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第九 (dì jiǔ) — (ordinal) ninth

Definition

numeral
(ordinal) ninth

Examples

  • 第九。
    Zhè shì dì jiǔ gè wèn tí.
    This is the ninth question.
  • 第九。
    Tā zhù zài dì jiǔ céng.
    He lives on the ninth floor.
  • 第九。
    dì jiǔ Kè de nèi róng hěn nán.
    The content of Lesson 9 is very difficult.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

第dìordinal marker
九jiǔnine

第 before 九 marks the position after eight, giving the ordinal ninth.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
弟
弟dì第dì
Same sound today

第 shows 𥫗, the bamboo strips once used for writing and sorting, with 弟 giving the sound.

Open 第 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape comes from a stylized hand bent at the wrist, with the lower-right hook showing the bend. Later, it was taken to show a tightened fist bumping up to ten, giving the number nine.

Open 九 →
Appears in
Numbers & Counting

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