Glossary
I Ching terms, in plain language.
Every term below carries its original Chinese, a one-line definition, and the authoritative reference it draws on. We keep the vocabulary consistent across all 64 hexagram readings so the language stays precise. The technical najia layer stays beneath the surface — see the methodology for how that works.
The book
What the I Ching is
- I Ching (Yijing)易經
The ancient Chinese divination classic: 64 hexagrams with judgments and line statements, later layered with the Ten Wings commentaries.
Legge 1882 · Wilhelm 1924
- Zhouyi周易
The core Zhou-dynasty layer of the I Ching — the 64 hexagrams plus judgment and line texts, before the Ten Wings commentaries were added.
ctext.org
Structure
How a hexagram is built
- Hexagram卦
A figure of six stacked lines (each yin or yang); the I Ching has 64 of them.
Legge 1882 · Wilhelm 1924
- Trigram卦 (三爻)
A figure of three stacked lines; the eight trigrams combine in pairs to form the 64 hexagrams.
Legge 1882 · Wilhelm 1924
- Yang line (solid line)陽爻
A solid line (-----), the firm/active line of a hexagram.
Wilhelm 1924
- Yin line (broken line)陰爻
A broken line (-- --), the receptive/yielding line of a hexagram.
Wilhelm 1924
- Moving line (changing line)動爻 / 變爻
A line marked by the cast as changing into its opposite, transforming the primary hexagram into a second one. YiGram's user-facing term is "moving line".
Wilhelm 1924
- Primary hexagram本卦
The hexagram as first cast, before any moving lines change.
Bushi Zhengzong
- Transformed hexagram變卦 / 之卦
The second hexagram produced after the moving lines change; read as the situation's next phase.
Bushi Zhengzong
- King Wen sequence文王卦序
The traditional 1–64 ordering of the hexagrams attributed to King Wen of Zhou.
Legge 1882
Text & commentary
The classical layers
- Judgment (hexagram statement)卦辭
The short oracular text attached to a whole hexagram. Wilhelm renders it "Das Urteil".
Legge 1882 · Wilhelm 1924
- Line statement (line text)爻辭
The oracular text attached to an individual line of a hexagram.
Legge 1882 · Wilhelm 1924
- The Image象 (大象)
The commentary giving each hexagram a natural image and a "the superior person therefore…" posture. From the Xiang Zhuan wing.
Wilhelm 1924 · Ten Wings
- Commentary on the Judgment (Tuan Zhuan)彖傳
One of the Ten Wings: explains why each hexagram's Judgment reads as it does.
Ten Wings · ctext.org
- Commentary on the Image (Xiang Zhuan)象傳
One of the Ten Wings: gives the Image text for each hexagram and each line.
Ten Wings · ctext.org
- Ten Wings十翼
The seven classical commentaries (in ten sections) appended to the Zhouyi, including the Tuan, Xiang, and Great Treatise.
Ten Wings · Wilhelm 1924
The eight trigrams
The three-line figures that pair into the 64
- Qian — The Creative (Heaven)乾
Trigram of three solid lines; pure yang; attribute strong/creative; image Heaven.
Wilhelm 1924 · Legge 1882
- Kun — The Receptive (Earth)坤
Trigram of three broken lines; pure yin; attribute yielding/devoted; image Earth.
Wilhelm 1924 · Legge 1882
- Zhen — The Arousing (Thunder)震
Trigram with one yang line below two yin; attribute movement/arousing; image Thunder.
Wilhelm 1924
- Xun — The Gentle (Wind, Wood)巽
Trigram with one yin line below two yang; attribute penetrating/gentle; image Wind / Wood.
Wilhelm 1924
- Kan — The Abysmal (Water)坎
Trigram with one yang line between two yin; attribute danger/the abyss; image Water.
Wilhelm 1924
- Li — The Clinging (Fire)離
Trigram with one yin line between two yang; attribute clinging/clarity; image Fire.
Wilhelm 1924
- Gen — Keeping Still (Mountain)艮
Trigram with one yang line above two yin; attribute stillness/stopping; image Mountain.
Wilhelm 1924
- Dui — The Joyous (Lake)兌
Trigram with one yin line above two yang; attribute joy/openness; image Lake / Marsh.
Wilhelm 1924
Casting
How a reading is drawn
- Three-coin method三錢法 (擲錢法)
Casting a hexagram by tossing three coins six times. YiGram preserves the true 6=1/8, 7=3/8, 8=3/8, 9=1/8 distribution.
Bushi Zhengzong