BaZi Glossary
八字术语表
Every term used on this site, in one place — with the English names we display for each of them.
Editor note: everything below is defined in one editable file, web/src/lib/glossary.ts. Change a term there and this page — plus the chart page — updates with it.
Core Concepts · 核心概念
Heavenly Stems · 天干
The ten single characters (甲–癸) — the upper, "sky" character of each Pillar.
Earthly Branches · 地支
The twelve characters (子–亥) — the lower, "earth" character of each Pillar. Each branch also maps to an animal sign.
Four Pillars · 四柱
The four columns of your chart — Year, Month, Day and Hour.
Day Master · 日主
The Heavenly Stem of your Day Pillar — the "self" at the center of the whole chart.
Hidden Stems · 藏干
The smaller energies stored inside each Earthly Branch, like seeds in a pod.
Ten Stars · 十神
Ten labels describing how each character relates to the Day Master — wealth, officer, resource, output or peer.
Na Yin · 纳音
A poetic "sound" attached to each Pillar, such as "Metal in the Sea" — a nuance layer.
Five Elements · 五行
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water — five elemental energies that nourish and control one another.
Yin & Yang · 阴阳
The two polarities attached to every stem — Yang (阳, strong/outward) and Yin (阴, yielding/inward).
Qi Yun · 起运
The moment — usually a few years after birth — when your first Da Yun chapter begins.
Da Yun · 大运
"Great fortune" — roughly ten-year chapters of a life, driven by a rotating stem-and-branch cycle.
Liunian · 流年
Individual years within a Da Yun chapter; each year pulses with its own energy.
Zi-Hour · 子时
The two-hour window 23:00–01:00 behind the Hour Pillar. The 晚子时 late-hour boundary is a known school-difference point.
Li Chun · 立春
"Start of Spring" — the solar term around February 4th when the Year Pillar changes.
Solar Terms · 节气
The 24 seasonal markers of the Chinese calendar; the Month Pillar changes at these, not at the Gregorian month.
Nominal Age · 虚岁
The traditional Chinese reckoning: you are "one" at birth and add a year at each Lunar New Year.
Heavenly Stems · 天干
| Char | Pinyin |
|---|---|
| 甲 | Jia |
| 乙 | Yi |
| 丙 | Bing |
| 丁 | Ding |
| 戊 | Wu |
| 己 | Ji |
| 庚 | Geng |
| 辛 | Xin |
| 壬 | Ren |
| 癸 | Gui |
Earthly Branches · 地支
| Char | Pinyin | Animal |
|---|---|---|
| 子 | Zi | Rat |
| 丑 | Chou | Ox |
| 寅 | Yin | Tiger |
| 卯 | Mao | Rabbit |
| 辰 | Chen | Dragon |
| 巳 | Si | Snake |
| 午 | Wu | Horse |
| 未 | Wei | Goat |
| 申 | Shen | Monkey |
| 酉 | You | Rooster |
| 戌 | Xu | Dog |
| 亥 | Hai | Pig |
Five Elements · 五行
Ten Stars · 十神
| Char | Display name | Short | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 比肩 | Peer (Companion) | Peer | The star of equality — same element and polarity as your Day Master. Peers, siblings, teamwork and healthy competition. |
| 劫财 | Rival (Rob Wealth) | Rival | Same element, opposite polarity — the rival star. Shared money, competition and brave but impulsive drive. |
| 食神 | Creative Output (Eating God) | Creative Output | What you create — the gentle output star of talent, craft and enjoyment. Your hands and words produce. |
| 伤官 | Sharp Expression (Hurting Officer) | Sharp Expression | Bright and rebellious expression — wit, artistry and a voice that pushes against rules. |
| 正财 | Steady Wealth (Direct Wealth) | Steady Wealth | The resources you manage — steady income, savings, commitments and practical results. |
| 偏财 | Windfall Wealth (Indirect Wealth) | Windfall Wealth | Opportunistic money — deals, bonuses and generosity, with bigger swings to manage. |
| 正官 | Responsibility (Direct Officer) | Responsibility | Healthy order — discipline, reputation, duty and visible progress through structure. |
| 七杀 | Challenge (Seven Killings) | Challenge | Pressure and ambition — high stakes, decisive moves and a strong will under fire. |
| 正印 | Support (Direct Resource) | Support | Nourishment and protection — learning, credentials, mentors and care that carries you. |
| 偏印 | Insight (Indirect Resource) | Insight | Unconventional wisdom — research, intuition, spirituality and original thinking. |