heavenly stem
nounEtymology Calque from Chinese 天干 (tiāngān).
› One of the ten terms used in East Asian…
1
Astrology, Human sciences, Mysticism, Philosophy, Sciences Historical A day of the traditional ten-day week.
2
Human sciences, Mysticism, Mythology, Philosophy, Sciences One of the ten suns thought to appear in succession on its appointed day of the traditional week.
3
Lifestyle, Religion Historical The ancestor venerated with a ritual on the appointed day of the traditional week.
4
Formal An ordinal, used in similar contexts to Roman numerals in English numbering and outlining.
- Synonyms
- celestial stem
- Related terms
- earthly branch