Now Out: Essay 110 on 午 (noon) and 5 New-Monics

The 394th essay has posted! Essay 110 on 午 (noon; sign of the horse) is now available for purchase. Here's a preview:

See why 午 means both “noon” and “sign of the horse,” thanks to its role in a number system based on 12, not 10. (Jupiter inspired the system!) Learn to say, “first thing in the afternoon” and “I slept the whole afternoon away.” Find out about the Hour of the Horse, the Year of the Fire Horse (and its link to murderous wives), and the significance of the first Day of the Horse in February.

This is a departure from my usual focus on the junior high school kanji, and I will return to upper-level kanji next week. I wrote about 午 to fulfill someone's request. I must say that because it's such a basic and common kanji, I assumed there would be little for intermediate or advanced learners to gain from the material, but I was quite wrong! Nearly every kanji has its secrets, even the graphically simple characters! 

Also, Ulrike created the following new-monics (which are free!):

参 (490: to participate)
酢 (1300: vinegar)
惨 (1309: miserable)
飼 (1322: to have an animal)
雌 (1323: female)