Definitions

fifth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shí tiān gān]; fifth in order; letter "E" or Roman "V" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc; penta

Etymology

Pictograph of a battle axe. Similar to , , and .

About

The character 戊 originated as a pictographic depiction of a type of axe or weapon, with its early form representing a blade mounted on a long handle. Over time, its meaning shifted entirely from this concrete object to serve as the fifth term in the system of Heavenly Stems, used in calendrical cycles and astrological designations. Structurally, 戊 is a unitary character that has not been simplified, with its traditional form remaining identical to its modern standard composition; it is often categorized under the spear radical 戈 but is itself an indivisible unit. This transition from a lexical item denoting a tool to an abstract grammatical marker for cyclical sequencing represents the core change in its application, with the original weapon meaning becoming obsolete in common language.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
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)
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Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
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Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
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Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 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)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Xin dynasty (9-23 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

今年是戌年。

Jīnnián shì wùxū nián.

This year is the year of Wuxu.

天干的第五位是

Tiāngān de dì wǔ wèi shì wù.

The fifth position of the heavenly stems is Wu.

时是晚上七点到九点。

Wù shí shì wǎnshang qī diǎn dào jiǔ diǎn.

The Wushi period is from 7 PM to 9 PM.

子年间发生了很多大事。

Wùzǐ niánjiān fāshēng le hěn duō dà shì.

Many major events occurred during the Wuzi year.

在农历中,年通常与土元素相关联。

Zài nónglì zhōng, wù nián tōngcháng yǔ tǔ yuánsù xiāng guānlián.

In the lunar calendar, the year of Wu is usually associated with the earth element.

烷是一种有机化合物。

Wùwán shì yī zhǒng yǒujī huàhéwù.

Pentane is a type of organic compound.

戌变法发生在公元一八九八年。

Wùxū biànfǎ fāshēng zài gōngyuán yī bā jiǔ bā nián.

The Wuxu Reform took place in the year 1898 AD.

化学老师解释了烷的结构。

Huàxué lǎoshī jiěshì le wùwán de jiégòu.

The chemistry teacher explained the structure of pentane.