kǎn 坎
Kan (The Water Symbol)
“八卦”之一，画为“
”。“坎”又为“六十四卦”之一，由两个三画的“坎”卦组成，画为“
”。在“八卦”系统中，“坎”卦的基本象征意义是水，有润泽万物之义。又因水流存于洼陷之处，而有陷泥、凶险之义。“坎”卦由一个阳爻和两个阴爻组成，属于阳卦，在人伦领域象征男性。“坎”卦中的阳爻居于中位，故象征家中诸子中居长幼之间者。
Kan (坎) is one of the eight trigrams, represented by the diagram 
. It is also one of the 64 hexagrams and composed of two trigrams like this 
. Kan symbolizes water, which moistens all things on earth. Since water always flows toward or deposits in a lower place, it also implies mire or danger. The symbol is composed of one unbroken line and two broken lines. It is considered a yang trigram and symbolizes the male. With the unbroken line in the middle, it also represents the middle son of a family.
引例 Citations：
◎坎，陷也。（《周易·说卦》）
（坎，意为陷泥。）
Kan means mire. (The Book of Changes)
◎水洊（jiàn）至，习坎。君子以常德行，习教事。（《周易·象上》）
（水相继而至，是重重坎陷。君子处此而始终保持德行，熟习教化之事。）
When water flows down continuously and stops, mires appear. In an environment like this, a man of virtue should always maintain ethical integrity and cultivate moral standards. (The Book of Changes)