Definitions
12th earthly branch: 9-11 p.m., 10th solar month (7th November-6th December), year of the Boar; ancient Chinese compass point: 330°
Etymology
Depicts roots of a plant. Based on the original meaning "roots", now written as 荄. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "亥" originated as a pictographic representation of a boar or pig, depicting the animal's head and spine in its earliest forms. Over time, its graphical representation became progressively more abstract and stylized, losing its direct visual connection to the animal. This structural evolution allowed it to be adopted primarily for its phonetic value, leading to its enduring use as the twelfth and final term in the system of Earthly Branches, a core component of the traditional Chinese calendrical system. Consequently, while its original semantic meaning of "pig" became largely obsolete in common usage, it persists indirectly through its zodiacal association, as "亥" corresponds to the sign of the Boar.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
现在正是亥时。
亥时是晚上九点。
猪年在地支中对应亥。
辛亥革命发生在1911年。
亥是地支的第十二位。
古代用亥时来计时。
辛亥革命推翻了清朝统治。
亥字在甲骨文中就有记载。