The Chinese character “乙” holds several meanings, each distinct and context-dependent. Here’s a detailed look at its different uses:
Mandarin Pinyin: yǐ
Cantonese Jyutping: jyut6
- Second of the Heavenly Stems: “乙” is the second of the ten Heavenly Stems in the traditional Chinese calendar system.
- Second in Order or Rank: It is used to denote something that is second in sequence or grade, such as 「乙等」 (second class), 「乙班」 (second class), and 「乙級」 (second level).
- Equivalent to “One”: In some contexts, “乙” can be used similarly to “one”. For example, 「教育部設部長乙位。」 (The Ministry of Education appoints one minister).
- Correction Symbol: “乙改” refers to the use of the “乙” symbol to correct errors in written text.
