also: こうしん
noun
Wood Monkey; 21st sexagenary cycle term
Refers to the 21st term of the traditional 60-term sexagenary cycle (干支), combining the Heavenly Stem 甲 (Wood) and the Earthly Branch 申 (Monkey). Used in East Asian calendars and astrology. Example years: 1944, 2004, 2064.
See also: 干支
2004年は甲申の年でした。
2004 was the year of the Wood Monkey.
甲申は干支の21番目にあたります。
Kinoesaru is the 21st term of the sexagenary cycle.
干支 is the general term for the sexagenary cycle, while 甲申 is one specific term within it.
Compound of 甲 (きのえ, 'Wood', the first Heavenly Stem) and 申 (さる, 'Monkey', the ninth Earthly Branch). The reading こうしん is the Sino-Japanese reading of the same characters.