Definitions
tenth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shí tiān gān]; tenth in order; letter "J" or Roman "X" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc; ancient Chinese compass point: 15°; deca
Etymology
Possibly depicts a type of ancient weapon with three points on it. Based on the original meaning "a type of weapon", now written as 戣. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
About
The character 癸 (guǐ) is the tenth and final Heavenly Stem, primarily used in traditional calendrical, astrological, and cosmological systems. Structurally, it is composed of 癶 (bō), meaning "footsteps" or "spread legs", above 天 (tiān), "heavens". Its original form represented intersecting energies or elements. Over time, it became associated with Yin Water, winter, and the north in Five Elements theory. In traditional Chinese medicine, it also denotes the menstrual or female reproductive cycle, as in the term tiān guǐ (天癸), showing a semantic shift from timekeeping to human physiology.
Etymology Hide
