卯
ボウ, モウ, う, あきら, しげる, い

sign of the hare or rabbit, 5-7AM, fourth sign of Chinese zodiac, east

JLPT1 G13 S0 F2400

The relevant oracle bone form of this character is a depiction of a door or window with a bar aimed at preventing forced entry. A second oracle bone form omits the horizontal line to indicate that force has been exerted on the bar in bending and removing it → door or window the protective bar of which has been bent. The second form described came to be written 卯, and 卯 now conveys the sense of the first one as well. *Rabbit* (as the *fourth sign of the Chinese zodiac*), *east*, and *5- 7 A.M.* are borrowed meanings. The modern ON pronunciations of most derivatives of 卯 are the result of initial M- transforming to L- via the intermediary cluster ML-.

[Full Kanji Etymology List]