昃Write it with a brush

Origin of the character

The character '昃' denotes the time when the sun declines and evening comes. Though hard to find directly in oracle-bone or bronze inscriptions, by the small-seal stage it appears as a combination of '日' (sun) and '仄,' which carries the sense of leaning or being narrow. This figuratively renders the sun tilting from the very center of the sky toward the west, coming to mean afternoon or evening.

How it is built

昃 = 日 (sun) + 仄 (to lean / to be narrow)

'昃' combines '日,' which symbolizes the sun, with '仄,' meaning leaning or slanting, to mean "the sun declines," that is, "afternoon" or "evening." '仄' originally figuratively rendered the image of a person leaning aslant against a hill, carrying the sense of slanting or narrow. Thus, combined with '日,' it is a character that delicately expresses the temporal flow of the sun departing from its zenith and declining. The character '側 (side)' likewise combines '人 (person)' and '仄' to mean "the side where a person stands aslant."

In its line

The sun and moon wax and wane.

Line 3 of 250 in the Thousand Character Classic.

Words with this character

• 日昃之勞일측지노

  Meaning "the toil at the sun's decline," it refers to the hard labor or exertion as the day's work draws to a close. It is mainly used to emphasize effort poured out throughout the whole day.

• 日昃不食일측불식

  Meaning "not eating after the sun has declined," it chiefly signifies fasting or a disciplined diet, mainly in Buddhism or Taoism. It is also regarded as one method of practice toward enlightenment.

After writing

"The sun declines" often serves as a metaphor for a period of decay after one's prime has passed. Mencius said "日中則昃, 月盈則食" — when the sun reaches noon it declines, and when the moon is full it wanes — invoking the natural principle to explain the flourishing and decline of all things. This emphasizes that the noble person must not grow complacent in a moment of prosperity but must always be vigilant of change.Confucian Thought

As you drew each stroke slowly, did a moment from today come to mind?