閏 (rùn)

intercalary; extra, surplus

Etymology

Depicts a king (王) in a doorway (門), as part of a ceremony marking the beginning of the extra month sometimes inserted into the lunar calendar.

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“閏,餘分之月,五歲再閏。告朔之禮,天子居宗廟,閏月居門中。从王在門中。《周禮》曰:‘閏月王居門中,終月也。’”

Components