The hexagram looks like an open mouth with something stuck between the teeth. Shi He is about removing an obstacle that blocks union, by biting through it. It calls for decisive, clear and fair action: deal with the problem directly, with the energy of thunder and the clarity of lightning, but in proportion to the offense.
Judgment
噬嗑：亨。利用獄。
Biting through: success. Favorable to apply the law.
Image
雷電噬嗑；先王以明罰敕法。
Thunder and lightning: biting through. Taking this as a model, the former kings clarified penalties and set the laws in order.
- Removing obstacles
- Decisive action
- Fairness and justice
- Clarity of consequences
- Confronting problems
- decisiveness
- justice
- obstacle
- clarity
- consequences
- resolve
- An obstacle that blocks connection must be dealt with directly.
- Clear rules and fair consequences prevent bigger problems.
- Be firm, but proportionate.
The six lines
Lines are numbered from the bottom. In a reading, only the lines that are changing apply to your cast.
Line 1Nine at the beginning 初九
Line text
屨校滅趾，无咎。
Feet locked in stocks, toes out of sight. No blame.
A first, minor wrongdoing meets a mild, immediate consequence. Early correction prevents greater problems; it is a lesson, not a disaster.
- Early correction
- Light consequences
- Ignoring a first warning
- Changing course after a small setback
Line 2Six in the second place 六二
Line text
噬膚滅鼻，无咎。
Biting into soft flesh, the nose disappears. No blame.
The problem is easy to address, and you may go a bit too far in your zeal. Since the cause is just, there is no blame.
- Easy but zealous action
- Justified firmness
- Overreacting to an easy case
- Dealing with a problem swiftly
Line 3Six in the third place 六三
Line text
噬腊肉，遇毒；小吝，无咎。
Biting into dried meat, one hits something poisonous. Slight regret, no blame.
Tackling an old, entrenched problem without full authority stirs up resentment. It's unpleasant, but the action is necessary and not wrong.
- Old, tough problems
- Resistance and resentment
- Underestimating an old problem
- Necessary action despite discomfort
Line 4Nine in the fourth place 九四
Line text
噬乾胏，得金矢，利艱貞，吉。
Biting into dried meat on the bone, one finds a metal arrowhead. Favorable: steadfastness in hardship. Good fortune.
Powerful opposition must be overcome. Be as hard as metal and as straight as an arrow; perseverance through hardship brings success.
- Strong opposition
- Firm and straight
- Giving up when it gets hard
- Breaking through a formidable obstacle
Line 5Six in the fifth place 六五
Line text
噬乾肉，得黃金，貞厲，无咎。
Biting into dried meat, one finds yellow metal. Steadfastness in danger; no blame.
The case is difficult but clear, and you are inclined to be lenient. Hold to fairness, the golden mean, while staying aware of the responsibility you carry.
- Fair judgment
- Balance between severity and mercy
- Leniency that undermines justice
- A judgment that is firm and fair
Line 6Nine at the top 上九
Line text
何校滅耳，凶。
Wearing a wooden collar that hides the ears. Misfortune.
Someone who will not listen to warnings, and keeps going despite repeated consequences, ends in serious trouble. Deafness to correction is the real danger.
- Refusing to listen
- Escalating consequences
- Ignoring repeated warnings
- Listening before it is too late
Related hexagrams
Have a question on your mind?
Cast a readingChinese text: Zhouyi 周易 (received classical text). English rendering and notes: Site rendering. About our sources
Commentary
The figure resembles a mouth: firm lines at top and bottom, open lines in between, with a strong line in the fourth place like something caught between the jaws. Until it is bitten through, the mouth cannot close. The reading may suggest a situation stalled by a specific obstacle: a conflict, a dishonest person, a problem everyone has avoided.
Thunder brings energy, and lightning brings clarity. Together they stand for justice that is both decisive and transparent. The image emphasizes clear rules made known in advance. In relation to a question, Shi He may emphasize confronting what is in the way, setting firm boundaries and keeping responses fair and proportionate.