亥い

noun

the Boar; the Pig (12th Chinese zodiac sign)

Refers to the twelfth sign of the Chinese zodiac. In Japanese, the animal is usually called いのしし (wild boar), but 亥 is the zodiac name.

• 来らい年ねんは亥い年どしです。

  Next year is the Year of the Boar.

noun

hour of the Boar (around 10 p.m.)

Obsolete temporal unit in the traditional Chinese time system, corresponding roughly to 9–11 p.m. or 10 p.m. to midnight. Used in historical contexts.

See also: 亥の刻

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいには亥いの刻こくに門もんが閉しまった。

  In the Edo period, the gates closed at the hour of the Boar.

noun

north-northwest

Obsolete directional term from the traditional Chinese zodiac compass points. Rarely used outside historical or divinatory contexts.

• 古ふるい地ち図ずでは亥いの方ほう角がくが北ほく北ほく西せいを示しめしている。

  On old maps, the direction of the Boar indicates north-northwest.

noun

tenth month of the lunar calendar

Obsolete month name in the traditional lunar calendar. Now only encountered in historical or literary texts.

• 旧きゅう暦れきの亥いの月つきは今いまの十じゅう月がつごろにあたる。

  The Boar month of the old lunar calendar corresponds roughly to October now.