八 means “eight”

はち · hachi

Also: eight radical (no. 12)

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

や, やつ, やっつ, よう

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ハチ, ハツ

JLPT N5 · Taught in grade 1 · 2 strokes

The story

Eight directions of the compass, eight petals of the sacred lotus: infinity spreading outward.

The widening shape of 八 symbolizes expanding fortune in Japanese culture

Its parts

• 八 Eight · Entire character

Two strokes dividing apart: eight

Kanji that look like 八

• 入 (enter): 八 opens outward (spreading apart), 入 closes inward (coming together)
• 人 (person): 人 has strokes meeting at the top, 八 has strokes spreading from top

More from Ancient Counting

• 九 nine
• 十 ten
• 百 hundred
• 千 thousand
• 万 ten thousand
• 半 half
• 零 zero
• 数 number
• 一番 first
• 年 year
• 分 minute
• 多 many

Learn 八 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.