九九 (jiǔ jiǔ) — the ninth nine-day period after the Winter Solstice (marking the end of winter); multiplication table (short for 九九乘法表)

Definition

A traditional term from Chinese folk calendar: the ninth of the nine 'nine-day' periods (数九) after the Winter Solstice, marking the end of winter. Also short for 九九乘法表, the multiplication table learned in primary school.

noun
the ninth nine-day period after the Winter Solstice (marking the end of winter)multiplication table (short for 九九乘法表)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 九九，。
    jiǔ jiǔ Guò hòu, tiān qì jiù màn màn biàn nuǎn le.
    After the ninth nine-day period, the weather gradually gets warmer.
  • 九九。
    Xiǎo xué shēng dōu yào bèi jiǔ jiǔ.
    Primary school students all have to memorize the multiplication table.
  • ：九九，。
    Lǎo huà shuō: jiǔ jiǔ hán jìn, chūn shǐ lái.
    An old saying goes: after the ninth nine-day period the cold ends, and spring begins.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

九jiǔnine
九jiǔnine

“九” repeated expresses nine times nine, giving the multiplication table or the ninth nine-day period.

Characters in this word

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 →

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 →

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