乾 (gān) — heaven, the male principle; the Qian trigram (☰…

Definition

乾 (gān) is a classical term from the Yijing (Book of Changes), representing the creative, heavenly, male principle. It is a bound form (b.f.) used in compounds like 乾坤 (the universe) and as the name of the first trigram (☰) and hexagram (䷀). In modern Chinese, it appears mainly in fixed terms and classical references.

b.f.

heaventhe male principlethe Qian trigram (☰) and hexagram (䷀) of the Yijing

Examples

乾、、、巽。
Bāguà bāokuò gān, kūn, zhèn, xùn děng.
The Eight Trigrams include Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, and others.
乾。
gān guà shì bāguà zhōng de dì yī guà.
The Qian trigram is the first of the Eight Trigrams.
乾。
Tā jīngtōng gān guà de zhéxué.
He has mastered the philosophy of the Qian hexagram.

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