卯

The fourth of the Twelve Earthly Branches (地支). It is primarily used in sexagenary cycle notation, calendrical systems, astrology, and cosmology, and symbolically represents the rabbit.

Original character: 戼 (the true original form)

Later forms: 卯 (common form), 夘 (variant)

卯 is historically a simplified or popularized form, while 戼 is regarded as the original character.

Traditional explanations:

Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字) explains 卯 as a pictograph of double doors opening outward, symbolizing opening, division, or separation.

Alternative historical interpretation:

Some oracle-bone inscriptions (甲骨文) research suggests that 卯 originally depicted a Shang-dynasty punishment involving splitting the human body in two.

This practice is believed to have disappeared by the Zhou dynasty, and the character later underwent semantic re-interpretation.

Appears in:

- calendrical dating

- astrology (saju / bazi)

- historical era names

- sexagenary year notation

Rarely used alone in modern language outside technical or classical contexts.

卯 is the fourth Earthly Branch.

Symbolizes the rabbit, spring growth, and Wood energy.

Deeply connected to calendrical, astrological, and cosmological systems.

Originated as a pictographic symbol of division or opening.

Rich in Five-Elements and sexagenary symbolism.

Position in the Twelve Earthly Branches:

1 — 子 — Rat

2 — 丑 — Ox

3 — 寅 — Tiger

4 — 卯 — Rabbit

5 — 辰 — Dragon

Cosmological attributes (Traditional East Asian Thought):

Elemental correspondence

Five Elements: Wood (木)

Heavenly Stem affinity: 乙 (Yin Wood)

Symbolic imagery

- Rabbit

- Young plants, sprouts

- Flowers, grass, weeds

- Early growth and expansion

Colors

- green

- light green

- blue-green

Hidden Heavenly Stems (地藏干):

甲 (Yang Wood)

乙 (Yin Wood)

Traditional lunar assignment

Lunar Jan 25 – Feb 5: 甲 Wood governs

Lunar Feb 6 – Feb 25: 乙 Wood governs

Sexagenary cycle combinations containing 卯:

乙卯 — 大溪水 (Great Valley Water) — rivers, streams, large flowing water

丁卯 — 爐中火 (Fire in the Furnace) — inner warmth, endurance against cold

己卯 — 城頭土 (City-Wall Earth) — fortifications, authority, boundary zones

辛卯 — 松栢木 (Pine and Cypress Wood) — evergreen vitality, resilience

癸卯 — 金箔金 (Gold Foil Metal) — thin gold, crowns, outer brilliance with inner emptiness