noon, sign of the horse, 11AM-1PM, seventh sign of Chinese zodiac
午 centers on the midday period: noon and the hours around it. The zodiac sign of the horse and its position as the seventh earthly branch are traditional associations tied to this time.
午 originally depicted a pestle, and was later borrowed for the seventh earthly branch and the associated time of noon. The modern form is a simplified remnant of that pictograph.
The top stroke is like the sun at its highest point, and the lower 十 marks the center of the day. Together they show noon.
For ゴ, imagine a gong sounding at noon: gong -> ゴ, and the sound marks the midday hour.
afternoon; p.m.
morning; a.m.
noon; midday
the Horse (seventh sign of the Chinese zodiac)
Boys' Day celebration (May 5)
meridian
first "horse day" in any lunar month, but esp. the second lunar month; traditional day for worship at "fox deity" shrines
Fire Horse (43rd term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1906, 1966, 2026)
nap; siesta
noon
hour of the Horse (around noon, 11am-1pm, or 12 noon-2pm)
year of the Horse
day of the Horse
noon
in the morning; during the morning
taking the morning off; time off during the morning
coming home after midnight; person who comes home after midnight
midnight; 12am
year of the Horse
first thing in the afternoon