Trine (San He)
Rat, Dragon and Monkey; Ox, Snake and Rooster; Tiger, Horse and Dog; Rabbit, Goat and Pig. One of the four groups of three animals four years apart, traditionally the most harmonious match.
Chinese zodiac compatibility: Which animals match, and why.
Classical Chinese astrology links the 12 animals by four rules: trines, six harmonies, clashes and harms. Pick two animals to see which rule applies.
Rat and Dragon: Trine (San He) — One of the four groups of three animals four years apart, traditionally the most harmonious match.
Compatibility chart
| Animal | Best matches (trine + secret friend) | Clash | Harm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | Dragon, Monkey · Ox | Horse | Goat |
| Ox | Snake, Rooster · Rat | Goat | Horse |
| Tiger | Horse, Dog · Pig | Monkey | Snake |
| Rabbit | Goat, Pig · Dog | Rooster | Dragon |
| Dragon | Rat, Monkey · Rooster | Dog | Rabbit |
| Snake | Ox, Rooster · Monkey | Pig | Tiger |
| Horse | Tiger, Dog · Goat | Rat | Ox |
| Goat | Rabbit, Pig · Horse | Ox | Rat |
| Monkey | Rat, Dragon · Snake | Tiger | Pig |
| Rooster | Ox, Snake · Dragon | Rabbit | Dog |
| Dog | Tiger, Horse · Rabbit | Dragon | Rooster |
| Pig | Rabbit, Goat · Tiger | Snake | Monkey |
The four classical rules
Six Harmonies (Liu He)
Rat–Ox, Tiger–Pig, Rabbit–Dog, Dragon–Rooster, Snake–Monkey, Horse–Goat. A “secret friend” pair, traditionally supportive and complementary.
Clash (Liu Chong)
Rat–Horse, Ox–Goat, Tiger–Monkey, Rabbit–Rooster, Dragon–Dog, Snake–Pig. Opposite animals six years apart, traditionally the most challenging pairing.
Harm (Liu Hai)
Rat–Goat, Ox–Horse, Tiger–Snake, Rabbit–Dragon, Monkey–Pig, Rooster–Dog. A pair traditionally said to cause friction or misunderstandings.
These are traditional associations from Chinese astrology and folk custom, not predictions about real relationships. For Western compatibility, compare the Sun, Moon and Rising signs of both people with the Big Three calculator.
Questions and answers
Which Chinese zodiac signs are most compatible?
Traditionally, animals in the same trine: Rat, Dragon and Monkey; Ox, Snake and Rooster; Tiger, Horse and Dog; Rabbit, Goat and Pig. The Six Harmonies pairs (Rat–Ox, Tiger–Pig, Rabbit–Dog, Dragon–Rooster, Snake–Monkey, Horse–Goat) are also considered strong matches.
Which Chinese zodiac signs clash?
Opposite animals six years apart: Rat–Horse, Ox–Goat, Tiger–Monkey, Rabbit–Rooster, Dragon–Dog and Snake–Pig.
Does a clash mean a relationship will fail?
No. These are traditional associations used in Chinese astrology and folk custom, not predictions about real people.