The four compatibility trines
Animals four apart on the cycle form a trine — a natural alliance of signs that think and move alike. These are the strongest matches in Chinese astrology.
🐀 🐉 🐒 Rat · Dragon · Monkey
Best matched — ambitious, energetic, and quick-thinking.
🐂 🐍 🐓 Ox · Snake · Rooster
Best matched — steady, determined, and detail-driven.
🐅 🐎 🐕 Tiger · Horse · Dog
Best matched — independent, idealistic, and warm.
🐇 🐐 🐖 Rabbit · Goat · Pig
Best matched — gentle, artistic, and harmony-seeking.
The six clash pairs
Animals directly opposite each other (six apart) traditionally clash — not doomed, but the pairing that asks for the most compromise.
Find your animal
Not sure which animal you are? See all twelve on the Chinese zodiac signs & meanings page, then read your animal's full profile:
Traditional Chinese astrology associations (San He trines and clash pairs), offered as an interest-and-belief framework. See our editorial policy.