Chinese zodiac compatibility is one of the most popular uses of the animal signs — and the one most often presented as a verdict. The traditional system does have clear categories: three harmonies, six harmonies, six clashes and six harms. What it does not have is evidence that a birth year can predict how two people will treat each other.
Compare two signs
Choose any two animals. The tool returns the traditional category and a plain-language explanation. It is the same rule set used in the full chart below.
The full compatibility chart
“Best” here means the two other signs in the same three-harmony group. “Supportive” is the six-harmony secret friend. “Difficult” is the traditional clash. Neutral pairs are not listed; they are neither endorsed nor condemned.
| Sign | Best matches | Supportive | Clash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rat鼠 | Dragon · Monkey | Ox | Horse |
| Ox牛 | Snake · Rooster | Rat | Goat |
| Tiger虎 | Horse · Dog | Pig | Monkey |
| Rabbit兔 | Goat · Pig | Dog | Rooster |
| Dragon龙 | Rat · Monkey | Rooster | Dog |
| Snake蛇 | Rooster · Ox | Monkey | Pig |
| Horse马 | Tiger · Dog | Goat | Rat |
| Goat羊 | Rabbit · Pig | Horse | Ox |
| Monkey猴 | Rat · Dragon | Snake | Tiger |
| Rooster鸡 | Ox · Snake | Dragon | Rabbit |
| Dog狗 | Tiger · Horse | Rabbit | Dragon |
| Pig猪 | Rabbit · Goat | Tiger | Snake |
| Sign | 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 | S | H | · | · | T | · | C | M | T | · | · | · |
| 牛Ox | H | S | · | · | · | T | M | C | · | T | · | · |
| 虎Tiger | · | · | S | · | · | M | T | · | C | · | T | H |
| 兔Rabbit | · | · | · | S | M | · | · | T | · | C | H | T |
| 龙Dragon | T | · | · | M | S | · | · | · | T | H | C | · |
| 蛇Snake | · | T | M | · | · | S | · | · | H | T | · | C |
| 马Horse | C | M | T | · | · | · | S | H | · | · | T | · |
| 羊Goat | M | C | · | T | · | · | H | S | · | · | · | T |
| 猴Monkey | T | · | C | · | T | H | · | · | S | · | · | M |
| 鸡Rooster | · | T | · | C | H | T | · | · | · | S | M | · |
| 狗Dog | · | · | T | H | C | · | T | · | · | M | S | · |
| 猪Pig | · | · | H | T | · | C | · | T | M | · | · | S |
The table is symmetric: if the Rat's best matches include the Dragon, the Dragon's include the Rat. The same applies to clashes and harms.
How the traditional rules work
The compatibility system is built from relationships between the 12 earthly branches. The animal names are a memory aid; the technical layer is the branches. Each category describes a different kind of tension or support.
Three harmonies: the natural allies
The 12 animals divide into four groups of three, each spaced four positions apart on the wheel. These are the three harmonies (三合, sānhé). They are the closest thing in the system to “best matches.”
Six harmonies: the secret friends
Six pairs form the six harmonies (六合, liùhé), often translated as “secret friends.” These are read as supportive, complementary matches — the person who covers what you lack.
| Pair | Pair | Pair |
|---|---|---|
| Rat + Ox | Tiger + Pig | Rabbit + Dog |
| Dragon + Rooster | Snake + Monkey | Horse + Goat |
Six clashes: the opposites
The clashes (冲, chōng) sit six positions apart on the wheel. They are the pairs most often called “worst matches.” Traditional readings describe difference, friction and sometimes strong attraction.
Six harms: the small frictions
The harms (害, hài) are a subtler category, associated with misunderstandings and quiet resentment rather than open conflict. They are often left out of popular compatibility tables.
What compatibility cannot tell you
The animal chart is one layer of a much larger system. A full bazi reading uses the year, month, day and hour pillars, the five elements, and the relationships among them. Even within Chinese astrology, two people with a “clash” can have a workable relationship, and two with a “harmony” can be miserable.
Outside the system, the evidence is clear: birth year does not predict relationship quality. Communication, shared values, safety, consent and how people handle conflict matter far more. A folk category can be a prompt for conversation. It should not be used to reject a partner, justify abuse or make a decision you would otherwise make differently.
Source note
The three-harmony, six-harmony, clash and harm categories are standard in Chinese astrology and are widely tabulated in popular guides. The category names and pairings here follow the conventional earthly-branch relationships.
For the calendar and year boundaries used alongside the chart, see the Hong Kong Observatory's Gregorian–Lunar Calendar Conversion Table.
Compatibility is presented as traditional culture, not as a scientific or therapeutic claim. See About & sources for the editorial policy.
Common questions
What is the best match for each Chinese zodiac sign?
The traditional “best” matches are the three-harmony groups: Rat, Dragon and Monkey; Ox, Snake and Rooster; Tiger, Horse and Dog; and Rabbit, Goat and Pig. Each sign is also paired with a six-harmony “secret friend”: Rat–Ox, Tiger–Pig, Rabbit–Dog, Dragon–Rooster, Snake–Monkey and Horse–Goat.
Which Chinese zodiac signs clash?
The six traditional clashes are Rat–Horse, Ox–Goat, Tiger–Monkey, Rabbit–Rooster, Dragon–Dog and Snake–Pig. A clash is a folk category, not proof that two people cannot get along.
Is Chinese zodiac compatibility accurate?
There is no scientific evidence that birth year determines relationship success. The categories are cultural conventions with a long history. They can be a fun conversation starter, but they should not override communication, values, safety or consent.
What does “secret friend” mean?
A secret friend is a six-harmony pair: Rat–Ox, Tiger–Pig, Rabbit–Dog, Dragon–Rooster, Snake–Monkey or Horse–Goat. Traditional readings describe these pairs as mutually supportive, often covering each other's weak spots.
Can two people with the same sign be compatible?
In the traditional system, same-sign pairs are neither a headline harmony nor a clash. They share a frame of reference, which can bring understanding and also competition. Real compatibility depends on the people, not just the label.
Does the five element change compatibility?
Yes, in fuller Chinese astrology. A practitioner may compare the elements of both birth years, the day pillars and other factors. The animal-only chart on this page is the popular layer, not a complete bazi reading.