About
The character "戌" initially represented a type of ancient pole weapon, a conception still evident in its structural composition which integrates elements indicative of armaments. Through a process of phonetic adaptation, it was borrowed to signify the eleventh Earthly Branch in the traditional cyclical system, corresponding to the dog and the two-hour period of 7-9 PM. This semantic transition from a concrete implement to an abstract temporal and symbolic marker occurred in early Chinese usage, with the character's graphical form undergoing only minor refinements over subsequent centuries. While its original sense as a weapon has long been archaic, the character remains employed exclusively within calendrical, zodiacal, and cyclical contexts, its constituent components quietly echoing its initial martial association.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
戌时是晚上七点到九点。
我的生肖属戌狗。
他出生在戊戌年。
戌狗在十二生肖中排第十一。
古代用戌时来计时。
戊戌年每六十年出现一次。
根据农历，今年是戌狗年。
在传统计时法中，戌时代表黄昏后。