丙へい

also: ひのえ

へ

い

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Only with reading へい

Used in grading, ranking, or contractual contexts to denote the third level or party, often in contrast with 甲 (first) and 乙 (second).

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉を丙へいとするto designate someone as the third party (in a contract)
この契けい約やく書しょでは彼かれを丙へいとする。
In this contract, he is designated as the third party.
成せい績せきは丙へいto receive a grade of 'C' (third rank) in an evaluation
彼かれの成せい績せきは丙へいだった。
His grade was a C.

Kanji

丙third class, 3rd, 3rd calendar sign

Related words

甲こう sense 1
甲 marks the first rank or party in a sequence, while 丙 marks the third.
乙おつN1sense 1
乙 marks the second rank or party in a sequence, while 丙 marks the third.

Word family

丙へい夜や
third division of the night (approx. 11pm to 1am)
丙へい種しゅ
third grade; third class; C-grade

Written forms

丙Usage56%
- へい
  Standard kanji form for the third rank/class meaning. Reading へい is the most common.
- ひのえ
  Reading ひのえ is used specifically for the third sign of the Chinese calendar (sexagenary cycle).
へいUsage44%
ひのえ

Etymology

The kanji 丙 originally depicted a fish tail and was borrowed for its sound to represent the third celestial stem. Its use in ranking and the calendar is a conventional extension.