はち
You're learning Japanese, and knowing your numbers is key. Today, we're looking at はち (hachi), which means 'eight'. It's a common number you'll hear everywhere.
§ Basic use of はち
はち is straightforward. Use it just like you would 'eight' in English for counting or stating quantities. There aren't many tricky exceptions for this basic number.
- Japanese Reading
- はち (hachi)
- Meaning
- Eight
りんごがはちつあります。
Translation hint: There are eight apples.
§ はち in daily life: When you'll hear it
You'll hear はち in many common situations. It's a fundamental number, so it pops up in conversations about time, dates, prices, and more.
- Counting things: Whether it's eight books, eight people, or eight minutes, はち is used for basic enumeration.
- Time: For 'eight o'clock' (はちじ - hachi-ji) or 'eight minutes' (はっぷん - happun, note the sound change!), you'll use はち.
- Money/Prices: If something costs 800 yen (はっぴゃくえん - happyaku-en) or 8,000 yen (はっせんえん - hassen-en), はち is part of the number.
- Dates: The eighth day of the month is ようか (yōka), which is an irregular reading, but you'll still hear はち in dates like August (はちがつ - hachi-gatsu).
- Phone numbers: Japanese phone numbers frequently include はち.
§ Examples you'll encounter at work and school
In a work or school setting, はち will be used for scheduling, reporting, and general communication.
会議ははち時に始まります。
Translation hint: The meeting starts at eight o'clock.
レポートははちページです。
Translation hint: The report is eight pages long.
このプロジェクトにははち人のメンバーがいます。
Translation hint: There are eight members on this project.
§ はち in the news and public announcements
When you read or listen to the news in Japanese, you'll frequently hear numbers, and はち is no exception. This could be in reports about casualties, statistics, or event times.
地震によりはち人が負傷しました。
Translation hint: Eight people were injured due to the earthquake.
今日の株価ははち円上がりました。
Translation hint: Today's stock price went up by eight yen.
午前はち時に開園します。
Translation hint: The park opens at eight AM.
ज़रूरी व्याकरण
Counters: When counting objects, 'はち' combines with various counter words. For example, 'はちほん' (hachi hon) for long, cylindrical objects like pens or bottles.
ペンが はちほん あります. (There are eight pens.)
Time: 'はちじ' (hachi ji) means eight o'clock. This is a straightforward combination of the numeral and the counter for hours.
いま はちじです. (It's eight o'clock now.)
Age: 'はちさい' (hachi sai) means eight years old. Similar to time, 'さい' is the counter for age.
わたしは はちさいです. (I am eight years old.)
Days of the month: 'ようか' (yōka) is the special reading for the eighth day of the month. Note that this is an irregular reading.
きょうは ようかです. (Today is the eighth.)
General counting: When just stating the number 'eight' without a specific counter, 'はち' is used directly.
はち りんご. (Eight apples - though usually a counter would be used for this.)
स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण
これははちこです。
This is eight (small, round objects).
こ (ko) is a counter for small, round objects.
わたしははちじかんねます。
I sleep for eight hours.
じかん (jikan) means 'hours'.
はちがつはなつです。
August is summer.
がつ (gatsu) means 'month'. はちがつ (hachigatsu) means 'August'.
このみせははちじにあきます。
This shop opens at eight o'clock.
じ (ji) means 'o'clock'. あきます (akimasu) means 'opens'.
かれにははちにんのきょうだいがいます。
He has eight siblings.
にん (nin) is a counter for people. きょうだい (kyoudai) means 'siblings'.
このさかなははちびきいます。
There are eight fish (here).
ひき (hiki) is a counter for small animals and fish.
はちまんえんかかります。
It costs eight hundred thousand yen.
まん (man) means 'ten thousand'. えん (en) means 'yen'.
はちかいにおへやがあります。
There is a room on the eighth floor.
かい (kai) is a counter for floors.
昨日、友達と八時に待ち合わせをしました。
Yesterday, I met up with my friend at eight o'clock.
八時 (hachi-ji) means 'eight o'clock'. 時 (ji) is a counter for hours.
このクラスには八人の生徒がいます。
There are eight students in this class.
八人 (hachi-nin) means 'eight people'. 人 (nin) is a counter for people.
私たちは八日間、旅行に行きました。
We went on a trip for eight days.
八日間 (hachi-nichikan) means 'eight days'. 日間 (nichikan) is a counter for days.
彼女は毎日八時間働いています。
She works eight hours every day.
八時間 (hachi-jikan) means 'eight hours'. 時間 (jikan) is a counter for hours.
八月は私の誕生日です。
August is my birthday.
八月 (hachi-gatsu) means 'August'. 月 (gatsu) is a counter for months.
この箱には八個のりんごが入っています。
This box contains eight apples.
八個 (hakko) means 'eight pieces/items'. 個 (ko) is a general counter for small, round objects.
彼は八階に住んでいます。
He lives on the eighth floor.
八階 (hakkai) means 'eighth floor'. 階 (kai) is a counter for floors.
