Chinese ZodiacCompatibility
Pick your sign and your partner's, or type two birth years, to see how your Chinese zodiac animals match in love, marriage, friendship and work. The best matches share a triangle of affinity (三合 sānhé) or form a secret-friend pair (六合 liùhé); signs six years apart clash (六冲 liùchōng).
Don't know your animal? Find your Chinese zodiac sign.
Chinese Zodiac Compatibility Chart
Find your animal in the left column and read across. Click any square for the full reading of that pair.
| 鼠Rat | 牛Ox | 虎Tiger | 兔Rabbit | 龙Dragon | 蛇Snake | 马Horse | 羊Goat | 猴Monkey | 鸡Rooster | 狗Dog | 猪Pig | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rat 鼠 | ||||||||||||
| Ox 牛 | ||||||||||||
| Tiger 虎 | ||||||||||||
| Rabbit 兔 | ||||||||||||
| Dragon 龙 | ||||||||||||
| Snake 蛇 | ||||||||||||
| Horse 马 | ||||||||||||
| Goat 羊 | ||||||||||||
| Monkey 猴 | ||||||||||||
| Rooster 鸡 | ||||||||||||
| Dog 狗 | ||||||||||||
| Pig 猪 |
How Chinese Zodiac Compatibility Works
Each animal stands for one of the twelve Earthly Branches (地支 dìzhī). Classical Chinese astrology names a handful of relations between branches, and those relations decide which signs match.
Three Harmonies 三合 sānhé
Both signs sit in the same "triangle of affinity", four years apart. They share core values and pull in the same direction, so cooperation comes easily.
Rat · Dragon · Monkey 鼠龙猴
Ox · Snake · Rooster 牛蛇鸡
Tiger · Horse · Dog 虎马狗
Rabbit · Goat · Pig 兔羊猪
Six Harmonies 六合 liùhé
These are "secret friends": each sign quietly supplies what the other lacks, which is why Chinese matchmakers rate these pairs the most natural partnership of all.
Six Clashes 六冲 liùchōng
The two signs stand six years apart, directly opposite each other on the zodiac wheel. Their instincts point in opposite directions, so the pair needs real effort to work.
Six Harms 六害 liùhài
Not open conflict, but small misunderstandings and hurt feelings that build up over time if nobody talks about them.
Punishment 相刑 xiāngxíng
The signs tend to test and pressure each other, so the relationship can feel demanding even when both mean well.
Best and Worst Match for Each Sign
| Sign | Best matches | Clashes |
|---|---|---|
| 🐀 Rat 鼠 | , , | , |
| 🐂 Ox 牛 | , , | , , |
| 🐅 Tiger 虎 | , , | , |
| 🐇 Rabbit 兔 | , , | , |
| 🐉 Dragon 龙 | , , | , |
| 🐍 Snake 蛇 | , , | , |
| 🐎 Horse 马 | , , | , |
| 🐐 Goat 羊 | , , | , |
| 🐒 Monkey 猴 | , , | , |
| 🐓 Rooster 鸡 | , , | , |
| 🐕 Dog 狗 | , , | , , |
| 🐖 Pig 猪 | , , | , |
Learn the 12 zodiac animals in Chinese
Ask “你属什么？” (Nǐ shǔ shénme? — “What's your sign?”) and understand the answer. The Twelve Animals Within teaches each animal's character, pronunciation and everyday expressions with native audio and pinyin practice.
Start learning freeFrequently Asked Questions
How does Chinese zodiac compatibility work?
Chinese zodiac compatibility compares the animals of two birth years. Signs in the same "triangle of affinity" (三合 sānhé) or in one of the six "secret friend" pairs (六合 liùhé) are the best matches. Signs six years apart clash (六冲 liùchōng), and the "harm" (六害 liùhài) and "punishment" (相刑 xiāngxíng) pairs bring friction.
Which Chinese zodiac signs are most compatible?
The four triangles of affinity are Rat–Dragon–Monkey, Ox–Snake–Rooster, Tiger–Horse–Dog and Rabbit–Goat–Pig. The six secret-friend pairs are Rat–Ox, Tiger–Pig, Rabbit–Dog, Dragon–Rooster, Snake–Monkey and Horse–Goat.
Which Chinese zodiac signs are not compatible?
The six clashing pairs, six years apart, are the hardest matches: Rat–Horse, Ox–Goat, Tiger–Monkey, Rabbit–Rooster, Dragon–Dog and Snake–Pig.
How do I find my Chinese zodiac sign for compatibility?
Your sign is the animal of the lunar year you were born in. Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 20, so if you were born in January or early February you may belong to the previous year’s animal. The Chinese zodiac calculator applies that cutoff for you.
Is zodiac compatibility used for marriage in China?
Traditionally, yes. Matching a couple’s signs before a wedding is called 合婚 (héhūn), and some families still ask about it. Most people today treat it as a fun conversation topic rather than a rule.