Five is a male number, being odd (isn't that appropriate...). It is also a sex number like three, but for different reasons.

Three, the godlike "best" number, is the number of sex for procreation, the creation number. Five, however, is the first female number (2) added to the first male number (3), so it is the number of sex for fun. (By the way, 3 is the first odd number in numerology and most ancient number systems. One isn't a number; it's a Unity.)

The qualities of five can all be pretty much inferred from sex: Quickness, impulsiveness, passion, and resilience. A five-person is usually thought of as the rash, "hot" type; lives hard and fast and hates being tied down.

Five is also the number of Nature, because it is the Unity added to four (the number of substance). That's right, God plus stuff equals Nature. Hm, who'd have known? Anyway, the nature thing is why pentagrams and other world-symbols are often five-sided or five-pointed. On to six...
When one takes the four elements and includes with them Aether or Spirit, one reaches five. Five also numbers the faces of the pyramid, when one includes the base; it is also the number of the regular polyhedra, or Pythagorean solids.

Five is an important number to the Discordian Movement, with its Funfwissenschaft or Law of Fives.

Meanwhile, in China, five is the number of the Taoist elements: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood.

KANJI: GO itsu (five)

ASCII Art Representation:

 
                                       ,%%,
    "%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
                    %%%%
                    %%%%
                   %%%%
                   %%%%
                   %%%%
                  %%%%
                  %%%%          ,%%,
      "%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
                 %%%%           %%%%
                 %%%%           %%%%
                 %%%%           %%%%
                %%%%            %%%%
                %%%%            %%%%
                %%%%            %%%%
               %%%%             %%%%
               %%%%             %%%%
               %%%%             %%%%
              %%%%              %%%%
              %%%%              %%%%       ,%%,
"%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 

Character Etymology:

In ancient times, five was represented by five fingers-- horizontal lines placed one over the other (see also two and three which still use this ideographic technique). Later, the character that meant thread-and-reel was used as a substitute, both for its sound and the fact that it replaced the five fingers when yarn was wound.

A Listing of All On-Yomi and Kun-Yomi Readings:

on-yomi: GO
kun-yomi: itsu itsu(tsu)

Nanori Readings:

Nanori: i sa satsu chi fu mi me

English Definitions:

  1. GO, itsu(tsu), itsu: five; five years old.

Character Index Numbers:

New Nelson: 77
Henshall: 19

Unicode Encoded Version:

Unicode Encoded Compound Examples:

(gogatsu): May.
(gonin): Five people.
(itsuka): The fifth day (of the month).

  Previous: see  |  Japanese Kanji  |  Next: mouth

"Wait."

Wait for...

"Me."

For how long shall I wait for thee?

"Five..."






Initial shock passes, year one began, emotions amplified.
These things aren't mine: those soup recipee, a corduroy
     jacket... your dirtied blouse.
Year two berthed hobbies -- to keep the mind occupied,
to keep the mind from thoughts of an occupantless house.


The third year granted me reflection, and daydreamt
     thoughts evolved into dispair.
Noises last longer, in a house with noone there.
Year four was known best as a compromise of ends. 
"We don't know why you don't let go," they said
     while meeting for dinner -- drinks -- with friends. 
"Because from her words I have to hope been led."


The fifth year, now, is growing old.
I look to the west, as you had once to me foretold.
A cold wind stokes my faith's sudden slack;
the hollow breeze is chilling the stoop's welcome mat.
But I rock there: wishing, waiting. Wanting...

     When, when will, will you come back?





Nantosuelta was a Gaulish goddess of fertility and fire. She, along with Sucellus, did with life and death conspire.

This is for her

Five (?), a. [OE. fif, five, AS. fif, fife; akin to D. vijf, OS. fif, OHG. finf, funf, G. funf, Icel. fimm, Sw. & Sw. Dan. fem, Goth. fimf, Lith. penki, W. pump, OIr. coic, L. quinque, Gr. , Aeol. , Skr. pacan. 303. Cf. Fifth, Cinque, Pentagon, Punch the drink, Quinary.]

Four and one added; one more than four.

Five nations Ethnol., a confederacy of the Huron-Iroquois Indians, consisting of five tribes: Mohawks, Onondagas, Cayugas, Oneidas, and Senecas. They inhabited the region which is now the State of new York.

 

© Webster 1913.


Five (?), n.

1.

The number next greater than four, and less than six; five units or objects.

Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Matt. xxv. 2.

2.

A symbol representing this number, as 5, or V.

 

© Webster 1913.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.