八つの選択肢の中から一つを選んでください。
Please choose one from the eight options.
八つ (yattsu) is a general counter for eight items.
सामान्य शब्द संयोजन
सामान्य वाक्यांश
八時に会いましょう。
Let's meet at eight o'clock.
八階にあります。
It's on the eighth floor.
これ八つください。
Please give me eight of these.
八時まで開いています。
It's open until eight o'clock.
八人で食べました。
Eight people ate it.
八ページを開いてください。
Please open to page eight.
八時間働きます。
I work for eight hours.
八匹の犬がいます。
There are eight dogs.
八時に起きます。
I wake up at eight o'clock.
八個のりんごがあります。
There are eight apples.
अक्सर इससे भ्रम होता है
Both 'nana' and 'shichi' mean seven. It's easy to mix up the sounds of 'hachi' and 'shichi' if you're not listening carefully.
The sound of 'roku' (six) can sometimes be confused with 'hachi' if the speaker isn't enunciating clearly, especially in fast speech.
While less common, some beginners might briefly confuse 'ni' (two) with 'hachi' due to the short vowel sound, but context usually makes it clear.
आसानी से भ्रमित होने वाले
This is a common way to count eight general items, often used for things like fruit or small objects. It's part of the traditional Japanese counting system that uses 'tsu' suffixes.
Used for counting discrete items when no specific counter is needed.
りんごを八つください. (Ringo o yattsu kudasai.) - Please give me eight apples.
This is used specifically for the eighth day of the month or a period of eight days. The pronunciation changes and it uses a different kanji for 'day'.
Refers to a date or duration of days.
八日に東京へ行きます. (Yōka ni Tōkyō e ikimasu.) - I will go to Tokyo on the eighth day (of the month).
This uses the counter 'hon' (本) for long, cylindrical objects like pens, bottles, or trees. The pronunciation of 'hachi' changes to 'ha-' before 'pon'.
Used for counting specific types of objects (long, cylindrical).
ペンが八本あります. (Pen ga happon arimasu.) - There are eight pens.
This uses the counter 'sai' (歳) for age. Similar to 'happon', the pronunciation of 'hachi' changes to 'ha-' before 'sai'.
Used for stating age.
彼は八歳です. (Kare wa hassai desu.) - He is eight years old.
This uses the counter 'nin' (人) for people. The pronunciation of 'hachi' remains 'hachi' before 'nin'.
Used for counting people.
八人の学生がいます. (Hachinin no gakusei ga imasu.) - There are eight students.
इसे कैसे इस्तेमाल करें
When counting, you can use はち (hachi) as a standalone number. For example, if someone asks how many apples you have, you can simply say はち. It can also be combined with counters to specify what you are counting, like はちこ (hachi-ko) for eight small items or はちびき (hachi-biki) for eight small animals.
A common mistake is confusing はち (hachi) with ろく (roku), which means six. While they both have similar sounds, remember that はち starts with an 'h' sound and ろく starts with an 'r' sound. Another common mistake for beginners is to always use はち when counting people. For eight people, you would typically use はちにん (hachi-nin), not just はち.
सुझाव
Practice pronunciation: 'hachi'
The 'ha' in はち is pronounced like the 'ha' in 'hat'. The 'chi' sounds like the 'chee' in 'cheese'. Practice saying it clearly.
Counting to 10 in Japanese
Memorize the numbers from 1 to 10. はち (hachi) is eight. Knowing these will be fundamental for counting anything.
Associate with common objects
Think of eight common objects. For example, 'hachi' apples or 'hachi' cars. This visual association helps with recall.
Be careful with similar sounds
Don't confuse はち (hachi - eight) with はし (hashi - chopsticks or bridge). Pay attention to the subtle differences in pronunciation.
Lucky number 8 in Japan
The number eight is often considered a lucky number in Japan because the kanji 八 (hachi) widens at the bottom, symbolizing prosperity and growth.
Use flashcards for numbers
Create flashcards with the numeral 8 on one side and はち on the other. Include a picture of eight items.
Practice counting out loud
Count eight things around you in Japanese. For example, 'ichi, ni, san, yon, go, roku, nana, hachi' when counting pencils.
Combine with counters later
Once you know basic numbers, you'll learn how to combine them with Japanese counters (e.g., 'hachi-ko' for eight small items). Focus on the basic number first.
Write it out
Practice writing the hiragana characters は and ち. Repetitive writing helps with memorization and recognition of the sounds.
Listen to Japanese audio
Listen for the word はち in Japanese songs, dramas, or counting exercises. Hearing it in context will reinforce your understanding of eight.
खुद को परखो 42 सवाल
Choose the correct way to say 'eight years old' in Japanese.
When counting age, '歳' (sai) combines with 'はち' (hachi) to become 'はっさい' (hassai), with a small 'つ' sound for pronunciation ease.
Which of the following means 'eight o'clock'?
'時' (ji) is the counter for hours, so 'はちじ' means eight o'clock.
