A good answer might be:

The bit pattern in $8 is moved to $9 ($8 is unchanged).

or  $9,$8,$0        # $9 <-- contents of $8.

MOVE as OR with Zero

Copying the pattern in a source register to a destination register is called a move operation, even though the source register does not change.

or  d,s,$0        # $d <-- contents of $s.

QUESTION 13:

(Review:) How can a particular bit pattern be loaded into a register?