Hexagram 21 噬嗑, Line 4
噬嗑
Hexagram 21 · fourth line, undivided (nine)
噬乾胏，得金矢，利艱貞，吉。
The fourth line, undivided, shows one gnawing the flesh dried on the bone, and getting the pledges of money and arrows. It will be advantageous to him to realise the difficulty of his task and be firm,—in which case there will be good fortune.
James Legge (1882), public domain.
Small image (小象)
利艱貞吉，未光也。
If only this line changes, hexagram 21 becomes hexagram 27.
← Hexagram 21 噬嗑: judgment and all lines
Character glossary
- 噬shìto bite, to gnaw; to snap at
- 乾gānarid, dry; to fertilize; to penetrate; h
- 胏zǐmeat
- 得déto obtain, to get, to acquire; suitable,
- 金jīngold, metal; money
- 矢shǐarrow, dart; to vow, to swear
- 利lìgains, advantage, profit, merit
- 艱jiāndifficult, hard; hardship
- 貞zhēnvirtuous, chaste, pure; loyal
- 吉jílucky, propitious, good
- 未wèinot yet; 8th terrestrial branch
- 光guānglight; bright, brilliant; only, merely
- 也yěalso, too
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.