丙(へい)

へい

noun

third (in a ranking); C grade

formal

1. third (in a series), C (in a grading system)

The third of the ten Heavenly Stems (天干), used as an ordinal marker meaning 'third' in traditional ranking systems. Equivalent to 'C' in Western A/B/C grading. Part of the sequence 甲 (A) → 乙 (B) → 丙 (C).

成績(せいせき)は丙(へい)だった。

The grade was C.

甲(こう)・乙(おつ)・丙(へい)の順(じゅん)に評価(ひょうか)される。

They are rated in order of A, B, and C.

契約書(けいやくしょ)では甲(こう)が売主(うりぬし)、乙(おつ)が買主(かいぬし)、丙(へい)が仲介者(ちゅうかいしゃ)を指(さ)す。

In the contract, Party A is the seller, Party B is the buyer, and Party C is the intermediary.

Usage

Part of the traditional ranking sequence: 甲(こう) (first/A), 乙(おつ) (second/B), 丙(へい) (third/C). Used in legal documents to label parties, in old grading systems, and in traditional contexts. Less common in modern everyday use, where A/B/C or numerical grades are preferred.

Cultural note

丙(へい) is the third of the 十干(じっかん) (Ten Heavenly Stems): 甲(こう)、乙(おつ)、丙(へい)、丁(てい)、戊(ぼ)、己(き)、庚(こう)、辛(しん)、壬(じん)、癸(き).

Common collocations

甲(こう)乙(おつ)丙(へい): A, B, C (ranking series)
丙(へい)種(しゅ): C-class, third category

general

Added 2026.3.20 10:10 · Revised 2026.10.18 9:52

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