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Hexagram 43: Breakthrough
夬 · Guài
Break-through. One must resolutely make the matter known at the court of the king. It must be announced truthfully. Danger. It is necessary to notify one’s own city. It does not further one to resort to arms. It furthers one to undertake something.Judgment 卦辭
The lake rises over heaven: the image of Break-through. The superior man dispenses riches downward and refuses to rest on his virtue.Image 象辭
Core Meaning of Hexagram 43
Hexagram 43 is the decisive expulsion — five strong yang lines driving out the last dark one at the top. The negative influence, the corrupt element, the bad habit at court: its removal is necessary and near. The method is everything: truthfully proclaim the matter in the open court — transparency, not weapons; force of light, not violence. Resolute, but announced.
Hexagram 43 in a Reading
In a reading, confrontation is at hand — the thing to be eliminated is weak but entrenched and must be dealt with decisively. Do it openly: state the truth in the right forum, in daylight, without slander or arm-twisting. The danger named is real — evil cornered bites — so no vengeful overreach; disperse riches downward, share credit, and after the breakthrough, do not rest on virtue. Announce, act, and be generous.
Common Questions
What does hexagram 43 mean?
Hexagram 43 is the decisive expulsion — five strong yang lines driving out the last dark one at the top. Read the full meaning above, or cast your own reading with our free online I Ching coins.
What is the structure of hexagram 43?
Hexagram 43 is built from the trigram Lake above and Heaven below — binary 111110 read from the bottom line to the top. Breakthrough is King Wen number 43 of the 64 hexagrams.
Related Hexagrams
Other Hexagrams with Trigram Lake Above
Keywords: i ching hexagram 43, hexagram 43 meaning, breakthrough, guai, resoluteness, lake over heaven, decisive expulsion, the last stand of evil