How to Write 巳 (sì) — Meaning “6th Earthly Branch (9-11 am)”

Imagine a snake curled up in a small box, with its head peeking out at the top — the shape of 巳 looks like a coiled snake with an open top. Associating it with the word "seal" (since it resembles a closed loop with a tail) can also help remember its closed-bottom stroke. The character is like a "己" (self) but with a fully closed top, as if the snake has no way to escape.

Start with a horizontal stroke from left to right, then a curved vertical stroke that goes down and bends left, ending with a hook-like upward flick at the bottom. The key nuance is that the top horizontal stroke must be fully closed, not open like in 己 — a common mistake is leaving a gap at the top left. Keep the overall shape compact and balanced, with the final stroke curving inward to form a closed loop.

巳 has a fully closed top (the horizontal stroke connects to the vertical), while 己 has an open top (a gap on the left side). 㠯 is an archaic variant rarely used today; its main difference is a longer vertical stroke with a different curve. In terms of meaning, 巳 is used exclusively for time or the zodiac cycle, whereas 己 means "self" and is common in everyday vocabulary.

Today, 巳 is mostly seen in traditional timekeeping and the Chinese zodiac, such as in 巳时 (sì shí) meaning 9-11 am, and 巳月 (sì yuè) for the fourth lunar month. It also appears in the sexagenary cycle system, for example, 辛巳 (xīn sì) as a year name. Culturally, the snake is the zodiac animal associated with this character, so you may encounter it in astrology or historical calendars.

Common words containing 巳 include: 巳时 (sì shí) — the period from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; 巳月 (sì yuè) — the fourth month of the lunar calendar; 辛巳 (xīn sì) — Xinsi (the 18th year of the sexagenary cycle)..