sign of the tiger, 3-5AM, third sign of Chinese zodiac
寅 centers on the third sign of the Chinese zodiac, the Tiger, and its associated time period (3–5 AM). Its meanings are culturally fixed rather than derived from a single abstract concept.
寅 is an ancient zodiac character whose original pictographic meaning is uncertain. It was borrowed early for the third Earthly Branch and the Tiger sign, and its modern form is a conventionalized shape.
Under a roof 宀, a tiger stretches out its body (the 田-like middle) and paws (the lower 八). Picture a tiger resting indoors during the hour of the Tiger (3–5 AM).
For イン, imagine an inn where a tiger is staying: inn -> イン, and the tiger rests under the roof 宀.
the Tiger (third sign of the Chinese zodiac)
northeast
Fire Tiger (3rd term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1926, 1986, 2046)
Water Tiger (39th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1962, 2022, 2082)
hour of the Tiger (around 4am, 3-5am, or 4-6am)
year of the Tiger
day of the Tiger
year of the Tiger
being born in the year of the Tiger; person born in the year of the Tiger
Metal Tiger (27th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1950, 2010, 2070)
Earth Tiger (15th term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1938, 1998, 2058)
Wood Tiger (51st term of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1914, 1974, 2034)