Hexagram 47: Exhaustion
Hexagram 47, Kun (Exhaustion): resources feel drained and words carry little weight, so the focus turns to inner resilience, patience, and quiet integrity.
- Name
- Kun
- Upper trigram
- Lake
- Lower trigram
- Water
The judgment
This is a time of feeling hemmed in and worn down. Efforts seem to go unnoticed, and words may not be believed. Yet a steady person can still find a way through, because their strength comes from within. Speak less, keep your integrity, and hold on to your sense of purpose. Hard periods like this one tend to deepen character.
The image
The lake has no water; it has drained away below. A thoughtful person, finding themselves in such a dry place, is willing to stake a great deal on what they believe in, staying faithful to their purpose even when conditions are harsh.
What it means for you
Kun tends to appear when you feel tired, stuck, or underappreciated. Perhaps you have been giving a lot without much return, or your explanations seem to fall on deaf ears. The hexagram acknowledges how difficult this can be. It does not suggest that you are failing. Instead, it suggests that outer circumstances are tight while inner resources still matter. In such times, actions speak more clearly than arguments. Staying calm, keeping your word, and protecting your energy can carry you through. It may also help to rest and refill where you can, through quiet time, nature, or people who understand you. In a reading today, ask yourself what keeps you going when nothing outside seems to cooperate.
In love
In love, Kun can reflect a tired or strained phase, when one or both people feel unheard. Rather than arguing louder, focus on small acts that show care. Avoid making big decisions while worn out. Seek support from friends, and give the relationship gentle room to recover its energy.
Work and money
Professionally, this hexagram may describe limited resources, low recognition, or a draining environment. Keep doing honest work, avoid complaining loudly, and protect your boundaries. If the strain continues, quietly consider what changes would let you use your skills more fully.
With changing lines
With changing lines, Kun often reveals where the exhaustion comes from, such as poor choices of company, clinging to comfort, or misplaced trust. Some lines suggest that a turning point is near. The new hexagram may show how the pressure tends to ease.
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Questions people ask
Is Hexagram 47 a bad sign?
It describes a hard season, but it is not a judgment of you. Kun reflects pressure, tiredness, and limited support, while emphasizing that inner steadiness can carry you through. Many readers find it validating, because it names the strain honestly and offers a path of patience and integrity.
How is Hexagram 47 different from Kun, Hexagram 2?
They share a pinyin spelling but are written with different characters and tones. Hexagram 2 is Kun, the Receptive, pure earth and yielding strength. Hexagram 47 is Kun meaning oppression or exhaustion, shown as a lake whose water has drained away. The meanings are quite different.