午
wǔ
#1,002 most
frequent character
7th earthly branch: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., noon, 5th solar month (6th June-6th July), year of the Horse
Character breakdown
Source: Make Me a Hanzi.
午 is a picture of a big wooden pestle used to pound rice, so it first meant that tool. Later it was borrowed for the seventh Earthly Branch, only for its sound. That branch then named the seventh two-hour period, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and so 'noon.'
Drawn as: large wooden pestle
Ask DeepSeek
Your word lists
Sign in to add this word to your private lists.