Definitions
ninth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shí tiān gān]; ninth in order; letter "I" or Roman "IX" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc; ancient Chinese compass point: 345°; nona
Etymology
Pictograph of a warp beam used for holding silk in, also known as a spool. The modern meaning "9th heavenly stem" is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "壬" originated from a pictographic representation of a spindle used in weaving, which informed its early associations with bearing or carrying responsibilities. In its current form, the character is structured with three horizontal strokes where a vertical stroke intersects the center one, creating a distinct configuration. Over centuries, its primary meaning shifted to designate the ninth celestial stem in the Chinese cyclical system, employed in calendrical and sequential contexts. In classical usage, the character could also convey notions of greatness or large scale, though this sense is now largely archaic. As a phonetic component, it appears in characters such as "任" and "妊", contributing to their pronunciation.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
今年是壬寅年。
他姓壬，很少见。
壬水在风水里很重要。
这个周期从壬日开始。
农历壬月有时在秋天。
壬烷是一种化学物质。
在十天干中，壬排第九。
古代用壬来纪年和纪日。