can, chi
Definition
- Noun (in fortune-telling and numerology):
- Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches: A traditional East Asian calendrical system used for marking time (years, months, days, hours) and in divination. "Can" refers to the 10 Heavenly Stems. "Chi" refers to the 12 Earthly Branches, each associated with a zodiac animal.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Lịch âm sử dụng hệ thống can chi. (The lunar calendar uses the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches system.)
- Ông ấy xem tuổi dựa trên can chi. (He reads fortune based on the stems and branches.)
Advanced Usage
- "Thiên Can Địa Chi": The full formal term for the system.
- Bát tự bao gồm Thiên Can Địa Chi của giờ, ngày, tháng, năm sinh. (The Four Pillars of Destiny include the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches of the hour, day, month, and year of birth.)
Variants and Related Words
- Thập Can (n): The Ten Heavenly Stems.
- Thập Nhị Chi (n): The Twelve Earthly Branches.
- Lục thập hoa giáp (n): The 60-year cycle formed by combining the stems and branches.
Synonyms
- Celestial stems and terrestrial branches: The direct English translation.
- Sexagenary cycle: Refers to the 60-year combinatorial cycle.
Related Concepts
- Tứ trụ / Bát tự (Four Pillars of Destiny): A fortune-telling method based on the eight characters (four pairs of stems and branches) of one's birth date and time.
- Thầy tử vi lập lá số dựa trên can chi trong tứ trụ. (The fortune-teller charts the destiny based on the stems and branches in the Four Pillars.)