also: みのとし · みどし
year of the Snake
Refers to the year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac cycle. The reading みのとし is the most formal; へびのとし is the colloquial reading.
See also: 巳年
Next year is the year of the Snake.
People born in the year of the Snake are said to be cautious.
Standard kanji spelling for the year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac.
Common abbreviation; reading みどし is a contraction of みのとし.
Compound of 巳 (mi, 'snake' in the Chinese zodiac) + の (no, possessive particle) + 年 (toshi, 'year'). The reading み is the native Japanese kun'yomi for the zodiac sign; へびのとし uses the common word for snake.