亥(い)

い
noun
boar; twelfth sign of the zodiac
animal-generalculture
1. boar; twelfth sign of the zodiac
The twelfth and final sign of the twelve-year East Asian zodiac cycle, represented in Japan by the wild boar. Used mainly to label zodiac years, and traditionally also certain hours and directions in classical astrology.
今年(ことし)は亥(い)年(どし)だ。
This year is the year of the boar.
亥(い)は十二支(じゅうにし)の最後(さいご)の動物(どうぶつ)だ。
The boar is the last animal in the zodiac cycle.
亥(い)年(どし)生(う)まれの人(ひと)は一途(いちず)で働(はたら)き者(もの)だと言(い)われている。
People born in the year of the boar are said to be single-minded and hard-working.

亥(い) is the twelfth and final sign of the East Asian zodiac cycle, represented in Japan by the wild boar (猪(いのしし)).

Usage

Mainly appears in the fixed form 亥(い)年(どし) (year of the boar) and in the zodiac sequence itself; it is rarely used alone outside these contexts.

Cultural note

In China and other countries that share this zodiac cycle, the same sign is represented by a domestic pig (豚(ぶた)) rather than a wild boar, a difference that sometimes surprises learners.

Common collocations

  • 亥(い)年(どし): year of the boar
  • 亥(い)の方角(ほうがく): the boar direction (north-northwest, in classical usage)

Related Words

Related: 十二支(じゅうにし) (the twelve zodiac animals)
Related: 干支(えと) (zodiac cycle)
Related: 猪(いのしし) (wild boar)
Compare: 豚(ぶた) (pig (Chinese zodiac equivalent))
general
Added 2026.9.14 21:46 · Revised 2026.9.14 21:54
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