Definitions
(numeral)
six; 6
About
The character for the number six, "六", has maintained a highly stable graphical form throughout its history, with its modern traditional and simplified versions being identical. Etymologically, it is considered to have originated as a pictograph, though the exact object it depicted remains uncertain, with theories suggesting it represented a simple hut or shelter. This original concrete meaning was entirely abandoned very early in the character's use, as it was borrowed exclusively to represent the number six, a function it has held consistently for millennia. Its structure is straightforward, typically analyzed as being composed of a top component meaning "cover" or "lid" over the component for "eight", though this is a later descriptive analysis rather than a reflection of its original construction or meaning. The character's primary evolution, therefore, lies not in its shape but in the complete semantic shift from a possible pictographic term to a purely abstract numeral.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他有六本书。
现在六点钟。
六月天气很热。
我住在六楼。
这个盒子有六个面。
我们六个人一起去公园。
第六节课是数学课。
虽然已经六点了，但天还没黑。