九十九
kyūjūkyū
The English phrase ninety nine is expressed in Japanese as 九十九 (kyūjūkyū).
九十九 is used to represent the number that follows ninety-eight and precedes one hundred.
What does it mean word for word?
The number is composed of the characters for nine (九), ten (十) and nine (九).
How do you pronounce it?
kyūjūkyū
Did you know?
- In Japanese folklore, the number 九十九 is associated with tsukumogami, tools that have reached their 99th year of existence and have gained a soul.
- The number 九十九 is often used in Japanese names for shops or inns because it symbolizes 'almost' or 'just short of' a complete hundred, implying a sense of humility.
- In certain historical contexts, 九十九 was used to represent an 'indefinite large number' or 'nearly all' rather than a precise mathematical total.
Examples in context
- 九千九百九十九に一を足すと一万です。Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine plus one is ten thousand.This sentence is useful for demonstrating a mathematical calculation involving the form 九十九.Tatoeba #9589141 by small_snow, translation #6200425 by yulesan
- 九十九まであと一歩です。kyuujuukyuu made ato ippo desu.There is only one step left until ninety-nine.
- このテストは九十九点でした。kono tesuto wa kyuujuukyuuten deshita.I got ninety-nine on this test.
Example conversation
A boy and a girl are counting how many stickers they have collected.
- 陽葵 Himari今、九十九枚持っているよ。ima, kyuujuukyuu mai motte iru yo.I have ninety-nine stickers now.
- 陽太 Yotaあと一枚で百枚だね！ato ichimai de hyakumai dane!Just one more and you'll have a hundred!
- 陽葵 Himari陽太君も手伝ってくれる？Youta-kun mo tetsudatte kureru?Will you help me too, Youta?
- 陽太 Yotaもちろん、喜んで！mochiron, yorokonde!Of course, with pleasure!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
