tin1 gon1天干
Jyutpingtin1 gon1
Yaletīn gōn
Definition
The ten heavenly stems, ancient Chinese symbols used to represent sequence.
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How it's used
These ten characters are foundational to traditional Chinese timekeeping and cosmology, often paired with the twelve earthly branches to form a sixty-year cycle. While they appear in academic or cultural contexts, they are rarely used in casual daily conversation unless discussing horoscopes or traditional calendar systems. Mastery of these is essential for understanding historical dates or traditional fortune-telling practices.
Examples
Do you know how the ten heavenly stems are ordered?
The ten heavenly stems are often used when fortune-telling.
Related words
Common phrases
the sexagenary cycle
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the order of these characters or mispronounce them, as they are rarely used in modern vocabulary outside of this specific set. Remember that they are strictly a sequence and not interchangeable with standard numbers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
