九
[kʲɨː]
kyuu is the Japanese word for the number nine.
kyuu is used to express the number nine.
Which one should you use?
While kyuu is the standard reading for the number nine, ku is a shorter alternative reading used in specific contexts like dates or certain counting sequences.
When do people say it?
The number nine is often considered unlucky in Japanese culture because the pronunciation ku can be associated with the word for suffering (苦).
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the number nine is so closely linked to 'suffering' that some hospitals and hotels omit the ninth floor or room number from their buildings entirely.
- Because kyuu is linked to 'suffering', some Japanese people avoid giving gifts in sets of nine to avoid wishing hardship upon the recipient.
- The character 九 has two distinct historical paths for pronunciation: the older 'goon' reading and the later 'kan'on' reading borrowed from Middle Chinese.
Examples in context
- 九番目の部屋はどこですか。kyuubanme no heya wa doko desu ka.Where is the ninth room?
Example conversation
A boy and a girl are discussing their schedule at a cafe.
- 陽太 Yota九時に出発する予定だよ。kuji ni shuppatsu suru yotei da yo.The plan is to depart at nine.
- 結衣 Yuiそれは少し早すぎるね。sore wa sukoshi hayasugiru ne.That is a little too early.
- 陽太 Yotaじゃあ、十時にはどうかな？jaa, juuji ni wa dou kana?Then, how about ten o'clock?
- 結衣 Yuiそれなら大丈夫だよ。sorenara daijoubu da yo.That would be fine.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 九, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 九, CC BY-SA 4.0.
