The kanji 丑 primarily represents the second of the twelve Earthly Branches (地支), which are used in the traditional Chinese and East Asian zodiac and timekeeping systems. It corresponds to the hour of 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM and is associated with the ox (牛). It can also symbolize the early morning or the beginning of something.

・On-yomi (音読み): チュウ (chuu) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): うし (ushi) - ox

⚫︎ 丑年 Translation: The year of the ox (in the Chinese zodiac). ⚫︎ 丑の刻 Translation: The hour of the ox; referring to the hours of 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM. ⚫︎ 丑三つ時 Translation: About 2:00 AM (specifically, the third of the four divisions within the hour of the ox).

The kanji 丑 is pictographic in origin. It is believed to represent the hand of a person and the shape represents the curved shape of a person's hand. In ancient times, the Earthly Branches were used to record the passage of time and seasons. Over time, the character became associated with the second Earthly Branch and the ox.