卯 (mǎo) - The fourth of the twelve Earthly Branches & 5-7 AM (hour of the Rabbit)

卯Tone 3

mǎo ｜ 5 strokes ｜ radical: 卩

伦妙

卯 · mǎo

The fourth of the twelve Earthly Branches;

5-7 AM (hour of the Rabbit);

mortise (woodworking);

to peg;

to fasten.

The fourth of the twelve Earthly Branches5-7 AM (hour of the Rabbit)mortise (woodworking)

Usage highlights

Earthly Branch MaoMao hour 5Roll callMortise and tenonMao moneyMao year

Synonyms

  • 兔— Rabbit (zodiac association)
  • 榫眼— mortise (woodworking)

Antonyms

  • 酉— 10th Earthly Branch (Rooster)
  • 榫头— tenon (woodworking counterpart)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The Rabbit is the fourth Earthly Branch (卯).
  • The morning shift starts at mao hour (卯时).
  • He punched in for work (点卯).
  • This requires precise mortise and tenon joints (卯榫).

Collocations

  • Earthly Branch Mao(卯)
  • Mao hour 5-7 AM(卯时)
  • Roll call(点卯)
  • Mortise and tenon(卯榫)
  • Mao money(卯钱)
  • Mao year(卯年)

Idioms

  • To answer roll call(应卯)
  • To substitute for roll call(画卯)
  • To be punctual for work(卯上)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the twelve Earthly Branches used in the traditional Chinese calendar and timekeeping system.
  • Associated with the Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac and the direction due east.
  • In ancient bureaucracy, officials would 'check in' (点卯) at the mao hour.

FAQ