For example, the first of the Heavenly Stems, chia, symbolizes a plant's first shoot breaking through the soil; the Yang principle is contained within, yet is overlain by the Yin principle. Similarly the first of the Earthly Branches, tzu, means germination, and the last, hai, indicates the death-like stillness of winter hibernation.
例如天干第一位的「甲」，象徵草木破土萌芽，「陽」在內而被「陰」覆裹；同樣的，地支第一位的「子」是「孳生」的意思、而最後一位的「亥」則是「劾殺」，也就是一切進入冬蟄。