This glossary explains 98 core terms of Chinese metaphysics in plain English. Each entry gives the Chinese characters (traditional and simplified), the pinyin, a one-sentence definition, a longer explanation of how the term is read in practice, common questions, and links to related terms.
It covers four systems: Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology), with the 14 major stars and the 12 palaces of the chart; Bazi (Four Pillars of Destiny), with the Ten Gods, the ten Heavenly Stems and the twelve Earthly Branches; the I Ching, with the eight trigrams and the eight doubled hexagrams; and the 24 solar terms of the Chinese calendar.
Free chart tools: Zi Wei Dou Shu chartBazi Four Pillars chartThe 64 hexagramsI Ching divination
Chinese astrology system attributed to Chen Tuan; uses 14 primary stars and 12 palaces.
The "Emperor Star" of Ziwei Doushu, governing leadership, dignity, and the chart's overall fate.
The strategist star — governing intellect, planning, mental agility, and adaptability.
The yang luminary — governing fame, public visibility, fatherly authority, and outward radiance.
The wealth and decisiveness star — governing finance, action, hardness of will, and martial discipline.
The blessing star — gentle, optimistic, peace-loving, and content with simple pleasures.
A complex star of contradictions — discipline & passion, romance & integrity, principle & rebellion.
Leader of the South Dipper — governs accumulation, stability, conservative wealth, and quiet authority.
The yin luminary — governing emotions, mother / female relatives, intuition, and inner wealth.
The chart's primary romance and desire star — charisma, ambition, hedonism, and adaptability.
The star of speech, scrutiny, and depth — debate, research, suspicion, and concealment.
The "prime minister" star — fairness, mediation, service to others, and orderly competence.
The longevity and elder-wisdom star — mature judgment, protection from harm, and counsel.
The general star — sharp execution, independent action, transformation through challenge.
The disruptor — destruction of the old, pioneering creation of the new, costly transformation.
The most important of the 12 palaces — defines core personality, identity, and overall life direction.
Governs relationships with siblings, business partners, and close peer-level allies.
Governs marriage, romantic partnership quality, and the type of partner one attracts.
Governs offspring relationships, creative output, and intimate physical connection.
Governs cash flow, earned income style, and one's relationship with money.
Governs health constitution, susceptible body systems, and accident risk patterns.
Governs movement, relocation, foreign opportunities, and how one operates outside home.
Governs friendships, subordinates, and the broader social network beyond close family.
Governs vocation, professional achievement, status, and authority.
Governs real estate, accumulated wealth, and the home environment.
Governs inner contentment, mental health, hobbies, and karmic blessings.
Governs the relationship with parents and the broader theme of authority figures.
Ancient Chinese fate analysis from birth year, month, day, and hour expressed in 60 stem-branch combinations.
Same five-element same yin/yang as the Day Master; represents peers, siblings, self-reliance, and equal-footing relationships.
Same element opposite polarity to the Day Master; represents competitive peers, strong drive, and risk of financial loss through associates.
Element produced by the Day Master, same polarity; represents creativity, flow, eating-and-drinking pleasures, and stable productivity.
Element produced by Day Master with opposite polarity; represents intense talent, rebellion, and the wound that drives creativity.
Element conquered by Day Master, same polarity; represents windfall money, side businesses, and "money that flows in like a tide."
Element conquered by Day Master, opposite polarity; represents stable income, salary, savings, and the lawful spouse (in male charts).
Element conquering the Day Master, same polarity; represents pressure, authority, severe challenges, and martial discipline.
Element conquering the Day Master, opposite polarity; represents lawful authority, official career, and the lawful husband (in female charts).
Element producing the Day Master, same polarity; represents unconventional learning, intuition, stepmother, and mystical study.
Element producing the Day Master, opposite polarity; represents formal education, mother, lawful inheritance, and respected mentors.
First of the ten Heavenly Stems; yang wood, classically symbolized by the great tree that grows upward and provides shelter.
