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Chinese zodiac compatibility
Pick two animals to see how tradition matches them, from the best friends of 三合 to the clash of 六冲, and how to say it in Chinese.
How your signs match
The compatibility chart
Find your animal down the side and theirs along the top; tap a mark to open the pair. ★ best ♥ secret friends = same △ harm ✕ clash
| 鼠Rat | 牛Ox | 虎Tiger | 兔Rabbit | 龙Dragon | 蛇Snake | 马Horse | 羊Goat | 猴Monkey | 鸡Rooster | 狗Dog | 猪Pig | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鼠 Rat | = | ♥ | · | · | ★ | · | ✕ | △ | ★ | · | · | · |
| 牛 Ox | ♥ | = | · | · | · | ★ | △ | ✕ | · | ★ | · | · |
| 虎 Tiger | · | · | = | · | · | △ | ★ | · | ✕ | · | ★ | ♥ |
| 兔 Rabbit | · | · | · | = | △ | · | · | ★ | · | ✕ | ♥ | ★ |
| 龙 Dragon | ★ | · | · | △ | = | · | · | · | ★ | ♥ | ✕ | · |
| 蛇 Snake | · | ★ | △ | · | · | = | · | · | ♥ | ★ | · | ✕ |
| 马 Horse | ✕ | △ | ★ | · | · | · | = | ♥ | · | · | ★ | · |
| 羊 Goat | △ | ✕ | · | ★ | · | · | ♥ | = | · | · | · | ★ |
| 猴 Monkey | ★ | · | ✕ | · | ★ | ♥ | · | · | = | · | · | △ |
| 鸡 Rooster | · | ★ | · | ✕ | ♥ | ★ | · | · | · | = | △ | · |
| 狗 Dog | · | · | ★ | ♥ | ✕ | · | ★ | · | · | △ | = | · |
| 猪 Pig | · | · | ♥ | ★ | · | ✕ | · | ★ | △ | · | · | = |
The three harmonies, 三合
Four years apart: tradition’s best matches.
- 鼠 龙 猴 Rat, Dragon, Monkey
- 牛 蛇 鸡 Ox, Snake, Rooster
- 虎 马 狗 Tiger, Horse, Dog
- 兔 羊 猪 Rabbit, Goat, Pig
The secret friends, 六合
Six pairs said to complete each other.
- 鼠 牛 Rat, Ox
- 虎 猪 Tiger, Pig
- 兔 狗 Rabbit, Dog
- 龙 鸡 Dragon, Rooster
- 蛇 猴 Snake, Monkey
- 马 羊 Horse, Goat
The clashes, 六冲
Six years apart, opposite on the wheel.
- 鼠 马 Rat, Horse
- 牛 羊 Ox, Goat
- 虎 猴 Tiger, Monkey
- 兔 鸡 Rabbit, Rooster
- 龙 狗 Dragon, Dog
- 蛇 猪 Snake, Pig
The harms, 六害
Six pairs said to wear on each other.
- 鼠 羊 Rat, Goat
- 牛 马 Ox, Horse
- 虎 蛇 Tiger, Snake
- 兔 龙 Rabbit, Dragon
- 猴 猪 Monkey, Pig
- 鸡 狗 Rooster, Dog
Now read them in a real story
Saying it in Chinese
Your sign is your 属相 . Ask 你属什么？ and answer 我属龙 . Getting on well is 合得来 , a good match 很配 , and signs that clash 相冲 .
Questions
Which Chinese zodiac signs are most compatible?
Tradition’s best matches are the three harmonies, 三合 (sān hé), four years apart: Rat, Dragon and Monkey; Ox, Snake and Rooster; Tiger, Horse and Dog; Rabbit, Goat and Pig. Next come the six secret friends, 六合 (liù hé): Rat and Ox, Tiger and Pig, Rabbit and Dog, Dragon and Rooster, Snake and Monkey, Horse and Goat.
Which Chinese zodiac signs are not compatible?
The clash, 六冲 (liù chōng), is the animal six years away, opposite on the wheel: Rat and Horse, Ox and Goat, Tiger and Monkey, Rabbit and Rooster, Dragon and Dog, Snake and Pig. Milder are the six harms, 六害 (liù hài): Rat and Goat, Ox and Horse, Tiger and Snake, Rabbit and Dragon, Monkey and Pig, Rooster and Dog.
How do I find my Chinese zodiac sign?
From your birth year, counted from Chinese New Year, which falls between 21 January and 20 February. Someone born in January or early February belongs to the year before: born on 1 February 1990, you are a Horse, but born on 20 January 1990, a Snake. Our zodiac finder works it out from your exact birthday.
How do you ask someone’s sign in Chinese?
你属什么？ (nǐ shǔ shénme?), “what do you belong to?”, and answer 我属龙 (wǒ shǔ lóng), “I am a Dragon”. Your sign is your 属相 (shǔxiang) or 生肖 (shēngxiào). To say you get on well, 我们很合得来 (wǒmen hěn hé de lái); if your signs clash, 我们的属相相冲 (wǒmen de shǔxiang xiāng chōng).
Do Chinese couples really check zodiac compatibility?
Some do, mostly older generations and matchmakers. Before a wedding, families once compared the couple’s birth dates and hours, 八字 (bāzì), with a fortune-teller, called 合八字 (hé bāzì), and a clashing pair might be warned off. Today most people treat it as fun or small talk, though a grandparent may still ask your sign.
What tradition says, for fun: the classical pairings, not a forecast.