九つ

Japanese JLPT N5 Vocabulary Japanese ★★★★ 4/5 neutral ここのつkokonotsu
Reading ここのつ
Romaji kokonotsu
Kanji breakdown 九 (kokono) — nine; つ is a native counter suffix
Pronunciation /ko.ko.no.tsɯ/

Meaning

Nine (things). The native Japanese counter for nine, used for general objects.

Part of the native Japanese counting system. Uses the ここの reading of 九, the longest of the native number words. The next number in the sequence is とお (ten), which does not use つ. After nine, the native counting system is rarely used for larger numbers in modern Japanese.

Examples

  1. 飴が九つあります。 There are nine candies.
  2. 九つの質問に答えてください。 Please answer nine questions.
  3. お皿が九つ必要です。 We need nine plates.

Usage Guide

Context: counting objects, daily life, formal enumeration

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From the native Japanese ここの (nine) plus the counter suffix つ. This is the longest word in the ひとつ–ここのつ series.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

一 One; 1. The most basic number in Japanese. 一つ One (thing). The native Japanese counter for one, used for general objects. 七 Seven; 7. A culturally significant number in Japan. 万 Ten thousand; 10,000. A fundamental large number unit unique to the Japanese counting system. 三 Three; 3. A number with cultural significance in Japan. 三つ Three (things). The native Japanese counter for three, used for general objects. 九 Nine; 9. The highest single digit, with two common readings. 二 Two; 2. A fundamental number used in counting and everyday contexts.
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