KANJI: GO uma (noon)

ASCII Art Representation:

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

Character Etymology:

From a pictograph of a pestle; it was borrowed to express the central zodiac sign/horary sign, i.e. the middle part of the day, partly because the pestle was associated with striking the center of a mortar.

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

on-yomi: GO
kun-yomi: uma

English Definitions:

1. GO, uma: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.; seventh sign of the zodiac.
2. uma: horse; south.

Character Index Numbers:

New Nelson: 604
Henshall: 110

Unicode Encoded Version:

午

Unicode Encoded Compound Examples:

午前 (gozen): a.m., morning.
午後 (gogo): p.m., afternoon.
午睡 (gosui): nap, a siesta.
正午 (shougo): noon.

  Previous: old  |  Japanese Kanji  |  Next: behind