If you want to say 'eight apples', which option is correct?
The counter for small, round objects is '個' (ko), and it typically follows the number and precedes the noun or is placed after the noun like in this case, e.g. 'りんごが八個あります' (ringo ga hakko arimasu - There are eight apples).
The Japanese word 'はち' (hachi) only refers to the number eight.
'はち' (hachi) can also mean a bee, a bowl, or a pot depending on the kanji used (蜂 for bee, 鉢 for bowl/pot).
To say 'eight minutes' in Japanese, you would say 'はちぷん' (happun).
When counting minutes, '分' (fun/pun) combines with 'はち' (hachi) to become 'はっぷん' (happun), with a small 'つ' sound.
The number eight is considered unlucky in Japanese culture.
In fact, the kanji for eight, 八, is considered a lucky number in Japanese culture because its shape widens towards the bottom, symbolizing prosperity and growth.
This sentence means 'I wake up at eight o'clock.' The particles 'は' (wa) marks the topic, 'に' (ni) indicates time, and 'ます' (masu) makes the verb polite.
This sentence means 'There are eight apples.' '八つ' (yattsu) is a common way to count eight general items, and 'が' (ga) marks the subject, while 'あります' (arimasu) means 'there is/are' for inanimate objects.
This sentence means 'August is my birthday.' '八月' (hachigatsu) means August, 'は' (wa) marks the topic, '私の' (watashi no) means 'my', and '誕生日です' (tanjoubi desu) means 'is birthday'.
Choose the correct kanji for 'eight'.
八 is the kanji for 'eight'. 七 is seven, 九 is nine, and 十 is ten.
How do you say 'eight o'clock' in Japanese?
To say 'o'clock' in Japanese, you add 時 (じ) to the number. So, eight (はち) plus o'clock (じ) becomes はちじ.
Which of these means 'eight days'?
ようか (八日) means 'eight days' or the 'eighth day of the month'. いつつか is five days, むいか is six days, and なのか is seven days.
The Japanese word for 'eight' is always pronounced 'hachi', regardless of context.
While 'hachi' (はち) is the basic pronunciation, it can change depending on what it's attached to. For example, 'eight days' is 'youka' (ようか) and 'eight o'clock' is 'hachiji' (はちじ).
In Japanese, the number 'eight' is considered unlucky.
Actually, the number 'eight' (八) is often considered lucky in Japanese culture because of its kanji shape, which widens at the bottom, suggesting prosperity or growth.
You can use 'hachi' (はち) to refer to the eighth floor of a building.
Yes, you would say はっかい (hakkai) for the eighth floor. The 'hachi' pronunciation changes due to euphony when combined with 'kai' (floor).
The number of family members.
A meeting time.
A month.
Read this aloud:
八つのりんごがあります。
Focus: はち
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
私の誕生日は八月です。
Focus: はちがつ
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
駅まで八分です。
Focus: はっぷん
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'I leave home at eight o'clock.' The particles 'は' (wa), 'に' (ni), and 'を' (o) mark the subject, time, and direct object, respectively.
This sentence means 'They have eight apples.' '八つ' (yattsu) is the general counter for eight items, and 'を' (o) marks the direct object.
This sentence means 'The elevator stopped on the eighth floor.' 'に' (ni) indicates location, and 'が' (ga) marks the subject.
This sentence means 'The meeting starts at 8 PM.' The correct order is 'Subject + Time + Verb'.
This sentence means 'He has eight books.' The correct order is 'Subject + Quantity + Object + Verb'.
This sentence means 'Our office is on the eighth floor.' The correct order is 'Location + Subject + Verb'.
This sentence means 'Economic trends are complex.' The particles の and は indicate possession and topic respectively.
This sentence means 'His remarks are prone to misunderstanding.' The particle の indicates possession, は indicates topic, and を marks the direct object.
This sentence means 'That plan is difficult to realize.' は indicates the topic, and が marks the subject of the adjective 難しい (difficult).
/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Practice pronunciation: 'hachi'
The 'ha' in はち is pronounced like the 'ha' in 'hat'. The 'chi' sounds like the 'chee' in 'cheese'. Practice saying it clearly.
Counting to 10 in Japanese
Memorize the numbers from 1 to 10. はち (hachi) is eight. Knowing these will be fundamental for counting anything.
Associate with common objects
Think of eight common objects. For example, 'hachi' apples or 'hachi' cars. This visual association helps with recall.
Be careful with similar sounds
Don't confuse はち (hachi - eight) with はし (hashi - chopsticks or bridge). Pay attention to the subtle differences in pronunciation.
उदाहरण
はち月に旅行に行きます。
संबंधित सामग्री
यह शब्द अन्य भाषाओं में
general के और शब्द
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2A little; a moment; a bit. Small amount or short time.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2A little while ago; a short time past.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2About, concerning; indicates topic.
〜について
B1About, concerning; on the subject of.
～ぐらい
A2about, approximately
ぐらい
A2About; approximately; to the extent of.
