乾

1. Cosmological: The generative, active principle of the universe; initiative and the force that establishes patterns or initiates movement.

2. Entities: The Trigram ☰ or Hexagram ䷀.

3. Social/Relational: The seat of authority, specifically the father, ruler, or head.

4. Physical: Dry or desiccated.

1. Noun: Used as a proper name for "The Creative" or specific I Ching figures.

2. Descriptor: Indicates qualities of sustained momentum and strength.

3. Vector: Describes the impulse of an action, such as the drive toward realization or the pressing of life into motion.

1. Binary Opposition: Conceptually paired with 坤 (Kūn), the receptive/earthy principle; where 乾 initiates and leads, 坤 receives and sustains.

2. Lexical Overlap: Shares deep semantic and graphical overlap with 干 (gān) in the sense of "dry."

1. Variants: Semantic variants U+4E79, U+4E81; traditional variant U+4E7E; simplified variant U+5E72.

2. Readings: Fanqie 古寒 渠焉; Tang-period reconstruction //ghyɛn ghyɛn gɑn//.

1. Imagery: Associated with hardness, purity, and vigor. Common symbols include metal, jade, ice, roundness (representing heaven), and the horse (representing vitality).

2. Nuance of Strength: The term is characterized by a lack of internal yielding. While typically denoting generative vigor and leadership, in contexts discussing the failure of power or excess, it may indicate rigidity or "brute pressure."