Hexagram 21 Shì Kè (噬嗑): Biting Through, Meaning and Six Lines
The twenty-first hexagram of the I Ching: Thunder beneath Fire, cutting through what stands in the way. Judgement, six lines, moving lines and a careful reading of Biting Through.
Key points
| Number | 21 of 64 (King Wen sequence) |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 噬嗑 (Shì Kè) |
| Approximate pronunciation | shuh kuh |
| French name (tradition followed here) | Shi He, mordre au travers (Biting Through) |
| Lower trigram (inner) | Zhen, Thunder |
| Upper trigram (outer) | Li, Fire |
| Lines, bottom to top | yang / yin / yin / yang / yin / yang |
| Twin hexagram | No. 22, Bi (grace), Grace |
Hexagram 21: Shì Kè (噬嗑), name and composition
Hexagram 21 is titled “Biting Through”. The character evokes a piece of food stuck in the mouth that must be bitten through to close the jaw. The image is that of an obstacle separating two things, which must be cut through. The name is read “Shi He” in Wilhelm’s romanisation and “Shi Ke” in standard pinyin: the character 嗑 is read kè or hé.
Hexagram 21 is written 噬嗑 and transcribed Shì Kè in pinyin; it is pronounced roughly “shuh kuh”. It is made of two trigrams stacked on top of each other: below, inside, Zhen (Thunder); above, outside, Li (Fire). The overall image is therefore Fire above Thunder.
The six lines, from bottom to top, are: yang (solid), yin (broken), yin (broken), yang (solid), yin (broken), yang (solid). In the King Wen sequence it forms a pair with hexagram 22 (Bi, Grace), which is the same figure turned upside down.
The judgement in brief
The judgement is favourable: success is at hand, and it is advantageous to seek justice. The obstacle is dealt with through clarity and firmness.
General meaning
Thunder lies beneath Fire: crashing sound and brilliance. The six lines form an open mouth: solid lines at the bottom and top like jaws, broken lines in the middle, and one solid line, the fourth, like the obstacle between the teeth. The image is that of justice, which joins clarity (fire) and firmness (thunder). For a person or a group, the hexagram speaks of what must be cut through so that two things can come together: a misunderstanding, a rule, an open question.
It is not about punishment for its own sake. The lines alternate between light and heavy penalties according to the seriousness of the matter, the balance between firmness and leniency, and the danger of obstinacy. For a real dispute, a legal professional remains the right person to consult.
The six lines, one by one
The lines are counted from bottom to top. Below, in our own words, is the image the ancient text attaches to each one; the last column gives the hexagram obtained if that line alone is moving.
| Line | Nature | Summarised image | If it is moving |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | yang (solid) | Feet caught in the stocks, toes disappearing: a light penalty at the start, to avoid a graver fault. | No. 35 (Jin) |
| 2 | yin (broken) | Biting into tender flesh until the nose disappears: an easy treatment that goes slightly too far, without fault. | No. 38 (Kui) |
| 3 | yin (broken) | Biting dried meat and encountering poison: an older and harder matter, slight distress. | No. 30 (Li) |
| 4 | yang (solid) | Biting a dried bone and finding metal arrows: a hard matter, in which persevering with uprightness is good. | No. 27 (Yi, Nourishment) |
| 5 | yin (broken) | Biting dried meat and finding yellow gold: persevere, while keeping in mind the danger. | No. 25 (Wu Wang) |
| 6 | yang (solid) | The neck caught in the cangue, the ears disappearing: obstinacy that listens to nothing leads to misfortune. | No. 51 (Zhen) |
Moving lines
A moving line is a line that the casting marks as unstable: you read its own text, then it changes into its opposite, which gives a second hexagram, read as the direction the situation is taking. A moving yang line is called “nine”, a moving yin line “six”. Without a moving line, you keep to the general judgement.
For Shi He, a moving line places the seriousness of what you must cut through: a light correction, an excess of zeal, an old matter, a difficult case where one must remain upright, a case where one keeps a clear head, or the danger of an obstinacy that no longer listens.
A modern reading, with care
Today, Shi He is often read in relation to an obstacle to be removed in a relationship, a team or a project: a conversation to have, a point to settle. A careful reading keeps the idea of acting with clarity and firmness, but without excess. It does not say that the obstacle will give way, only that it calls for being dealt with.
Questions for reflection
- Which specific obstacle separates two things I would like to bring together?
- Am I in clarity (fire) and in firmness (thunder)?
- Is my response proportionate to the real seriousness of the matter?
- What do I refuse to hear, like the one in the last line?
Mistakes to avoid
- Reacting out of all proportion to a small obstacle.
- Ignoring an old problem that will come back.
- Looking here for legal advice: the I Ching does not provide it.
- Clinging to one’s position without listening to anyone.
Names, translations and a reminder
The French name “Shi He, mordre au travers” follows one translation tradition among others. Other translations speak of “Biting and Breaking”, of the Bite or of Punishment; “Shi He” is Wilhelm’s romanisation, “Shi Ke” the current pinyin. Compare two translations if you can.
A reminder: the I Ching is a book of wisdom and divination, consulted as a tool for reflection, never as a prediction; it does not replace medical, legal, financial or safety advice. This page summarises the text in our own words.
Frequently asked questions
What does hexagram 21 of the I Ching mean?
It is the hexagram of the obstacle to be cut through: something is stuck between two others and must be bitten through. It is read as an invitation to settle a question with clarity and firmness.
Shi He or Shi Ke: which reading is correct?
The character 嗑 is read kè or hé. Wilhelm writes Shih Ho, while current pinyin gives Shì Kè. These are two readings of the same hexagram.
Does this hexagram deal with justice in the legal sense?
It uses images of ancient justice (shackles, the cangue), but it is mainly read as a metaphor. For a real dispute, consult a legal professional.
What are the trigrams of hexagram 21?
Zhen (Thunder) below, inside, and Li (Fire) above, outside.
What is the twin hexagram of number 21?
Number 22, Bi (grace), Grace. In the King Wen sequence, hexagrams come in pairs, the second being the same figure turned upside down.
Also read
The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to The 64 hexagrams of the Yi King.