eight

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 八 represents the number eight; its representative reading is はち.
• Basic usage: 八つ(やっつ) counts eight items. In the example about opening a textbook, 八ページ gives page eight as a page number rather than a quantity of pages.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Date and duration
  • 八日 is read ようか. 来月の八日 refers to the eighth of next month, while 旅に出てから八日 describes eight days since leaving on a trip.