sign of the ox or cow, 1-3AM, second sign of Chinese zodiac
丑 centers on the second sign of the Chinese zodiac, associated with the ox or cow, and by extension the hour of the ox (1–3 AM).
丑 is an ancient pictograph of a hand or claw, later borrowed to represent the second Earthly Branch and associated with the ox. The modern form is highly stylized and its original pictorial meaning is not obvious.
The shape of 丑 looks like a stylized ox head with two horns and a snout, or a hand with two fingers extended, marking the second sign. Picture an ox raising its head at the second hour.
For チュウ, imagine a cow chewing its cud at 2 AM: chew -> チュウ, and the ox is the second zodiac sign.
the Ox (second sign of the Chinese zodiac)
day of the Ox (esp. in midsummer or midwinter)
dead of the night; midnight
cursing ritual where one visits a shrine at 2am and nails a doll representing a person to a tree, praying for said person's death
Fire Ox (14th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1937, 1997, 2057)
hour of the Ox (around 2am, 1-3am, or 2-4am)
year of the Ox
cursing ritual where one visits a shrine at 2am and nails a doll representing a person to a tree, praying for said person's death
dead of night; middle of the night; midnight
northeast
year of the Ox
Wood Ox (2nd term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1925, 1985, 2045)
midsummer day of the ox (traditionally marked by eating eel)
day of the ox in midsummer (during the hottest season); dog days of summer
midsummer day of the ox (traditionally marked by eating eel)
Earth Ox (26th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1949, 2009, 2069)
Water Ox (50th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1913, 1973, 2033)
dead of night (when even the trees and plants sleep)
Metal Ox (38th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1961, 2021, 2081)