Hexagram 43 · Breakthrough

夬 · Guài

Hexagram 43, Breakthrough (夬, Guài), is one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes). It is formed by Heaven below and Lake above. Its judgment reads, in the Chinese original: “扬于王庭，孚号有厉；告自邑，不利即戎，利有攸往。”. In the classical tradition this hexagram is associated with breakthrough and resoluteness, without violence. This page collects its structure, judgment, Image and six line texts for cultural study.

Structure

Lower trigram: Heaven (乾) — creative strength and initiative
Upper trigram: Lake (兑) — joy and open exchange
Symbol: ䷪ · Name: 夬 (Guài) · Number: 43 of 64

Judgment (Chinese original)

The Image (Chinese original)

The Six Lines (Chinese original)

1. Bottom line (yang) (初九)
   壮于前趾，往不胜为咎。
   The Image says: “不胜”而“往”，咎也。
2. 九二 (九二)
   惕号，莫夜有戎，勿恤。
   The Image says: “有戎”“勿恤”，得中道也。
3. 九三 (九三)
   壮于頄，有凶。君子夬夬独行，遇雨若濡，有愠无咎。
   The Image says: “君子夬夬”，终无咎也。
4. 九四 (九四)
   臀无肤，其行次且；牵羊悔亡，闻言不信。
   The Image says: “其行次且”，位不当也；“闻言不信”，聪不明也。
5. 九五 (九五)
   苋陆夬夬，中行无咎。
   The Image says: “中行无咎”，中未光也。
6. Top line (yin) (上六)
   无号，终有凶。
   The Image says: “无号”之“凶”，终不可长也。

FAQ

What is I Ching Hexagram 43?

Hexagram 43 is Breakthrough (夬, Guài), one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching. It is formed by Heaven below and Lake above, and belongs to the classical Chinese textual tradition.

What is the judgment of Breakthrough?

The judgment of Breakthrough reads, in the Chinese original: “扬于王庭，孚号有厉；告自邑，不利即戎，利有攸往。”. Its Great Image reads: “泽上于天，夬。君子以施禄及下，居德则忌。”. Translations vary by edition; the judgment and the Image are the core texts for understanding the hexagram.

What does Breakthrough symbolize?

In the classical tradition, Breakthrough is associated with breakthrough and resoluteness, without violence. It is studied as cultural symbolism — a lens for reflection — not as a prediction of fortune or future events.