Where does “干支” come from?
干支 (Japanese) comes from Japanese 兄, from Old Japanese あに, from Japanese の, from Old Japanese の, from Middle Chinese 能 — talent, ability.
干支 (Japanese): the sexagenary cycle; the twelve earthly branches
Definitions
- the sexagenary cycle; the twelve earthly branches
Ancestry of “干支”, step by step
干支 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Japanese 兄
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 兄 | elder brother; elder brother-in-law; Short for... |
| 2 | Old Japanese | あに | — |
| 3 | Japanese | の | genitive case marker; nominative case marker in a... |
| 4 | Old Japanese | の | plain, field |
| 5 | Middle Chinese | 能 | talent, ability |
via Japanese 弟
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 弟 | a younger sibling; one’s own younger brother; a... |