, symbolizing prosperity and expanding wealth.
- The word 八つ is part of a native Japanese counting system known as the 'native Japanese numbers' (kun-yomi), which is distinct from the 'Sino-Japanese' number system used for most modern mathematical counting.
Examples in context
- リンゴを八つ買いました。Ringo o yattsu kaimashita.I bought eight apples.
- 卵が八つ残っています。Tamago ga yattsu nokotte imasu.There are eight eggs left.
- お菓子を八つ選んでください。Okashi o yattsu erande kudasai.Please choose eight sweets.
Example conversation
Daito and Yui are buying buns at a bakery.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣、いくつ買いますか？Yui, ikutsu kaimasu ka?Yui, how many will you buy?
- 結衣 Yui私は八つ買います。Watashi wa yatsu kaimasu.I will buy eight.
- 大翔 Hirotoそんなにたくさん食べるの？Sonna ni takusan taberu no?Are you going to eat that many?
- 結衣 Yui友達に分けてあげるよ。Tomodachi ni wakete ageru yo.I'll share them with my friends.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 八つ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
