Definitions

gēng (noun) 7th Heavenly Stem (in Chinese cosmology)
gēng (numeral) 7th in order

Etymology

Depicts an instrument like a gong. Based on the original meaning "gong", now written as . The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

The character 庚 originated within the early Chinese system of heavenly stems as a marker of sequential position, its etymology often linked to notions of continuation or change. Structurally, it is built from components that have been variously analyzed over centuries, frequently seen as a form enclosing elements suggestive of passage or alteration, though its graphical composition has remained largely stable in its traditional form. Initially serving calendrical and astronomical purposes, its meaning extended into philosophical domains, coming to denote the metal phase within the five agents cosmology, and later applied in social contexts to refer to an individual's age or year of birth in record-keeping, demonstrating a semantic shift from abstract cyclical notation to broader conceptual and practical applications.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

是我的好朋友。

Lǐ Gēng shì wǒ de hǎo péngyou.

Li Geng is my good friend.

今年是子年。

Jīnnián shì gēngzǐ nián.

This year is the Gengzi year.

在银行工作。

Wáng Gēng zài yínháng gōngzuò.

Wang Geng works at a bank.

子年发生了很多变化。

Gēngzǐ nián fāshēngle hěnduō biànhuà.

Many changes occurred in the Gengzi year.

我的弟弟名叫张

Wǒ de dìdi míng jiào Zhāng Gēng.

My younger brother is named Zhang Geng.

和王是大学同学。

Lǐ Gēng hé Wáng Gēng shì dàxué tóngxué.

Li Geng and Wang Geng are university classmates.

申日那天,我们举行了庆祝活动。

Zài gēngshēn rì nà tiān, wǒmen jǔxíngle qìngzhù huódòng.

On the Gengshen day, we held a celebration event.

在五行中属于金。

Gēng zài wǔxíng zhōng shǔyú jīn.

Geng belongs to the metal element in the Five Elements.