The Chinese Earthly Branches
The Chinese Earthly Branches (地支, dì zhī, earth branch) are a system of twelve ordered symbols used within several Chinese date and time systems, in particular the zodiac, and an ancient timekeeping system for a 24-hour day split into 12 two-hour periods.
| Number | Earthy Branch | Animal (Chinese) | Animal (English) | Start Time | End Time | Trine | Fixed Element | Yin/Yang |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 子 zǐ | 鼠 shǔ | Rat | 11:00PM | 1:00AM | 1st | Water | Yang |
| 2 | 丑 chǒu | 牛 niú | Ox | 1:00AM | 3:00AM | 2nd | Earth | Yin |
| 3 | 寅 yín | 虎 hǔ | Tiger | 3:00AM | 5:00AM | 3rd | Wood | Yang |
| 4 | 卯 mǎo | 兔 tù | Rabbit | 5:00AM | 7:00AM | 4th | Wood | Yin |
| 5 | 辰 chén | 龍/龙 lóng | Dragon | 7:00AM | 9:00AM | 1st | Earth | Yang |
| 6 | 巳 sì | 蛇 shé | Snake | 9:00AM | 11:00AM | 2nd | Fire | Yin |
| 7 | 午 wǔ | 馬/马 mǎ | Horse | 11:00AM | 1:00PM | 3rd | Fire | Yang |
| 8 | 未 wèi | 羊 yáng | Goat | 1:00PM | 3:00PM | 4th | Earth | Yin |
| 9 | 申 shēn | 猴 hóu | Monkey | 3:00PM | 5:00PM | 1st | Metal | Yang |
| 10 | 酉 yǒu | 雞/鸡 jī | Rooster | 5:00PM | 7:00PM | 2nd | Metal | Yin |
| 11 | 戌 xū | 狗 gǒu | Dog | 7:00PM | 9:00PM | 3rd | Earth | Yang |
| 12 | 亥 hài | 豬/猪 zhū | Pig | 9:00PM | 11:00PM | 4th | Water | Yin |
Cheatsheet
子 (zǐ) ~ 鼠 (shǔ, rat) ~ [11pm - 1am]
丑 (chǒu) ~ 牛 (niú, ox) ~ [1am - 3am]
寅 (yín) ~ 虎 (hǔ, tiger) ~ [3am - 5am]
卯 (mǎo) ~ 兔 (tù, rabbit) ~ [5am - 7am]
辰 (chén) ~ 龙 (lóng, dragon) ~ [7am - 9am]
巳 (sì) ~ 蛇 (shé, snake) ~ [9am - 11am]
午 (wǔ) ~ 马 (mǎ, horse) ~ [11am - 1pm]
未 (wèi) ~ 羊 (yáng, goat) ~ [1pm - 3pm]
申 (shēn) ~ 猴 (hóu, monkey) ~ [3pm - 5pm]
酉 (yǒu) ~ 鸡 (jī, rooster) ~ [5pm - 7pm]
戌 (xū) ~ 狗 (gǒu, dog) ~ [7pm - 9pm]
亥 (hài) ~ 猪 (zhū, pig) ~ [9pm - 11pm]