Hexagram 54 歸妹, Line 4
歸妹
Hexagram 54 · fourth line, undivided (nine)
歸妹愆期，遲歸有時。
The fourth line, undivided, shows the younger sister who is to be married off protracting the time. She may be late in being married, but the time will come.
James Legge (1882), public domain.
Small image (小象)
愆期之志，有待而行也。
If only this line changes, hexagram 54 becomes hexagram 19.
← Hexagram 54 歸妹: judgment and all lines
Character glossary
- 歸guīto return, to go back; to return to, to
- 妹mèiyounger sister
- 愆qiānerror, fault, mistake, transgression
- 期qīa period of time; date, time; phase
- 遲chítardy, slow, late; to delay
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 時shítime, season; period, era, age
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 志zhìdetermination, will; mark, sign; to reco
- 待dàito entertain, to receive, to treat; to d
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 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.