丙 bǐng third

源How it came to be

A stand with spread legs and a flat top, seen from the front. Borrowed early to count off the third of the ten day signs, so the stand shows only in the oldest forms.

用How it is used

• The 3rd heavenly stem, used to mean 'C / third' in ordered lists - 甲乙丙 = A B C, 丙级 (bǐngjí) grade C.
• Appears in dates and grading rather than in everyday vocabulary; no independent 'meaning' beyond its ordinal slot.

字Characters built with 丙

• 病 disease
• 柄 handle