Hexagram 12 · Standstill

否 · Pǐ

Hexagram 12, Standstill (否, Pǐ), is one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes). It is formed by Earth below and Heaven above. Its judgment reads, in the Chinese original: “否之匪人，不利君子贞，大往小来。”. In the classical tradition this hexagram is associated with stagnation and blocked communication. This page collects its structure, judgment, Image and six line texts for cultural study.

Structure

Lower trigram: Earth (坤) — receptivity and support
Upper trigram: Heaven (乾) — creative strength and initiative
Symbol: ䷋ · Name: 否 (Pǐ) · Number: 12 of 64

Judgment (Chinese original)

The Image (Chinese original)

The Six Lines (Chinese original)

1. Bottom line (yin) (初六)
   拔茅茹，以其汇，贞吉，亨。
   The Image says: “拔茅”“贞吉”，志在君也。
2. 六二 (六二)
   包承，小人吉。大人否，亨。
   The Image says: “大人否，亨”，不乱群也。
3. 六三 (六三)
   包羞。
   The Image says: “包羞”，位不当也。
4. 九四 (九四)
   有命无咎，畴离祉。
   The Image says: “有命无咎”，志行也。
5. 九五 (九五)
   休否，大人吉；其亡其亡，系于苞桑。
   The Image says: “大人”之“吉”，位正当也。
6. Top line (yang) (上九)
   倾否，先否后喜。
   The Image says: 否终则倾，何可长也？

FAQ

What is I Ching Hexagram 12?

Hexagram 12 is Standstill (否, Pǐ), one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is formed by Earth below and Heaven above, and belongs to the classical Chinese textual tradition.

What is the judgment of Standstill?

The judgment of Standstill reads, in the Chinese original: “否之匪人，不利君子贞，大往小来。”. Its Great Image reads: “天地不交，否。君子以俭德辟难，不可荣以禄。”. Translations vary by edition; the judgment and the Image are the core texts for understanding the hexagram.

What does Standstill symbolize?

In the classical tradition, Standstill is associated with stagnation and blocked communication. It is studied as cultural symbolism — a lens for reflection — not as a prediction of fortune or future events.