干支

干支

1. The Chinese sexagenary cycle expressed as combinations of the ten heavenly stems and the twelve earthly branches.

• (Chinese sexagenary cycle) 干支; 甲子, 乙丑, 丙寅, 丁卯, 戊辰, 己巳, 庚午, 辛未, 壬申, 癸酉, 甲戌, 乙亥, 丙子, 丁丑, 戊寅, 己卯, 庚辰, 辛巳, 壬午, 癸未, 甲申, 乙酉, 丙戌, 丁亥, 戊子, 己丑, 庚寅, 辛卯, 壬辰, 癸巳, 甲午, 乙未, 丙申, 丁酉, 戊戌, 己亥, 庚子, 辛丑, 壬寅, 癸卯, 甲辰, 乙巳, 丙午, 丁未, 戊申, 己酉, 庚戌, 辛亥, 壬子, 癸丑, 甲寅, 乙卯, 丙辰, 丁巳, 戊午, 己未, 庚申, 辛酉, 壬戌, 癸亥

• 花甲 (huājiǎ)

干支 (hiragana かんし, rōmaji kanshi)

1. the sexagenary cycle (especially sixty-year cycle)

• 十干 (じっかん) (jikkan, “ten heavenly stems”)
• 十二支 (じゅうにし) (jūnishi, “twelve earthly branches”)
• 還暦 (かんれき) (kanreki, “sexagennial”)

The combination of 兄 (え, e; elder brother) and 弟 (と, to; younger brother); the original meaning is 兄弟 (brother). Derived from this term, the elder is adopted as "positive" and "heavenly stems", the younger is adopted as "negative" and "earthly branches".

干支 (hiragana えと, rōmaji eto)

1. (Same as above): the sexagenary cycle (especially sixty-year cycle)

   2000年 (にせんねん)の干 (え)支 (と)は庚辰 (かのえたつ)でした。

   Nisen nen no eto wa kanoetatsu deshita.

   The sexagenary cycle of the year 2000 was the metal dragon.

2. (narrowly): the twelve earthly branches

   1994年 (せんきゅうひゃくきゅうじゅうよねん)の干 (え)支 (と)は戌 (いぬ)でした。

   Senkyūhyakukyūjūyo nen no eto wa inu deshita.

   The twelve earthly branches of the year 1994 was the dog.