初
初九。履校滅趾、无咎。
Feet shackled, toes harmed—no blame. Early restraint prevents worse trouble.
䷔
Hexagram 21
Biting Through (火雷噬嗑)
Karai-zeigō / Shì Hé
Like biting through a tough shell, you must break obstacles decisively and fairly.
Judgment
噬嗑。亨。利用獄。
Biting through. Success. Suitable for legal action.
Firm action removes blocks; justice and clarity are required.
Line-by-Line (Yao)
Interpretations if the line changes.
二
六二。噬膚、滅鼻、无咎。
Biting into skin hurts the nose—no blame. Painful but minor cut gets through.
三
六三。噬腊肉、遇毒、小吝、无咎。
Biting tough meat finds poison—small shame, no blame. Difficult task with hidden risk.
四
九四。噬乾胏、得金矢、利艱貞、吉。
Biting dried gristle yields a metal arrow. Beneficial to face difficulty uprightly—good fortune.
五
六五。噬乾肉、得黄金、貞厲、无咎。
Biting dried meat gains yellow gold. Upright yet dangerous—no blame if cautious.
上
上九。何校滅耳、凶。
Heavy fetters crush the ears—misfortune. Excessive punishment deafens.
Practical Reading: Love, Career, Health & Decisions
When you cast Hexagram 21, Shì Hé (Biting Through), the Book of Changes shows you a situation with Li (Fire) above and Zhen (Thunder) below. Like biting through a tough shell, you must break obstacles decisively and fairly. Use the cards below to map that pattern onto your specific question — a love reading, a career decision, a health concern, or a yes/no choice.
Love & Relationships
Clarify and resolve what hinders the relationship. In a love or relationship reading, Hexagram 21 (Shì Hé) describes the meeting point of Li (fire) above and Zhen (thunder) below: how the outer situation meets your inner state. Ask whether you are forcing the relationship to fit a picture, or letting it move at the rhythm this hexagram suggests. For a partnered question, read the changing lines to see which side — yours or the other person's — is being asked to shift.
Work & Career
Tackle problems head-on with decisive fairness. In work and career, Shì Hé points to whether the outer market or workplace (Li (fire)) and your inner stance (Zhen (thunder)) are in alignment. If a project, negotiation, or job change is the question, ask what this hexagram says about timing rather than effort: pushing harder rarely changes a Shì Hé situation; reading the configuration usually does.
Health & Wellbeing
Cut harmful habits or roots of illness firmly. For a body or wellness reading, treat the lines of Hexagram 21 as descriptions of phases, not diagnoses. Shì Hé usually signals where energy needs to be conserved versus where it is asking to be expressed. Combine the hexagram's advice with concrete medical guidance — the I Ching is a reflective tool, not a substitute for professional care.
Decision-Making
When the question is a yes/no — should I take the offer, move, leave, commit? — read Hexagram 21 (Shì Hé, Biting Through) as a statement about the configuration of your situation rather than the outcome. The summary "Like biting through a tough shell, you must break obstacles decisively and fairly." is your starting frame. Ask: does this action respect that configuration, or fight it? Changing lines, if any, tell you which specific aspect needs to bend.
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