Today is Nov 1, 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse

Chinese Year Animals

Chinese Zodiac Enemy Signs and Enemy Years

Your enemy sign is the animal opposite yours on the zodiac wheel, six years apart. Tradition calls it a clash and expects friction. The year of your enemy sign is your enemy year, a year to take extra care.

Find Your Enemy Sign

Not sure of your sign? Use the Chinese zodiac calculator with a birth date.

The Enemy Sign of Every Chinese Zodiac Animal

Each sign has one enemy, which is also the sign opposite it on the wheel. Tradition names three more hard pairings: a harm pair, the signs in the same punishment group, and a break pair.

SignEnemy sign (clash)ScoreHarm pairPunishment group
Rat compatibility and enemy signHorse30GoatRabbit
Ox compatibility and enemy signGoat10HorseGoat and Dog
Tiger compatibility and enemy signMonkey10SnakeSnake and Monkey
Rabbit compatibility and enemy signRooster30DragonRat
Dragon compatibility and enemy signDog30RabbitNone
Snake compatibility and enemy signPig30TigerTiger and Monkey
Horse compatibility and enemy signRat30OxNone
Goat compatibility and enemy signOx10RatOx and Dog
Monkey compatibility and enemy signTiger10PigTiger and Snake
Rooster compatibility and enemy signRabbit30DogNone
Dog compatibility and enemy signDragon30RoosterOx and Goat
Pig compatibility and enemy signSnake30MonkeyNone

The score is for the clash alone. A sign that also has a punishment with its enemy, such as Ox and Goat, scores lower. See how scores are made.

The Six Enemy Pairs

  • Rat and HorseClash, 30 / 100
  • Ox and GoatClash and punishment, 10 / 100
  • Tiger and MonkeyClash and punishment, 10 / 100
  • Rabbit and RoosterClash, 30 / 100
  • Dragon and DogClash, 30 / 100
  • Snake and PigClash, 30 / 100

Enemy Signs FAQ

What is a Chinese zodiac enemy sign?

It is the sign directly opposite yours on the zodiac wheel, six years apart. Tradition calls the pairing a clash (六冲) and expects friction in style and pace.

What is my enemy year?

It is any year of your enemy sign. In a Year of the Horse the Rat is in a clash year, because the Horse is the Rat's enemy sign. Tradition marks it as a year for care. Use the tool above to find yours.

Who is the enemy sign of each animal?

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

Is my enemy sign a bad match?

It scores low on this site, 30 out of 100 for a clash alone, but the score is a traditional reading and not a verdict. How two people treat each other matters far more than their signs.

Are there other signs to be careful with?

Tradition also names the harm pair, the signs in the same punishment group and the break pair. The table above lists all of them for each sign.

What is the difference between an enemy year and my own sign year?

Your own sign year (本命年) is the year of your animal and returns every 12 years. An enemy year is the year of your clash sign. Tradition asks for care in both.

Keep Exploring the Chinese Zodiac