The Twelve Earthly Branches and the Zodiac Animals
The earthly branches (地支) divide the energy of the earth into twelve characters. The twelve zodiac animals are the branches — and the same twelve also mark the months of the year and the hours of the day. The lower four of your eight characters are branches.
The twelve branches at a glance
| Branch | Sign | Element | Yin/Yang | Month (solar terms) | Hours | Hidden stems |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 子 Zi | Rat | Water | Yang | Dec (Major Snow – Minor Cold) | 23–01 | 壬 癸 |
| 丑 Chou | Ox | Earth | Yin | Jan (Minor Cold – Lichun) | 01–03 | 癸 辛 己 |
| 寅 Yin | Tiger | Wood | Yang | Feb (Lichun – Awakening of Insects) | 03–05 | 戊 丙 甲 |
| 卯 Mao | Rabbit | Wood | Yin | Mar (– Clear and Bright) | 05–07 | 甲 乙 |
| 辰 Chen | Dragon | Earth | Yang | Apr (– Start of Summer) | 07–09 | 乙 癸 戊 |
| 巳 Si | Snake | Fire | Yin | May (– Grain in Ear) | 09–11 | 戊 庚 丙 |
| 午 Wu | Horse | Fire | Yang | Jun (– Minor Heat) | 11–13 | 丙 己 丁 |
| 未 Wei | Goat | Earth | Yin | Jul (– Start of Autumn) | 13–15 | 丁 乙 己 |
| 申 Shen | Monkey | Metal | Yang | Aug (– White Dew) | 15–17 | 戊 壬 庚 |
| 酉 You | Rooster | Metal | Yin | Sep (– Cold Dew) | 17–19 | 庚 辛 |
| 戌 Xu | Dog | Earth | Yang | Oct (– Start of Winter) | 19–21 | 辛 丁 戊 |
| 亥 Hai | Pig | Water | Yin | Nov (– Major Snow) | 21–23 | 戊 甲 壬 |
Months here are saju months, divided at the solar terms rather than by the lunar calendar; each starts early in the Western month shown. Hours are approximate clock times. In the real calculation, the hour follows local solar time at your birthplace, which can differ from the clock by an hour or more — the engine corrects for your city's longitude, time zone and daylight saving time.
Your sign changes at Lichun, not on January 1
This confuses many people. In saju a year begins neither on January 1 nor at Lunar New Year, but at Lichun, the Start of Spring (around February 4). If you were born in January or early February, your sign may belong to the previous year.
| Born | Year pillar | Sign |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 20, 1990 | 己巳 | Snake (still 1989's energy) |
| Feb 10, 1990 | 庚午 | Horse |
| Feb 3, 1995 | 甲戌 | Dog (before Lichun) |
| Feb 5, 1995 | 乙亥 | Pig |
These were calculated with this site's almanac (Korea time). If you were born on the day of Lichun itself, the exact minute of the solar term matters.
Hidden stems: the energy inside each branch
A branch shows one element on the surface, but holds two or three stems inside. These are the hidden stems (地藏干). 寅 (Tiger) looks like Wood, but holds 戊 (Earth), 丙 (Fire) and 甲 (Wood) — the seed of summer's fire already inside the start of spring.
The last hidden stem is the main qi, the most representative energy, and it sets the branch's Ten God. Counting hidden stems also brings element totals closer to their real strength. An element that is absent on the surface but present in a hidden stem is said to "have a root".
Three groups of branches
| Group | Branches | Nature | Related star |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting (生地) | 寅 申 巳 亥 | Where a season begins: movement and new starts | Travelling Horse (moves, change) |
| Peak (旺地) | 子 午 卯 酉 | A season at its fullest: pure, strong energy | Peach Blossom (charm, popularity) |
| Storage (庫地) | 辰 戌 丑 未 | A season ends and energy is stored: mixed energies | Canopy (focus, art, spirituality) |
So a chart with many starting branches moves and changes often; many peak branches give a vivid, magnetic temperament; many storage branches give depth and many sides. See symbolic stars.
Relations between branches
Branches attract and collide. These are the relations used most in compatibility and timing.
| Relation | Pairs | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Six Harmony | 子丑 · 寅亥 · 卯戌 · 辰酉 · 巳申 · 午未 | Pairs that bind well: connection, cooperation |
| Three Harmony | 申子辰 (Water) · 亥卯未 (Wood) · 寅午戌 (Fire) · 巳酉丑 (Metal) | Three branches gather into one element's great strength |
| Seasonal combination | 寅卯辰 (Wood) · 巳午未 (Fire) · 申酉戌 (Metal) · 亥子丑 (Water) | Three branches of the same season gather |
| Clash | 子午 · 丑未 · 寅申 · 卯酉 · 辰戌 · 巳亥 | Opposites collide: change, moves, conflict |
| Punishment | 寅巳申 · 丑戌未 · 子卯 · 辰辰 午午 酉酉 亥亥 | Harming each other: friction, paperwork, health issues |
| Wonjin | 子未 · 丑午 · 寅酉 · 卯申 · 辰亥 · 巳戌 | Resentment and hurt for no clear reason |
For example, Horse (午) clashes with Rat (子), forms Six Harmony with Goat (未) and Wonjin with Ox (丑). But compatibility is never decided by signs alone: real compatibility looks at the day branch and all eight characters. See combinations and clashes and compatibility.
Traditional traits of the signs
| Sign | Traditional temperament |
|---|---|
| Rat (子) | Clever and quick to read situations; catches chances. Quiet outside, busy inside. |
| Ox (丑) | Diligent and patient builder. Looks slow but sees things through. |
| Tiger (寅) | Brave and driven; first into anything new. |
| Rabbit (卯) | Gentle with fine senses; puts people at ease. |
| Dragon (辰) | Big ambitions and presence; holds many talents. |
| Snake (巳) | Deep thinking and accurate judgement; moves once prepared. |
| Horse (午) | Lively and free; runs with passion but bores easily. |
| Goat (未) | Mild with an artistic sense; deeply considerate. |
| Monkey (申) | Many talents and quick wits; adapts fast to change. |
| Rooster (酉) | Meticulous with clear standards; values a clean finish. |
| Dog (戌) | Loyal and dependable; keeps the bonds it makes. |
| Pig (亥) | Generous and honest; has room to share good fortune. |
Your sign is only one of eight characters (the year branch). The character that shows you best is your Day Master; take the sign's traits lightly. See the 2027 zodiac forecast.
A branch means different things in each pillar
| Position | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Year branch (sign) | Ancestors, childhood, the first impression you give in society |
| Month branch | Parents, siblings, work and living environment. It is your birth season, so it sways the strength of the whole chart |
| Day branch | Your inner self and the seat of your partner |
| Hour branch | Children, later life and what you produce |
So when a year's branch clashes with your day branch, close relationships or home tend to change; when it clashes with your month branch, work and environment do.
FAQ
Can I use my lunar birthday for my sign? Folk custom often counts signs from Lunar New Year, but saju counts from Lichun. If you were born between the two, they can differ.
What if I was born between 11 pm and 1 am? Schools differ on whether the hour before midnight belongs to that day or the next. The default here treats the whole 子 hour as the next day.
Are mismatched signs bad for a relationship? Sign compatibility looks at one character only. Real compatibility includes the Day Masters, day-branch combinations and clashes, and the elements each person needs.
Enter your date of birth to see this in your own chart — free, and nothing is stored.
See the branches and hidden stems in my chart