Also known as "Defeat." After a baby is born, it needs to wash away impurities; when new things first appear, they are very imperfect. "Mu Yu (沐浴)" is a metaphor and does not literally mean taking a bath. It refers to the qi of the Heavenly Stems (天干) of the Five Elements beginning to rise lightly after formation. To what extent does it rise? It just separates from the earth and has not yet ascended, a kind of "ground-level qi." This qi is easily reabsorbed by the earth, being merely "tender qi" with little resistance. In terms of life, the Mu Yu state is when a person receives education, first comes into contact with human affairs, and is easily misled. Mishandling this can lead to life's failures.

Generally speaking, people with Mu Yu in their Ba Zi (八字) tend to act on intuition and regret their actions afterward. They do not get along well with their fathers and have traits of independence, leaving home, wandering, and change. They possess various talents but cannot focus on developing one thing for long. Men are prone to entanglements with the opposite sex. If there are two Mu Yu in the Ba Zi, they are often oppressed by the opposite sex. Women with two Mu Yu are usually beautiful, capable, and can effectively control their partners.