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Sexagesimal cycle)
The Chinese sexagenary cycle (干支 pinyin: gānzhī) is a cyclic numeral system of 60 combinations of the two basic cycles, the ten Heavenly Stems (天干; tiāngān) and the twelve Earthly Branches (地支; dìzhī). These have been traditionally used as a means of numbering the years, not only in China but also in other East Asian nations like Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
Ten Heavenly Stems
|
Heavenly
Stem |
Chinese
name |
Japanese
name |
Korean
name |
Vietnamese
name |
Yin Yang |
Element |
| 1 |
甲 |
jiǎ |
kō/kinoe (木の兄) |
gap 갑 |
giáp |
yang |
wood |
| 2 |
乙 |
yǐ |
otsu/kinoto (木の弟) |
eul 을 |
ất |
yin |
| 3 |
丙 |
bǐng |
hei/hinoe (火の兄) |
byeong 병 |
bính |
yang |
fire |
| 4 |
丁 |
dīng |
tei/hinoto (火の弟) |
jeong 정 |
đinh |
yin |
| 5 |
戊 |
wù |
bo/tsuchinoe (土の兄) |
mu 무 |
mậu |
yang |
earth |
| 6 |
己 |
jǐ |
ki/tsuchinoto (土の弟) |
gi 기 |
kỷ |
yin |
| 7 |
庚 |
gēng |
kō/kanoe (金の兄) |
gyeong 경 |
canh |
yang |
metal |
| 8 |
辛 |
xīn |
shin/kanoto (金の弟) |
shin 신 |
tân |
yin |
| 9 |
壬 |
rén |
jin/mizunoe (水の兄) |
im 임 |
nhâm |
yang |
water |
| 10 |
癸 |
guǐ |
ki/mizunoto (水の弟) |
gye 계 |
quý |
yin |
Twelve Earthly Branches
|
Earthly
Branch |
Chinese
name |
Japanese
name |
Korean
name |
Vietnamese
name |
Chinese
zodiac |
| 1 |
子 |
zǐ |
shi/ne |
ja 자 |
tý |
Rat (鼠) |
| 2 |
丑 |
chǒu |
chū/ushi |
chuk 축 |
sửu |
Ox (牛) |
| 3 |
寅 |
yín |
in/tora |
in 인 |
dần |
Tiger (虎) |
| 4 |
卯 |
mǎo |
bō/u |
myo 묘 |
mẹo/mão |
Rabbit/Hare* (兔) |
| 5 |
辰 |
chén |
shin/tatsu |
jin 진 |
thìn |
Dragon (龍) |
| 6 |
巳 |
sì |
shi/mi |
sa 사 |
tỵ |
Snake (蛇) |
| 7 |
午 |
wǔ |
go/uma |
o 오 |
ngọ |
Horse (馬) |
| 8 |
未 |
wèi |
mi or bi/hitsuji |
mi 미 |
mùi |
Sheep/Goat (羊) |
| 9 |
申 |
shēn |
shin/saru |
shin 신 |
thân |
Monkey (猴) |
| 10 |
酉 |
yǒu |
yū/tori |
yu 유 |
dậu |
Rooster (雞) |
| 11 |
戌 |
xū |
jutsu/inu |
sul 술 |
tuất |
Dog (狗) |
| 12 |
亥 |
hài |
gai/i |
hae 해 |
hợi |
Pig/Boar (豬) |
* The Vietnamese Earthly Branches use Cat instead of Rabbit.
The Sexagenary Cycle
|
Stem-Branch |
Chinese
name |
Japanese
name |
Associations |
| 1 |
甲子 |
jiǎ-zǐ |
kōshi/kinoe-ne |
Yang Wood Rat |
| 2 |
乙丑 |
yǐ-chǒu |
itchū/kinoto-ushi |
Yin Wood Ox |
| 3 |
丙寅 |
bǐng-yín |
hei'in/hinoe-tora |
Yang Fire Tiger |
| 4 |
丁卯 |
dīng-mǎo |
teibō/hinoto-u |
Yin Fire Rabbit |
| 5 |
戊辰 |
wù-chén |
boshin/tsuchinoe-tatsu |
Yang Earth Dragon |
| 6 |
己巳 |
jǐ-sì |
kishi/tsuchinoto-mi |
Yin Earth Snake |
| 7 |
庚午 |
gēng-wǔ |
kōgo/kanoe-uma |
Yang Metal Horse |
| 8 |
辛未 |
xīn-wèi |
shinbi/kanoto-hitsuji |
Yin Metal Sheep |
| 9 |
壬申 |
rén-shēn |
jinshin/mizunoe-saru |
Yang Water Monkey |
| 10 |
癸酉 |
guǐ-yǒu |
kiyū/mizunoto-tori |
Yin Water Rooster |
| 11 |
甲戌 |
jiǎ-xū |
kōjutsu/kinoe-inu |
Yang Wood Dog |
| 12 |
乙亥 |
yǐ-hài |
itsugai/kinoto-i |
Yin Wood Pig |
| 13 |
丙子 |
bǐng-zǐ |
heishi/hinoe-ne |
Yang Fire Rat |
| 14 |
丁丑 |
dīng-chǒu |
teichū/hinoto-ushi |
Yin Fire Ox |
| 15 |
戊寅 |
wù-yín |
boin/tsuchinoe-tora |
Yang Earth Tiger |
| 16 |
己卯 |
jǐ-mǎo |
kibō/tsuchinoto-u |
Yin Earth Rabbit |
| 17 |
庚辰 |
gēng-chén |
kōshin/kanoe-tatsu |
Yang Metal Dragon |
| 18 |
