十中八九
十中八九（じっちゅうはっく // most likely; in all probability）
This is a very common 四字熟語 (よじじゅくご // 4-character compound word) used when indicating that something is highly likely.
When we look at a kanji-by-kanji breakdown, we can see that it means something like "(8 or) 9 out of 10 times":
十 (ten)
中 (in)
八 (eight)
九 (nine)
Makes sense, yeah? I love it when that happens.
Here's an example:
明日は十中八九雪だろう。
あした は じっちゅうはっく ゆき だろう。
It’s most likely gonna snow tomorrow. // Chances are, it’ll snow tomorrow.
Literally: “tomorrow + は + most likely / in all probability + snow + だろう.”
Note: The nuance is that the speaker is talking/thinking this to himself/herself.
And another one:
犯人はあの男で十中八九間違いない。
はんにん は あの おとこ で じっちゅうはっく まちがい ない。
That man is almost certainly the criminal. // That man is almost certainly the one who did it.
Literally: “criminal + は + that + man + で + most likely / in all probability + I’m sure of it / certainly is the case (=mistake + there is not).”
Although the pronunciation of 十中八九 is technically じっちゅうはっく, it is not uncommon to hear Japanese people (incorrectly) pronouncing it as じゅっちゅうはっく.
This "mistake" is so common that I'm hesitant to even call it incorrect.
Just to be safe, I recommend saying じっちゅうはっく and not じゅっちゅうはっく.
Anyway, let's look at each of the kanji...
Meaning of 十：ten
Heisig Keyword: ten
十円玉ある？
じゅうえんだま ある？
Do you have a 10-yen coin?
Literally: “10-yen coin + have / there is?”
Meaning of 中：inside, middle, center, in
Heisig Keyword: in
今日中に終わらせてね。
きょう じゅう に おわらせて ね。
Finish it today, OK?
Literally: “by the end of today + に + finish (it) (and) + ね.”
(Try imagining an 8 A.M. fog.)
Meaning of 八：eight, (no. 8)
Heisig Keyword: eight
寝室は八畳です。
しんしつ は はちじょう です。
The bedroom is eight jō.
Literally: “bedroom + は + eight jō + です.”
Note: Jō is a unit of measurement used in homes. Specifically, one jō is the size of one tatami mat.
(Try imagining autumn leaves in the 9th month of the year.)
Meaning of 九：nine
Heisig Keyword: nine
卵を九分茹でた。
たまご を きゅうふん ゆでた。
I boiled the egg for nine minutes.
Literally: “egg + を + nine minutes + boiled.”
Once more, here are our example sentences with 十中八九：
明日は十中八九雪だろう。
あした は じっちゅうはっく ゆき だろう。
It’s most likely gonna snow tomorrow. // Chances are, it’ll snow tomorrow.
Literally: “tomorrow + は + most likely / in all probability + snow + だろう.”
Note: The nuance is that the speaker is talking/thinking this to himself/herself.
犯人はあの男で十中八九間違いない。
はんにん は あの おとこ で じっちゅうはっく まちがい ない。
That man is almost certainly the criminal. // That man is almost certainly the one who did it.
Literally: “criminal + は + that + man + で + most likely / in all probability + I’m sure of it / certainly is the case (=mistake + there is not).”
Finished!
This is a very common 四字熟語 (よじじゅくご // 4-character compound word) used when indicating that something is highly likely.
When we look at a kanji-by-kanji breakdown, we can see that it means something like "(8 or) 9 out of 10 times":
十 (ten)
中 (in)
八 (eight)
九 (nine)
Makes sense, yeah? I love it when that happens.
Here's an example:
明日は十中八九雪だろう。
あした は じっちゅうはっく ゆき だろう。
It’s most likely gonna snow tomorrow. // Chances are, it’ll snow tomorrow.
Literally: “tomorrow + は + most likely / in all probability + snow + だろう.”
Note: The nuance is that the speaker is talking/thinking this to himself/herself.
And another one:
犯人はあの男で十中八九間違いない。
はんにん は あの おとこ で じっちゅうはっく まちがい ない。
That man is almost certainly the criminal. // That man is almost certainly the one who did it.
Literally: “criminal + は + that + man + で + most likely / in all probability + I’m sure of it / certainly is the case (=mistake + there is not).”
Although the pronunciation of 十中八九 is technically じっちゅうはっく, it is not uncommon to hear Japanese people (incorrectly) pronouncing it as じゅっちゅうはっく.
This "mistake" is so common that I'm hesitant to even call it incorrect.
Just to be safe, I recommend saying じっちゅうはっく and not じゅっちゅうはっく.
Anyway, let's look at each of the kanji...
Meaning of 十：ten
Heisig Keyword: ten
十円玉ある？
じゅうえんだま ある？
Do you have a 10-yen coin?
Literally: “10-yen coin + have / there is?”
Meaning of 中：inside, middle, center, in
Heisig Keyword: in
今日中に終わらせてね。
きょう じゅう に おわらせて ね。
Finish it today, OK?
Literally: “by the end of today + に + finish (it) (and) + ね.”
(Try imagining an 8 A.M. fog.)
Meaning of 八：eight, (no. 8)
Heisig Keyword: eight
寝室は八畳です。
しんしつ は はちじょう です。
The bedroom is eight jō.
Literally: “bedroom + は + eight jō + です.”
Note: Jō is a unit of measurement used in homes. Specifically, one jō is the size of one tatami mat.
(Try imagining autumn leaves in the 9th month of the year.)
Meaning of 九：nine
Heisig Keyword: nine
卵を九分茹でた。
たまご を きゅうふん ゆでた。
I boiled the egg for nine minutes.
Literally: “egg + を + nine minutes + boiled.”
Once more, here are our example sentences with 十中八九：
明日は十中八九雪だろう。
あした は じっちゅうはっく ゆき だろう。
It’s most likely gonna snow tomorrow. // Chances are, it’ll snow tomorrow.
Literally: “tomorrow + は + most likely / in all probability + snow + だろう.”
Note: The nuance is that the speaker is talking/thinking this to himself/herself.
犯人はあの男で十中八九間違いない。
はんにん は あの おとこ で じっちゅうはっく まちがい ない。
That man is almost certainly the criminal. // That man is almost certainly the one who did it.
Literally: “criminal + は + that + man + で + most likely / in all probability + I’m sure of it / certainly is the case (=mistake + there is not).”
Finished!
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