Chanukah Menorah: 9 (or 8) Candles
A Chanukah menorah (also known as a chanukiah) has nine candles: eight candles in a row, and one helper candle, known as a shamash, which is set apart from the others.
Every night of Chanukah, we kindle an additional light. So on the first night, you light the shamash and one more. On the second night, the shamash plus two are burning. By the time the eighth and final night of Chanukah rolls around, there are nine candles burning: the shamash plus all eight Chanukah lights.
Here is an image of a Chanukah menorah on the first night:
And here is what it looks like on the eighth night:
Click here to see how many candles to light tonight.
And click here for step-by-step Chanukah menorah lighting instructions.
Temple Menorah: 7 Lights
That said, there is a different kind of menorah, the golden candelabra, which was lit in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. That menorah had seven flames, which were lit every day of the year. You can learn more about the Temple menorah here.
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