辛巳 |
xīn-sì |
shinshi/kanoto-mi |
Yin Metal Snake |
| 19 |
壬午 |
rén-wǔ |
jingo/mizunoe-uma |
Yang Water Horse |
| 20 |
癸未 |
guǐ-wèi |
kibi/mizunoto-hitsuji |
Yin Water Sheep |
| 21 |
甲申 |
jiǎ-shēn |
kōshin/kinoe-saru |
Yang Wood Monkey |
| 22 |
乙酉 |
yǐ-yǒu |
itsuyū/kinoto-tori |
Yin Wood Rooster |
| 23 |
丙戌 |
bǐng-xū |
heijutsu/hinoe-inu |
Yang Fire Dog |
| 24 |
丁亥 |
dīng-hài |
teigai/hinoto-i |
Yin Fire Pig |
| 25 |
戊子 |
wù-zǐ |
boshi/tsuchinoe-ne |
Yang Earth Rat |
| 26 |
己丑 |
jǐ-chǒu |
kichū/tsuchinoto-ushi |
Yin Earth Ox |
| 27 |
庚寅 |
gēng-yín |
kōin/kanoe-tora |
Yang Metal Tiger |
| 28 |
辛卯 |
xīn-mǎo |
shinbō/kanoto-u |
Yin Metal Rabbit |
| 29 |
壬辰 |
rén-chén |
jinshin/mizunoe-tatsu |
Yang Water Dragon |
| 30 |
癸巳 |
guǐ-sì |
kishi/mizunoto-mi |
Yin Water Snake |
| 31 |
甲午 |
jiǎ-wǔ |
kōgo/kinoe-uma |
Yang Wood Horse |
| 32 |
乙未 |
yǐ-wèi |
itsubi/kinoto-hitsuji |
Yin Wood Sheep |
| 33 |
丙申 |
bǐng-shēn |
heishin/hinoe-saru |
Yang Fire Monkey |
| 34 |
丁酉 |
dīng-yǒu |
teiyū/hinoto-tori |
Yin Fire Rooster |
| 35 |
戊戌 |
wù-xū |
bojutsu/tsuchinoe-inu |
Yang Earth Dog |
| 36 |
己亥 |
jǐ-hài |
kigai/tsuchinoto-i |
Yin Earth Pig |
| 37 |
庚子 |
gēng-zǐ |
kōshi/kanoe-ne |
Yang Metal Rat |
| 38 |
辛丑 |
xīn-chǒu |
shinchū/kanoto-ushi |
Yin Metal Ox |
| 39 |
壬寅 |
rén-yín |
jin'in/mizunoe-tora |
Yang Water Tiger |
| 40 |
癸卯 |
guǐ-mǎo |
kibō/mizunoto-u |
Yin Water Rabbit |
| 41 |
甲辰 |
jiǎ-chén |
kōshin/kinoe-tatsu |
Yang Wood Dragon |
| 42 |
乙巳 |
yǐ-sì |
itsushi/kinoto-mi |
Yin Wood Snake |
| 43 |
丙午 |
bǐng-wǔ |
heigo/hinoe-uma |
Yang Fire Horse |
| 44 |
丁未 |
dīng-wèi |
teibi/hinoto-hitsuji |
Yin Fire Sheep |
| 45 |
戊申 |
wù-shēn |
boshin/tsuchinoe-saru |
Yang Earth Monkey |
| 46 |
己酉 |
jǐ-yǒu |
kiyū/tsuchinoto-tori |
Yin Earth Rooster |
| 47 |
庚戌 |
gēng-xū |
kōjutsu/kanoe-inu |
Yang Metal Dog |
| 48 |
辛亥 |
xīn-hài |
shingai/kanoto-i |
Yin Metal Pig |
| 49 |
壬子 |
rén-zǐ |
jinshi/mizunoe-ne |
Yang Water Rat |
| 50 |
癸丑 |
guǐ-chǒu |
kichū/mizunoto-ushi |
Yin Water Ox |
| 51 |
甲寅 |
jiǎ-yín |
kōin/kinoe-tora |
Yang Wood Tiger |
| 52 |
乙卯 |
yǐ-mǎo |
itsubō/kinoto-u |
Yin Wood Rabbit |
| 53 |
丙辰 |
bǐng-chén |
heishin/hinoe-tatsu |
Yang Fire Dragon |
| 54 |
丁巳 |
dīng-sì |
teishi/hinoto-mi |
Yin Fire Snake |
| 55 |
戊午 |
wù-wǔ |
bogo/tsuchinoe-uma |
Yang Earth Horse |
| 56 |
己未 |
jǐ-wèi |
kibi/tsuchinoto-hitsuji |
Yin Earth Sheep |
| 57 |
庚申 |
gēng-shēn |
kōshin/kanoe-saru |
Yang Metal Monkey |
| 58 |
辛酉 |
xīn-yǒu |
shinyū/kanoto-tori |
Yin Metal Rooster |
| 59 |
壬戌 |
rén-xū |
jinjutsu/mizunoe-inu |
Yang Water Dog |
| 60 |
癸亥 |
guǐ-hài |
kigai/mizunoto-i |
Yin Water Pig |
The sexagenary cycle was first used for days in the Shang Dynasty, and later also used for years and less commonly for months.
For example, the year 2000 was 17th year of the 78th sexagenary cycle, a gēng-chén year (庚辰年), a year of the Yang Metal Dragon. Therefore, 2004 is four years after, the 21st year of the 78th sexagenary cycle, called a jiǎ-shēn year (甲申年), a year of the Yang Wood Monkey.
The naming of the months and days is not common now, although they will be shown on Chinese calendars and almanacs.
See also
