Definitions
(numeral)
eight; 8
Etymology
Pictograph of two lines facing away from each other. The current meaning "eight" is a phonetic loan. The original meaning "separate" is now written as 別.
About
The character 八 originally functioned as an ideogram for dividing or parting, its two strokes visually bending away to suggest separation. Over time, it was phonetically borrowed to represent the number eight, which became its primary meaning. As this numerical sense overshadowed the original, the character 分 was later formed by adding the knife radical (刀) to 八 to explicitly denote cutting or dividing. Consequently, 八 now primarily serves as a numeral while remaining a structural semantic component in other characters related to separation.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我今年八岁了。
现在是八点钟。
八月是夏天。
这本书八块钱。
我们八点出发。
他买了八个苹果。
明天是八月八日。
这个房间有八平方米。