What a branch contains
Where a Heavenly Stem is pure and sky-like, an Earthly Branch is rich and earthy: it stores energy. Each branch has a main element, a "hidden" collection of stems inside it (藏干), a zodiac animal, a month and a two-hour clock slot. When a chart says you were born in the "year of the Horse", it is reading your Year Branch.
The branches in detail
| Branch | Animal | Element | Month & hours | Hidden stems | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 子 | Rat | Water | Dec · 23:00–01:00 | 癸 | Sharp, quick, resourceful; winter's depth. |
| 丑 | Ox | Earth | Jan · 01:00–03:00 | 己癸辛 | Steady, methodical, patient; frozen earth that keeps a hidden stream. |
| 寅 | Tiger | Wood | Feb · 03:00–05:00 | 甲丙戊 | Brave, pioneering; spring bursting through the ground. |
| 卯 | Rabbit | Wood | Mar · 05:00–07:00 | 乙 | Gentle, graceful, perceptive; full spring. |
| 辰 | Dragon | Earth | Apr · 07:00–09:00 | 戊乙癸 | Grand, visionary; the awakening thunder of late spring. |
| 巳 | Snake | Fire | May · 09:00–11:00 | 丙庚戊 | Wise, private, strategic; the first heat. |
| 午 | Horse | Fire | Jun · 11:00–13:00 | 丁己 | Free, passionate, fast; midsummer sun at its peak. |
| 未 | Goat | Earth | Jul · 13:00–15:00 | 己丁乙 | Gentle, artistic, caring; warm earth holding summer's fire. |
| 申 | Monkey | Metal | Aug · 15:00–17:00 | 庚壬戊 | Clever, inventive, agile; autumn beginning to cut. |
| 酉 | Rooster | Metal | Sep · 17:00–19:00 | 辛 | Precise, disciplined, bright; full autumn metal. |
| 戌 | Dog | Earth | Oct · 19:00–21:00 | 戊辛丁 | Loyal, honest, protective; the earth storehouse of autumn. |
| 亥 | Pig | Water | Nov · 21:00–23:00 | 壬甲 | Easy-going, generous, deep; the quiet flood before winter. |
Hidden stems: why the branches count double
When BaZi counts your five elements, each branch's hidden stems are weighed in as well — usually at half strength. A Horse branch (午) is not "just Fire": it also hides a touch of Earth (己), which is why two charts can look alike yet balance differently. Most online calculators, including ours, do this automatically.
Compatibility: how branches get along
Readers check three classic relationships between branches — the same ones behind yearly horoscopes:
- Trinities (三合): 申子辰 make Water (Monkey·Rat·Dragon), 寅午戌 make Fire (Tiger·Horse·Dog), 巳酉丑 make Metal (Snake·Rooster·Ox), 亥卯未 make Wood (Pig·Rabbit·Goat). Signs in the same trinity are natural teammates.
- Secret unions (六合): 子丑, 寅亥, 卯戌, 辰酉, 巳申, 午未 — six marriage-like pairs that calm each other. This is why Horse and Goat pair warmly, and Rat and Ox do too.
- Clashes (冲): 子午, 丑未, 寅申, 卯酉, 辰戌, 巳亥 — opposite points of the wheel. In a year of your clash branch, expect movement, friction and change.
Earthly branches relationships table
| Relation | Pairs / groups | Meaning in a chart |
|---|---|---|
| Trinity 三合 (alliances) | 申子辰 Water · 寅午戌 Fire · 巳酉丑 Metal · 亥卯未 Wood | Natural teammates; three branches combining into one element. |
| Secret union 六合 | 子丑 · 寅亥 · 卯戌 · 辰酉 · 巳申 · 午未 | Gentle, stabilizing attraction; a supportive two-branch bond. |
| Clash 六冲 | 子午 · 丑未 · 寅申 · 卯酉 · 辰戌 · 巳亥 | Opposite poles; movement, change and friction when activated. |
Branch = hour, too
Each branch guards a two-hour slot of the day. Your Hour Branch is the slot you were born in: 23:00–01:00 is 子 (Rat) hour, 11:00–13:00 is 午 (Horse) hour, and so on. Note the day is counted to start at 23:00, so a birth at 23:40 already belongs to the next day's chart in most schools.
Quick questions
What are the 12 Earthly Branches?
子丑寅卯辰巳午未申酉戌亥 — Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai. Each carries a zodiac animal, element, season, two-hour slot and hidden stems.
What are hidden stems (cang gan)?
Stems stored inside each branch, usually counted at reduced strength. A Horse branch (午) is mainly Fire but also hides a touch of Earth, which shifts the five-element balance.
Which branches form trinities, unions and clashes?
Trinities: 申子辰 / 寅午戌 / 巳酉丑 / 亥卯未. Secret unions: 子丑 · 寅亥 · 卯戌 · 辰酉 · 巳申 · 午未. Six clashes: 子午 · 丑未 · 寅申 · 卯酉 · 辰戌 · 巳亥.