How to read your birth chart fast?
If you’ve ever looked at a Saju chart and felt lost in a sea of Chinese characters and unfamiliar terms, you’re not alone.
Korean Four Pillars of Destiny (사주팔자) has its own vocabulary — and without a reliable reference, even basic readings can feel overwhelming.
This page is your all-in-one Saju glossary: every core term, table, and concept you need to read a birth chart, organized so you can find answers fast. Bookmark this page (Ctrl+D) — most readers come back to it every time they study a new chart.
Whether you’re just starting with the Ten Heavenly Stems or diving into the Ten Gods (십신), use the table of contents above to jump directly to what you need.
Note: Calculations may vary by tradition or region. Use this table as a reference only.
Heavenly Stems (십천간)
The 10 Heavenly Stems are the foundation of every Saju chart.
Each stem carries a specific element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water)
and polarity (Yin or Yang), shaping the core personality of your Day Master.
When you find your Day Pillar (일주), the top character is your Heavenly Stem
— this is the most important symbol for understanding who you are at your core.
→ Want to go deeper? See our full guide to Heavenly Stems → 🩵
| No. | Stem (Hangul/Hanja) | Korean-style Romanization | Pinyin | Yin/Yang | Element (KR/EN) | Reader-friendly Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 갑 (甲) | Gap | Jia | Yang | 木 Mok / Wood | Big tree, starter |
| 2 | 을 (乙) | Eul | Yi | Yin | 木 Mok / Wood | Vine, flexible |
| 3 | 병 (丙) | Byeong | Bing | Yang | 火 Hwa / Fire | Sun, visibility |
| 4 | 정 (丁) | Jeong | Ding | Yin | 火 Hwa / Fire | Candle, precise |
| 5 | 무 (戊) | Mu | Wu | Yang | 土 To / Earth | Mountain, stable |
| 6 | 기 (己) | Gi | Ji | Yin | 土 To / Earth | Field soil, nurturing |
| 7 | 경 (庚) | Gyeong | Geng | Yang | 金 Geum / Metal | Axe, reform |
| 8 | 신 (辛) | Sin | Xin | Yin | 金 Geum / Metal | Needle/jewelry, refine |
| 9 | 임 (壬) | Im | Ren | Yang | 水 Su / Water | Ocean/river, carry |
| 10 | 계 (癸) | Gye | Gui | Yin | 水 Su / Water | Rain/mist, subtle |
Earthly Branches (십이지지)
The 10 Heavenly Stems are the foundation of every Saju chart.
Each stem carries a specific element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water)
and polarity (Yin or Yang), shaping the core personality of your Day Master.
When you find your Day Pillar (일주), the top character is your Heavenly Stem
— this is the most important symbol for understanding who you are at your core.
→ Learn how Day Pillar branches shape your personality: Daily Pillar Theory guides → 🩶
| Branch (Hangul/Hanja) | Romanization | Animal | Season (approx.) | Element (main) | Hidden Stems (장간) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 자 (子) | Ja | Rat | Winter (mid) | Water | 癸 |
| 축 (丑) | Chuk | Ox | Winter (late) | Earth | 己 癸 辛 |
| 인 (寅) | In | Tiger | Spring (start) | Wood | 甲 丙 戊 |
| 묘 (卯) | Myo | Rabbit | Spring (mid) | Wood | 乙 |
| 진 (辰) | Jin | Dragon | Spring (late) | Earth | 戊 乙 癸 |
| 사 (巳) | Sa | Snake | Summer (start) | Fire | 丙 戊 庚 |
| 오 (午) | O | Horse | Summer (mid) | Fire | 丁 己 |
| 미 (未) | Mi | Goat | Summer (late) | Earth | 己 乙 丁 |
| 신 (申) | Sin | Monkey | Autumn (start) | Metal | 庚 壬 戊 |
| 유 (酉) | Yu | Rooster | Autumn (mid) | Metal | 辛 |
| 술 (戌) | Sul | Dog | Autumn (late) | Earth | 戊 辛 丁 |
| 해 (亥) | Hae | Pig | Winter (start) | Water | 壬 甲 |
Five Elements (오행)
The Five Elements (오행, Ohaeng) are the operating system behind all of Saju. Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water don’t just represent materials — they describe energy patterns that generate and control each other in two key cycles. Understanding these cycles helps you spot imbalances in a chart and predict how energies shift across time.
