tenth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shi2 tian1 gan1]
unknown, 9 strokes, radical 癶, rank #73058, Very Hard
癸
guǐ
tenth in order
unknown, 9 strokes, radical 癶, rank #73058, Very Hard
癸
guǐ
letter "J" or roman "X" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc
unknown, 9 strokes, radical 癶, rank #73058, Very Hard
癸
guǐ
ancient Chinese compass point: 15°
unknown, 9 strokes, radical 癶, rank #73058, Very Hard
癸
guǐ
deca
unknown, 9 strokes, radical 癶, rank #73058, Very Hard
guǐ(gui3) T3
110th heavenly stem
2tenth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shi2 tian1 gan1]
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March 24, 2026
癸guǐ(gui3)
癸 (guǐ) is the tenth of the ten Heavenly Stems, which are used in traditional Chinese calendars and astrology. It represents the element of water and is often associated with the notion of completeness or finality in a sequence. In various contexts, it can indicate the letter 'J' in alphabetical lists or the compass direction of 15°.
Strokes9Radical癶Frequency#73058DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
The Heavenly Stems, including 癸, are integral to Chinese cosmology and are used in traditional festivals, astrology, and fortune-telling, reflecting the deep connection between time and nature in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a wise old sage (癸) sitting at the 10th spot in a grand hall, representing water flowing down a stream. The character itself looks like a flowing river, and the pronunciation 'guǐ' can be remembered as 'gui' like the sound of water gushing.
Meanings of 癸
guǐ(gui3)
110th heavenly stem
2tenth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shi2 tian1 gan1]
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 癸
癸Simplified
9Strokes
癶Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 癸
Podcast: 癸
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AI Study Notes for 癸
Usage Notes
癸 is primarily used in formal contexts such as astrology and traditional calendars, making it less common in everyday conversation. Be cautious with the tone; 'guǐ' has a falling-rising tone that can change meanings if mispronounced. It is often paired with its companion stems in discussions of time and elements.
HSK Study Tips
Though 癸 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding its role in the Heavenly Stems can enhance your grasp of Chinese timekeeping and cultural references. Focus on how it relates to the other nine stems and practice its pronunciation to distinguish it from similar-sounding terms.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 癸 with similar-sounding characters like 鬼 (guǐ, meaning ghost). Remember that 癸 relates to the Heavenly Stems while 鬼 has an entirely different meaning. Additionally, be careful with the tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to misunderstandings.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 癸
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Decomposition of 癸
IDS Structure⿱癶天
癸Full Character
=
癶bo1
top
天tian1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 癸?
How to say 10th heavenly stem in Chinese
“10th heavenly stem” in Chinese is癸guǐ
癸 (guǐ) is the tenth of the ten Heavenly Stems, which are used in traditional Chinese calendars and astrology. It represents the element of water and is often associated with the notion of completeness or finality in a sequence. In various contexts, it can indicate the letter 'J' in alphabetical lists or the compass direction of 15°.
When to use 癸
癸 is primarily used in formal contexts such as astrology and traditional calendars, making it less common in everyday conversation. Be cautious with the tone; 'guǐ' has a falling-rising tone that can change meanings if mispronounced. It is often paired with its companion stems in discussions of time and elements.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 癸 with similar-sounding characters like 鬼 (guǐ, meaning ghost). Remember that 癸 relates to the Heavenly Stems while 鬼 has an entirely different meaning. Additionally, be careful with the tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to misunderstandings.
Write 癸
癸
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Practice writing 癸 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Word Family of 癸
Words Containing This Character8
癸guǐdeca
癸卯fortieth year J4 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1963 or 2023
癸未twentieth year J8 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 2003 or 2063
癸丑fiftieth year J2 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1973 or 2033
癸酉tenth year J10 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1993 or 2053
癸亥sixtieth year J12 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1983 or 2043
癸巳thirtieth year J6 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 2013 or 2073
天癸period
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 癸 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 癸
The Heavenly Stems are a series of ten characters used in traditional Chinese calendars to denote years, months, days, and even hours, forming a cycle with the Twelve Earthly Branches.
癸 is rarely used in daily conversation but is important in contexts related to traditional Chinese medicine, astrology, and calendar calculations.
癸 is pronounced as 'guǐ' with a falling-rising tone. Make sure to emphasize the tone to avoid confusion with other characters.
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