未
ひつじ
the Sheep, eighth sign of the Chinese zodiac (1pm-3pm, south-southwest, the sixth month)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Examples
来年は未年だ。
らいねんはひつじどしだ。
Next year is the year of the Sheep.
母は未年生まれです。
はははひつじどしうまれです。
My mother was born in the year of the Sheep.
昔は午後二時ごろを未の刻と呼んだ。
むかしはごごにじごろをひつじのこくとよんだ。
Around two in the afternoon used to be called the hour of the Sheep.
年賀状には未の絵が描かれていた。
ねんがじょうにはひつじのえがえがかれていた。
The New Year's card had a picture of a sheep on it.
Common patterns
- 未年
- year of the Sheep
- 未の刻
- the hour of the Sheep (about 1-3 pm)
- 未年生まれ
- born in a Sheep year
Memory tip
Zodiac 未 is read ひつじ, but the same character read み means 'not yet' in 未来・未定・未完成. The animal itself is written 羊; 未 is reserved for the calendar sign.
Kanji in this word
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What does 未 mean?