Definitions
3rd earthly branch: 3-5 a.m., 1st solar month (4th February-5th March), year of the Tiger; ancient Chinese compass point: 60°
Etymology
Originally written the same as 矢 (arrow). Later two hands (𦥑) were added to distinguish the characters.
About
The character "寅" initially served as a verb denoting respect or advancement before its standardization as the third earthly branch within the cyclical zodiac system. Its present graphical form incorporates the components "宀", "一", "由", and "八", a structure that emerged from systematic orthographic regularization rather than illustrative intent. The semantic focus of "寅" shifted exclusively to its astronomical and temporal applications, specifically representing the tiger and the pre-dawn hours, while its original verbal connotations gradually receded from active language use.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
现在是寅时，天还没亮。
据说他是寅年出生的。
爷爷在寅时就起床锻炼了。
古代用天干地支纪年，今年是寅年。
这位将军姓寅，是一个罕见的姓氏。
在十二生肖中，寅对应的是老虎。
根据农历，下一个寅年将在几年后到来。
地支中的寅与方位中的东北偏东相关联。