English · BaZi Glossary

The Twelve Earthly Branches (十二支)

The twelve Earthly Branches (地支) — 子 丑 寅 卯 辰 巳 午 未 申 酉 戌 亥 — are the second cycle of BaZi, paired with the ten Heavenly Stems to mark every year, month, day, and hour. Each Branch carries a Chinese-zodiac animal, one of the Five Elements with a yin or yang polarity, a season, and a two-hour slot of the day. In a chart the Branches sit beneath the Stems as the roots that store and support the elements above them, and they interact through Six Combinations (六合) and Clashes (沖).

• Zi 子 (Rat, Yang Water) Midnight and deep winter — the Rat, Yang Water.
• Chou 丑 (Ox, Yin Earth) The hours before dawn — the Ox, Yin Earth.
• Yin 寅 (Tiger, Yang Wood) Daybreak and early spring — the Tiger, Yang Wood.
• Mao 卯 (Rabbit, Yin Wood) Morning and mid-spring — the Rabbit, Yin Wood.
• Chen 辰 (Dragon, Yang Earth) Late spring — the Dragon, Yang Earth.
• Si 巳 (Snake, Yin Fire) Late morning and early summer — the Snake, Yin Fire.
• Wu 午 (Horse, Yang Fire) High noon and midsummer — the Horse, Yang Fire.
• Wei 未 (Goat, Yin Earth) Early afternoon and late summer — the Goat, Yin Earth.
• Shen 申 (Monkey, Yang Metal) Late afternoon and early autumn — the Monkey, Yang Metal.
• You 酉 (Rooster, Yin Metal) Evening and mid-autumn — the Rooster, Yin Metal.
• Xu 戌 (Dog, Yang Earth) Early evening and late autumn — the Dog, Yang Earth.
• Hai 亥 (Pig, Yin Water) Night and early winter — the Pig, Yin Water.