Chinese zodiac · compatibility · Hong Life
Find your birth-year animal in the left column and your partner’s across the top. Green cells are traditional best matches (Six Harmony and Three Harmony), red and orange cells are clashes and friction pairs. It is a cultural tradition shared for entertainment.
| ↓ you / partner → | Rat | Ox | Tiger | Rabbit | Dragon | Snake | Horse | Goat | Monkey | Rooster | Dog | Pig |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | · | ♥♥ | · | ! | ♥ | · | ✕ | ! | ♥ | · | · | · |
| Ox | ♥♥ | · | · | · | · | ♥ | ! | ✕ | · | ♥ | ! | · |
| Tiger | · | · | · | · | · | ✕ | ♥ | · | ✕ | · | ♥ | ♥♥ |
| Rabbit | ! | · | · | · | ! | · | · | ♥ | · | ✕ | ♥♥ | ♥ |
| Dragon | ♥ | · | · | ! | · | · | · | · | ♥ | ♥♥ | ✕ | · |
| Snake | · | ♥ | ✕ | · | · | · | · | · | ♥ | ♥ | · | ✕ |
| Horse | ✕ | ! | ♥ | · | · | · | · | ♥♥ | · | · | ♥ | · |
| Goat | ! | ✕ | · | ♥ | · | · | ♥♥ | · | · | · | ! | ♥ |
| Monkey | ♥ | · | ✕ | · | ♥ | ♥ | · | · | · | · | · | ! |
| Rooster | · | ♥ | · | ✕ | ♥♥ | ♥ | · | · | · | · | ! | · |
| Dog | · | ! | ♥ | ♥♥ | ✕ | · | ♥ | ! | · | ! | · | · |
| Pig | · | · | ♥♥ | ♥ | · | ✕ | · | ♥ | ! | · | · | · |
The twelve earthly branches sit around a circle like a clock: Rat at north (midnight), Horse at south (noon). Compatibility rules come from their geometry and the elements they represent.
Six pairs that combine into a new element. Tradition calls them “secret friends” who support each other quietly: Rat–Ox, Tiger–Pig, Rabbit–Dog, Dragon–Rooster, Snake–Monkey, Horse–Goat.
Signs four places apart form a triangle with a shared element and similar goals:
Directly opposite signs have contrasting rhythms: Rat–Horse, Ox–Goat, Tiger–Monkey, Rabbit–Rooster, Dragon–Dog, Snake–Pig. Many traditions still see attraction in opposites; the advice is to negotiate rather than avoid.
Harm pairs (Rat–Goat, Ox–Horse, Tiger–Snake, Rabbit–Dragon, Monkey–Pig, Rooster–Dog) are said to cause slow friction. Punishment groups are Tiger–Snake–Monkey, Ox–Goat–Dog and Rat–Rabbit; Dragon, Horse, Rooster and Pig “punish themselves”, which tradition reads as being one’s own toughest critic.
Korean folk gunghap adds six wonjin pairs, believed to bring resentment: Rat–Goat, Ox–Horse, Tiger–Rooster, Rabbit–Monkey, Dragon–Pig, Snake–Dog. Rat–Goat and Ox–Horse appear in both the harm and wonjin lists.
| Sign | Best matches | Challenging matches |
|---|---|---|
| Rat | Ox, Dragon, Monkey | Rabbit, Horse, Goat |
| Ox | Rat, Snake, Rooster | Horse, Goat, Dog |
| Tiger | Horse, Dog, Pig | Snake, Monkey |
| Rabbit | Goat, Dog, Pig | Rat, Dragon, Rooster |
| Dragon | Rat, Monkey, Rooster | Rabbit, Dog |
| Snake | Ox, Monkey, Rooster | Tiger, Pig |
| Horse | Tiger, Goat, Dog | Rat, Ox |
| Goat | Rabbit, Horse, Pig | Rat, Ox, Dog |
| Monkey | Rat, Dragon, Snake | Tiger, Pig |
| Rooster | Ox, Dragon, Snake | Rabbit, Dog |
| Dog | Tiger, Rabbit, Horse | Ox, Dragon, Goat, Rooster |
| Pig | Tiger, Rabbit, Goat | Snake, Monkey |
Ratings combine the classical relations: Six Harmony = excellent, Three Harmony = very good, Clash or Harm+Punishment = most difficult, single Harm or Punishment = challenging, otherwise neutral.
Year-animal compatibility was traditionally a quick first filter, often used by matchmakers alongside family background. A Saju compatibility (gunghap) reading compares the day masters, the five-element balance of both charts and how the two charts’ branches combine. Two “clashing” year animals can have very harmonious day pillars, and vice versa. Use the chart for conversation and fun; use communication for the relationship.
Try the MBTI × Korean zodiac compatibility test or look up both of your birth years.
Tradition rates the Six Harmony pairs highest: Rat–Ox, Tiger–Pig, Rabbit–Dog, Dragon–Rooster, Snake–Monkey and Horse–Goat. The four Three Harmony trines (Rat–Dragon–Monkey, Ox–Snake–Rooster, Tiger–Horse–Dog, Rabbit–Goat–Pig) come next.
Signs six places apart clash: Rat–Horse, Ox–Goat, Tiger–Monkey, Rabbit–Rooster, Dragon–Dog and Snake–Pig.
Wonjin (원진) is a Korean folk pairing said to cause resentment: Rat–Goat, Ox–Horse, Tiger–Rooster, Rabbit–Monkey, Dragon–Pig and Snake–Dog.
No. It is a cultural tradition enjoyed for fun. Many happy couples are “clashing” signs, and Saju compatibility looks at the whole birth chart rather than the year animal alone.
Check the Lunar New Year date for your birth year on its year page; births before that date belong to the previous animal.
Enter both birth dates in the Saju calculator to see each person’s day master and element balance.
Open the free Korean Saju calculator →Everything on this page about personality, compatibility and luck is cultural tradition for entertainment.