also: かっし · こうし
noun
Wood Rat; first sexagenary term
Refers to the first term of the 60-year sexagenary cycle (干支), combining the celestial stem 甲 (Wood) and the earthly branch 子 (Rat). Used in traditional calendar contexts and for years like 1924, 1984, 2044.
See also: 干支
1924年は甲子の年です。
1924 is the year of the Wood Rat.
甲子は干支の最初の組み合わせ
甲子 is the first combination in the sexagenary cycle.
Alternate Sino-Japanese reading; rare.
干支 refers to the entire sexagenary cycle or the Chinese zodiac in general, while 甲子 is specifically the first term of that cycle.
Combination of the celestial stem 甲 (きのえ, Wood) and the earthly branch 子 (ね, Rat), forming the first term of the sexagenary cycle.