Second Heavenly Stem; yin wood, the soft pliant flowering plants — adaptive, graceful, persistent through obstacles.
Third Heavenly Stem; yang fire — the sun itself: brilliant, far-reaching, transparently warming all without hidden purpose.
Fourth Heavenly Stem; yin fire — the lamp, candle, hearth fire: focused, intimate, refining metal but never broadcasting.
Fifth Heavenly Stem; yang earth — the mountain, embankment, fortress wall: solid, defensive, slow but indomitable.
Sixth Heavenly Stem; yin earth — the cultivated field, garden soil: receptive, nourishing, the medium where things actually grow.
Seventh Heavenly Stem; yang metal — the unrefined iron, axe, sword: cutting, decisive, willing to act on principle without compromise.
Eighth Heavenly Stem; yin metal — gold, silver, jewelry, refined precision instruments — beauty, delicacy, intolerant of crude force.
Ninth Heavenly Stem; yang water — the river, ocean, great current — vast, intelligent, unstoppable but capable of flooding.
Tenth and final Heavenly Stem; yin water — the dew, mist, gentle rain — quiet, penetrating, nourishing without force.
First of the twelve Earthly Branches; yin water; the rat sign; rules midnight (23:00–01:00) and the heart of winter.
Second Earthly Branch; yin earth; the ox sign; rules pre-dawn (01:00–03:00) and the deep earth before spring stirs.
Third Earthly Branch; yang wood; the tiger sign; rules dawn (03:00–05:00) and the first month of spring (立春).
Fourth Earthly Branch; yin wood; the rabbit sign; rules early morning (05:00–07:00) and the second month of spring (春分).
Fifth Earthly Branch; yang earth; the dragon sign; rules mid-morning (07:00–09:00) and the third month of spring — the storehouse of water.
Sixth Earthly Branch; yin fire; the snake sign; rules late morning (09:00–11:00) and the first month of summer (立夏).
Seventh Earthly Branch; yang fire; the horse sign; rules noon (11:00–13:00) and the second month of summer (夏至).
Eighth Earthly Branch; yin earth; the goat sign; rules early afternoon (13:00–15:00) and the last month of summer — the storehouse of wood.
Ninth Earthly Branch; yang metal; the monkey sign; rules late afternoon (15:00–17:00) and the first month of autumn (立秋).
Tenth Earthly Branch; yin metal; the rooster sign; rules early evening (17:00–19:00) and the second month of autumn (秋分).
Eleventh Earthly Branch; yang earth; the dog sign; rules late evening (19:00–21:00) and the last month of autumn — the storehouse of fire.
Twelfth and final Earthly Branch; yin water; the pig sign; rules late night (21:00–23:00) and the first month of winter (立冬).
The oldest Chinese classic, foundation of divination through 64 hexagrams composed of 8 trigrams.
The first of the eight trigrams; pure yang, representing heaven, creativity, and dynamic strength.
The most yin of the eight trigrams; representing earth, receptivity, devotion, and nurturing power.
Bottom yang line under two yin; the trigram of thunder, awakening, sudden movement, and the eldest son.
Bottom yin under two yang lines; the trigram of wind, penetration, gradual influence, and the eldest daughter.
One yang in the middle between two yin lines; the trigram of water, danger, depth, and the middle son.
One yin in the middle between two yang lines; the trigram of fire, brightness, clarity, and the middle daughter.
Top yang above two yin lines; the trigram of mountain, stillness, boundary, and the youngest son.
Top yin above two yang lines; the trigram of lake, joy, communication, and the youngest daughter.
The first hexagram of the I-Ching; six unbroken yang lines, the trigram Heaven over Heaven, symbolising pure creative force.
The second hexagram; six broken yin lines, Earth over Earth, symbolising receptivity, devotion, and the power that carries all things.
The 29th hexagram, also called Xi Kan; Water over Water, symbolising repeated danger met with sincerity and steady conduct.
