eight

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 .

Evolution

八 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
八 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
八 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
八 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
八 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

eight; all around, all sides; 8

Most common words with 八
Freq.
Word
Meaning

8

八卦

gossip

八月

August

乱七八糟

at sixes and sevens

王八

tortoise

Component uses

Meaning component in 2 characters (1 verified)

Sound component in 4 characters (2 verified)

Iconic component in 5 characters (5 verified)

Unknown component in 4 characters (1 verified)

Distinguishing component in 4 characters (4 verified)