Chinese Zodiac Compatibility: Best and Hardest Matches for All 12 Signs, and Why BaZi Goes Deeper

Almost everyone who grew up with the Chinese zodiac has heard an auntie say that two signs "don't go together."

The best Chinese zodiac matches come from the three harmonies (San He) and the six harmonies (Liu He). The three harmony groups are Monkey–Rat–Dragon, Pig–Rabbit–Goat, Tiger–Horse–Dog and Snake–Rooster–Ox. The six harmony pairs are Rat–Ox, Tiger–Pig, Rabbit–Dog, Dragon–Rooster, Snake–Monkey and Horse–Goat. The hardest matches are the six clashes (Rat–Horse, Ox–Goat, Tiger–Monkey, Rabbit–Rooster, Dragon–Dog, Snake–Pig) and the six harms. Your year sign is only the outer layer, though. In BaZi, the day branch, your "spouse palace," says far more about how you love.

What are the best Chinese zodiac matches?

Your best matches are the other two signs in your three harmony (San He) group. The twelve animals fall into four groups of three, each spaced four years apart. Signs in the same group share an element and a natural rhythm, so they understand each other without much explaining.

A quick way to find your group: count four signs forward and four signs back from your own sign on the zodiac wheel.

What are the six harmonies, the "secret friends"?

Each sign also has one six harmony (Liu He) partner, often called its secret friend. Where the three harmonies feel like a team, a six harmony pair feels like two puzzle pieces: different, but they fit and support each other quietly.

Two of these pairs have a little extra texture. Tiger–Pig and Snake–Monkey are also counted as "breaks" in the classical tables, and Snake–Monkey is part of a punishment too. These couples bond quickly and well, and they do best when they keep promises carefully.

Which Chinese zodiac signs clash?

The six clashes (Liu Chong) are signs that sit directly opposite each other on the wheel, six years apart. Their rhythms run in opposite directions, so life together brings change, movement and strong opinions.

• Rat and Horse
• Ox and Goat
• Tiger and Monkey
• Rabbit and Rooster
• Dragon and Dog
• Snake and Pig

A clash is not a ban. Many clash couples feel a strong pull, the classic attraction of opposites. Traditionally they are told to give each other room, to avoid rushing big decisions, and to respect different ways of doing things.

What are the six harms?

The six harms (Liu Hai) are pairs prone to small hurts and misunderstandings rather than open conflict. Each harm partner "breaks up" one of your six harmony pairs, which is why the tension feels personal.

• Rat and Goat
• Ox and Horse
• Tiger and Snake
• Rabbit and Dragon
• Monkey and Pig
• Rooster and Dog

The cure is simple and old-fashioned: say what you mean, and don't keep score.

Chinese zodiac compatibility chart for all 12 signs

Here is each sign's three harmony partners, six harmony partner, clash and harm in one table.

Check your sign's start date. In everyday use your sign changes at Lunar New Year. BaZi changes the year at Lichun, around February 4. If you were born in January or early February, see our Chinese New Year 2027 and Lichun guide for how the two dates differ.

Why does your BaZi day branch matter more than your year sign?

Because the year sign describes your generation and family background, while the day pillar describes you. In BaZi, your birth date gives four pillars: year, month, day and hour. Each has a heavenly stem and an earthly branch. The day stem is your Day Master, your core self. The day branch, directly below it, is called the spouse palace. It shows what you need from a partner and how you behave in close relationships.

So BaZi compatibility looks at two things first:

1. The two day branches. The same harmonies, clashes and harms from the tables above apply here, and they matter much more than at the year level. A six harmony between day branches is a classic sign of easy closeness.
2. The two Day Masters. Five stem pairs "combine" and attract each other naturally: Jia and Ji, Yi and Geng, Bing and Xin, Ding and Ren, Wu and Gui.

New to these terms? Our guides to what BaZi is and the Day Master explain the basics, and BaZi vs Western astrology shows how the two systems compare.

Can a "bad" zodiac match still work? A worked example

Yes, and the day pillars often show why. Take two people: one born on July 28, 1990, a Horse, and one born on September 19, 1996, a Rat. Rat and Horse are a classic clash, so on year signs alone the match looks hard.

Now look at their day pillars:

Their Day Masters, Jia and Ji, combine, and their day branches, Horse and Goat, are a six harmony. That is one of the warmest pairings BaZi has: a natural pull between the two people at the core, and an easy, comfortable spouse palace connection. The year clash still shows up, often as different family habits, social circles or life pace, but the relationship itself has a strong center.

This is why a full BaZi comparison goes deeper than a zodiac chart: the year sign tells you how two families meet, and the day pillar tells you how two people live together.

Which signs match best in the Year of the Goat, 2027?

In the Goat year, the Horse (six harmony), Rabbit and Pig (three harmony) are the luckiest companions for the year. The Ox clashes with the Goat and the Rat harms it, so those two signs are traditionally told to handle relationships gently in 2027. For every sign's forecast, see our Chinese zodiac 2027 forecast, and if you are a Goat, our Year of the Goat ben ming nian guide.