Chinese Zodiac Compatibility Chart: Trines, Secret Friends and Clashes
A full lookup chart for all 12 zodiac signs: trine partners, secret friends, direct clashes and clash groups, with the element logic behind them.
Contents
The 12 zodiac animals relate to one another in a few clear groups. Compatibility comes in two forms: the trine (three signs that fit best together, split into four groups) and the secret friend pairs (two signs matched one-to-one). Clashes also come in two forms: the six direct clashes (pairs of signs that sit across from each other) and the three clash triangles (groups of four signs, three groups in all). All of it rests on the five elements of the Earthly Branches and on the rule that a trine merges into one shared element. This post gathers every table in one place so you can look up who your sign fits with and who it tends to clash with, and understand the logic instead of memorizing it.
What Is Compatibility and Clash Between the 12 Zodiac Signs?
The 12 zodiac animals are the 12 Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu and Hai, matching the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Each branch carries its own element.
Whether two signs fit together or clash is not random. It rests on two things: the element of each branch, and how branches form a trine and "merge" into one shared element.
The five elements follow two cycles. In the generating cycle, Wood feeds Fire, Fire makes Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal carries Water, and Water nourishes Wood. In the controlling cycle, Metal cuts Wood, Wood breaks up Earth, Earth dams Water, Water puts out Fire, and Fire melts Metal.
Once you know these two cycles, the groups below make sense. Compatible signs are pulled toward the same element, and clashing signs stand in opposing positions.
In short: Compatibility and clash among the 12 signs come from the elements of the Earthly Branches and the rule that a trine merges into one element, not from random superstition. Knowing the generating and controlling cycles explains most of it.
Compatible Groups: The Trine and the Secret Friends
There are two kinds of compatibility. The trine is a set of three signs that fit best together, grouped into four element groups. The secret friend pairs are two signs matched one-to-one (also called the six harmonies).
Here is the trine table, split into four groups:
| Trine (group) | The 3 signs | Element they merge into |
|---|---|---|
| Monkey, Rat, Dragon | Shen, Zi, Chen | Water group |
| Tiger, Horse, Dog | Yin, Wu, Xu | Fire group |
| Snake, Rooster, Ox | Si, You, Chou | Metal group |
| Pig, Rabbit, Goat | Hai, Mao, Wei | Wood group |
And here is the table of secret friend pairs:
| Secret friend pair | Signs |
|---|---|
| Zi and Chou | Rat and Ox |
| Yin and Hai | Tiger and Pig |
| Mao and Xu | Rabbit and Dog |
| Chen and You | Dragon and Rooster |
| Si and Shen | Snake and Monkey |
| Wu and Wei | Horse and Goat |
Every sign has exactly two trine partners and one secret friend. For example, the Rat forms a trine with the Monkey and the Dragon, and is a secret friend of the Ox.
In short: Each sign has 2 trine partners (the same element group) and 1 secret friend (the paired match). The Rat fits with the Monkey and Dragon (trine) and the Ox (secret friend).
Clash Groups: The Six Clashes and the Clash Triangles
Clashes also come in two kinds. The six clashes are pairs of two signs that sit directly across from each other. The clash triangles are groups of four signs that share a tense relationship, split into three groups.
The six clashes, pair by pair:
| Clash pair | Signs |
|---|---|
| Zi and Wu | Rat and Horse |
| Chou and Wei | Ox and Goat |
| Yin and Shen | Tiger and Monkey |
| Mao and You | Rabbit and Rooster |
| Chen and Xu | Dragon and Dog |
| Si and Hai | Snake and Pig |
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The clash triangles, three groups:
| Clash group | The 4 signs |
|---|---|
| Yin, Shen, Si, Hai | Tiger, Monkey, Snake, Pig |
| Zi, Wu, Mao, You | Rat, Horse, Rabbit, Rooster |
| Chen, Xu, Chou, Wei | Dragon, Dog, Ox, Goat |
A note: sharing a clash group does not mean two people cannot get along. It points to differences in temperament and pace of life, so the two of you may need a little more patience and respect. Beyond the trine, the secret friends, the six clashes and the clash triangles, there are other relationship systems between the signs, but they are not the focus of this post.
In short: Clashes include the six clashes (6 pairs facing each other) and the clash triangles (3 groups of 4 signs). Landing in the same clash group is a cue to give each other room, not a verdict on the relationship.
Full Compatibility and Clash Table for Each Sign
This is a quick lookup table for all 12 signs. Each row lists the 2 trine partners, the 1 secret friend, and the sign it clashes with directly (the six clashes).
| Sign | Trine partners (2) | Secret friend (1) | Direct clash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rat (Zi) | Monkey, Dragon | Ox | Horse |
| Ox (Chou) | Snake, Rooster | Rat | Goat |
| Tiger (Yin) | Horse, Dog | Pig | Monkey |
| Rabbit (Mao) | Pig, Goat | Dog | Rooster |
| Dragon (Chen) | Monkey, Rat | Rooster | Dog |
| Snake (Si) | Rooster, Ox | Monkey | Pig |
| Horse (Wu) | Tiger, Dog | Goat | Rat |
| Goat (Wei) | Pig, Rabbit | Horse | Ox |
| Monkey (Shen) | Rat, Dragon | Snake | Tiger |
| Rooster (You) | Snake, Ox | Dragon | Rabbit |
| Dog (Xu) | Tiger, Horse | Rabbit | Dragon |
| Pig (Hai) | Rabbit, Goat | Tiger | Snake |
Reading it is simple. Find your sign in the first column, then look across to see its trine partners, secret friend and direct clash. For example, for the Horse: it forms a trine with the Tiger and the Dog, is a secret friend of the Goat, and clashes with the Rat.
In short: The 12-row table above gives you the 2 trine partners, the 1 secret friend and the direct clash of any sign right away, with no calculation.
How to Use It in Real Life
A common misunderstanding is that a "clash" means two people cannot date, marry or work together. In practice, zodiac compatibility is only one reference layer about tendencies, not a ruling on a whole relationship.
Newer readers often ask, "My partner and I clash by sign. Is that a problem?" A healthier way to use this information is to understand each other better rather than to avoid each other. Clashing signs often differ in pace of life and the way they react, so knowing it ahead of time makes it easier to meet in the middle.
What few people notice is that a trine does not automatically mean that everything will go smoothly. Matching signs are a plus for feeling in tune, but whether a relationship lasts still depends on how two people treat each other.
The aim here is to help you understand tendencies so you can act on them, not to rule on fate or promise to change your luck. Your sign is only one angle. To look deeper at whether two people really fit, a full chart comparison goes further than the zodiac alone.
Final Thoughts
The compatibility and clash relationships of the 12 signs boil down to a few key points:
- Compatibility has the trine (4 groups: Monkey, Rat and Dragon merge into Water; Tiger, Horse and Dog into Fire; Snake, Rooster and Ox into Metal; Pig, Rabbit and Goat into Wood) and the secret friend pairs (6 matched pairs).
- Clash has the six clashes (6 pairs facing each other) and the clash triangles (3 groups of 4 signs).
- Each sign has 2 trine partners, 1 secret friend and 1 direct clash, all listed in the lookup table.
- Everything rests on the elements of the Earthly Branches and the rule of merging, not on chance.
- Compatibility and clash are a reference point for understanding each other, not a sentence on any relationship.
If you want to see how your own year looks, a year-by-year reading for your sign is a good next step. And for a personalized reading that goes into your whole chart instead of only your zodiac sign, you can try HOROS to understand your own tendencies and make decisions with more confidence.