The 30th hexagram; Fire over Fire, symbolising brightness, clarity, and the light that must attach to something to shine.
The 51st hexagram; Thunder over Thunder, symbolising sudden shock that startles into awareness and self-examination.
The 52nd hexagram; Mountain over Mountain, symbolising stillness, knowing when to stop, and staying within one's proper place.
The 57th hexagram; Wind over Wind, symbolising gentle penetration, gradual influence, and the power of quiet persistence.
The 58th hexagram; Lake over Lake, symbolising joy, open exchange, and the happiness that grows through friendship and dialogue.
Traditional lunisolar calendar marking auspicious and inauspicious activities for each day.
The first solar term, around February 3-5; marks the astronomical start of spring and the new year for traditional Chinese metaphysics.
Around February 18-20; precipitation increases and shifts from snow to rain in much of China.
Around March 5-7; the first spring thunder traditionally awakens hibernating creatures.
Around March 20-22; day and night are equal, and yin-yang is in perfect balance.
Around April 4-6; both a solar term and a major festival for tomb-sweeping and ancestral remembrance.
Around April 19-21; the last solar term of spring; ample rainfall nourishes growing grains.
Around May 5-7; astronomical start of summer; fire element and yang energy strengthen rapidly.
Around May 20-22; grains begin to fill but are not yet ripe; "lesser" because fullness is partial.
Around June 5-7; busiest farming time; awned crops mature, summer rice planting begins.
Around June 21-22; longest daylight of the year; yang energy peaks, then begins to decline.
Around July 6-8; heat intensifies but the most extreme is still ahead.
Around July 22-24; the hottest period of the year; "middle fu" days fall within this window.
Around August 7-9; astronomical start of autumn; metal element strengthens.
Around August 22-24; the heat begins to retreat; "處" means to depart.
Around September 7-9; morning dew becomes visible; cool autumn truly begins.
Around September 22-24; day and night again equal; yin overtakes yang.
Around October 8-9; dew turns cold and frost is imminent; deep autumn begins.
Around October 23-24; first frost arrives in northern regions; the last solar term of autumn.
Around November 7-8; astronomical start of winter; water element strengthens.
Around November 22-23; light snowfall begins in northern regions; cold deepens.
Around December 6-8; heavy snowfall arrives across northern China; deep winter begins.
Around December 21-23; longest night of the year; yang energy reborn.
Around January 5-7; cold deepens; severe weather but the absolute peak still ahead.
Around January 20-21; the coldest solar term; the last of the 24, with Lichun next to begin a new cycle.
98 terms in four groups: the 14 major stars and 12 palaces of Zi Wei Dou Shu; the Ten Gods, ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches of Bazi; the eight trigrams and eight pure hexagrams of the I Ching; and the 24 solar terms. Every entry is available in English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Both start from the date and time of birth. Bazi (Four Pillars of Destiny) turns them into four pairs of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches and reads the balance of the five elements through the Ten Gods. Zi Wei Dou Shu places the 14 major stars and many auxiliary stars into twelve palaces, each governing one area of life such as career, wealth or marriage.
Each Ten God names the relationship between the Day Master (the Heavenly Stem of the birth day) and another stem in the chart: the same element (Friend and Rob Wealth), the element the Day Master produces (Eating God and Hurting Officer), the element it controls (Indirect and Direct Wealth), the element that controls it (Seven Killings and Direct Officer), and the element that produces it (Indirect and Direct Resource). Whether the yin-yang polarity is the same or opposite decides which of each pair applies.
A trigram is a figure of three lines, each solid (yang) or broken (yin), so there are eight of them. Stacking two trigrams gives a six-line hexagram, and the 64 possible combinations make up the I Ching. When the same trigram is doubled, the result is one of the eight pure hexagrams, such as hexagram 1, Qian Wei Tian.
The entries describe how each term is traditionally interpreted in Chinese metaphysics. They are offered for cultural learning and self-reflection, not as predictions, and they are not a substitute for professional advice on health, legal or financial matters.