Celestial stem

The Heavenly Stems are part of the Chinese calendar. Each year, a heavenly stem is assigned. There are " ten heavenly stems " (Chinese天干, Pinyin tiāngān or十 干, Shigan; jap jikkan, dt " ten tribes "). These are a combination of the five phases and yin and yang, here in Japan as a younger brother to (弟) and older brother e (兄) refers. Combined with the twelve Erdzweigen (地支, dizhi ) yield the heavenly stems the 60 - cycle of the Chinese calendar.

Since the on- kō readings and ki are ambiguous, the Kun - readings are used in the rule.

In the Chinese language the nomenclature for simple organic compounds is largely based on the Heavenly Stems system. The Heavenly Stems are used in today's use instead of the alphabet to be numbered things, eg in medicine ( infectious hepatitis甲型肝炎, jiǎxíng ganyan; hepatitis B:乙型肝炎, yǐxíng ganyan, Hepatitis C:丙型 肝炎, bǐngxíng ganyan; rare for blood groups of the AB0 system or vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K). Furthermore, they are also used to school classes, sports leagues or competition classes consecutively (Division A, B, C) or alternating interlocutor eg indicate in a play script as a spokesperson or spokesman (甲speaks乙respond).

For practical application, the heavenly stems are, for example acupuncture.