The Twelve Earthly Branches Beyond Your Birth Year
While widely known as the twelve zodiac animals, the Earthly Branches are structural timekeepers that appear across the Year, Month, Day, and Hour columns.
If you have ever wondered why the same animal can show up more than once in your chart, begin with the starter links below. They explain how the twelve-part cycle divides the solar year into seasonal months and the civil day into two-hour watches, and why a single branch is only the bottom half of a pillar rather than a whole reading.
Once the structural framework is clear, explore the twelve individual branch guides in the full list below, running from Zi (Rat) at midnight to Hai (Pig) at the close of the cycle. Each article examines the branch's principal element, its seasonal or hourly role, and how its meaning shifts depending on which column it occupies.
Where to Start
The twelve Earthly Branches: why your zodiac animal appears more than once
You probably know your birth-year animal from a paper placemat or a New Year greeting. In BaZi, that twelve-part cycle also tracks the month, day, and two-hour window of your birth.
02子 Zǐ, the Rat Branch: Midnight, Water and the First Turn of the Cycle
Most people know the Rat as a birth-year animal. In BaZi, 子 Zǐ is the opening Earthly Branch, marking the midnight hour, the Water phase and the quiet start of a cycle.
03辰 Chén, the Dragon Branch: Morning Hours, Earth, and Spring Transitions
The Dragon is the most famous figure in the Chinese zodiac, yet in a BaZi chart, 辰 (Chén) is a unit of time and Earth rather than a costume you wear for a year.
All Articles in This Guide
Twelve branches子 Zǐ, the Rat Branch: Midnight, Water and the First Turn of the Cycle
Most people know the Rat as a birth-year animal. In BaZi, 子 Zǐ is the opening Earthly Branch, marking the midnight hour, the Water phase and the quiet start of a cycle.
Twelve branches丑 Chǒu (The Ox Branch): Quiet Ground and the 1 a.m. Watch
Known from the Year of the Ox, 丑 Chǒu is the second Earthly Branch. In a BaZi chart, it marks an Earth phase, the 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. watch, and quiet preparation before visible change.
Twelve branches寅 Yín, the Tiger Branch: Pre-Dawn Hours and Early Wood
Known widely as the Tiger in the twelve-animal cycle, 寅 (Yín) is the third Earthly Branch. In a BaZi chart, it marks early-morning hours, the start of the solar year's first month, and the Wood phase.
Twelve branches卯 Mǎo, the Rabbit Branch: Early Hours, Wood and the Fourth Step
In a Chinese birth chart, the Rabbit is more than a birth year. As the fourth Earthly Branch, 卯 Mǎo tracks early morning hours, seasonal transitions and the Wood phase across all four columns.
Twelve branches辰 Chén, the Dragon Branch: Morning Hours, Earth, and Spring Transitions
The Dragon is the most famous figure in the Chinese zodiac, yet in a BaZi chart, 辰 (Chén) is a unit of time and Earth rather than a costume you wear for a year.
Twelve branches巳 Sì, the Snake Branch: Morning Heat and the Sixth Step
In a Chinese placement placemat, the Snake is a birth year. In a four-pillar BaZi chart, 巳 Sì is a structural time marker that belongs as much to late morning as to any animal.
Twelve branches午 Wǔ, the Horse Branch: High Noon in the Four Pillars
You might know the Horse as a birth-year sign, yet in a BaZi chart, 午 Wǔ also marks the midday hours, a seasonal shift, and a distinct pulse of Fire.
Twelve branches未 Wèi, the Goat Branch: Afternoon Hours, Earth Phase, and Column Context
Spotting the Goat in a BaZi chart tells you much more than a birth year. Depending on the column it occupies, 未 Wèi marks a seasonal juncture, an afternoon window, or a steady dose of Earth.
Twelve branches申 Shēn, the Monkey Branch: Late Afternoon, Metal, and Turning a Corner
Most people meet the Monkey on a birth-year menu, but in BaZi 申 Shēn is a recurring time marker tied to Metal, late-afternoon hours, and the habit of refining a plan in motion.
Twelve branches酉 Yǒu (the Rooster): Metal, Late Afternoon, and the Tenth Branch
The Rooster on a placemat is only one column of a BaZi chart. Meet 酉 Yǒu, the tenth Earthly Branch, its Metal phase, and its 17:00 to 19:00 watch.
Twelve branches戌 Xū, the Dog Branch: Evening Earth and the Eleventh Watch
Most people know the Dog as a birth-year animal on a placemat. In a BaZi chart, 戌 Xū is the eleventh Earthly Branch: an Earth character that marks the evening watch and the turn toward rest.
Twelve branches亥 Hài, the Pig Branch: Closing the Twelve-Part Cycle
Known from the zodiac as the Pig, 亥 Hài is the twelfth Earthly Branch. In a full BaZi chart, it marks late-night hours, early winter, and the Water phase across four distinct columns.
Look Up Your Own Four Pillars
Generate your free BaZi chart right in your browser to see your Day Master and eight visible characters with no sign-up required.
Open Free Calculator