The Generating cycle (상생, Sangsaeng) flows Wood → Fire → Earth → Metal → Water → Wood. The Controlling cycle (상극, Sanggeuk) runs Wood → Earth → Water → Fire → Metal → Wood. When one element is missing or overwhelmed in your chart, these cycles show you exactly what compensates — or conflicts.
→ New to Saju? Start here: What is Saju? The Korean Four Pillars explained → 🤎
| Element (KR/EN) | Generates (生) | Controls (克) | Direction | Season | Color (trad.) | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 木 Mok / Wood | Fire | Earth | East | Spring | Green/Blue | Growth, start |
| 火 Hwa / Fire | Earth | Metal | South | Summer | Red | Heat, visibility |
| 土 To / Earth | Metal | Water | Center | Late Summer | Yellow | Stability, nurture |
| 金 Geum / Metal | Water | Wood | West | Autumn | White | Refine, harvest |
| 水 Su / Water | Wood | Fire | North | Winter | Black/Dark | Flow, conserve |
Six Harmony / Six Clash / Three Trines (육합·충·삼합)
When two or more branches appear together in a chart — whether in your pillars or in a luck/yearly cycle — they interact. These interactions are some of the most important signals in Saju reading. Harmony (육합) softens and merges energies. Clash (충) creates tension, change, or disruption. Three Trines (삼합) amplify a specific element by combining three branches into a powerful group.
A quick example: if your chart has 子 (Rat) and 午 (Horse) in opposing pillars, you carry a Water-Fire clash — a sign of intense drive that can swing between creativity and burnout. Knowing this lets you time major decisions around your luck cycles instead of fighting your own energy.
| Type | Pairs / Triplets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Six Harmony (육합) | 子–丑 | Stabilize Water–Earth |
| 寅–亥 | Wood affinity | |
| 卯–戌 | Wood–Earth cooperation | |
| 辰–酉 | Earth–Metal affinity | |
| 巳–申 | Fire–Metal redirect | |
| 午–未 | Fire–Earth support | |
| Six Clash (충) | 子–午 | Water vs Fire |
| 丑–未 | Earth polarity | |
| 寅–申 | Wood vs Metal | |
| 卯–酉 | Wood vs Metal | |
| 辰–戌 | Earth vs Earth (storage) | |
| 巳–亥 | Fire vs Water | |
| Three Trines (삼합) | 寅–午–戌 | Fire trine (South group) |
| 申–子–辰 | Water trine (North group) | |
| 亥–卯–未 | Wood trine (East group) | |
| 巳–酉–丑 | Metal trine (West group) |
Twelve Life Stages (십이운성)
The Twelve Life Stages (십이운성) describe the energy phase your Day Master passes through in relation to each branch in your chart. Think of them as a natural lifecycle — from birth and peak, through decline and renewal. Each stage has a distinct quality: some are ideal for launching new projects (장생, Birth; 임관, Office), while others are better for rest, reflection, or transition (묘, Tomb; 절, Extinction).
Practitioners use this table to match timing with action — for example, scheduling a career move during a 제왕 (Peak) year, or using a 양 (Nurture) phase for education and preparation instead of forcing results.
| KR (Hanja) | English | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 장생 (長生) | Birth | Start, fresh growth |
| 목욕 (沐浴) | Bath | Clean-up, exposure |
| 관대 (冠帶) | Crown | Recognition, equip |
| 임관 (臨官) | Office | Take charge |
| 제왕 (帝旺) | Peak | Max output |
| 쇠 (衰) | Decline | Wind-down |
| 병 (病) | Sick | Vulnerable, care |
| 사 (死) | Death | Release, end |
| 묘 (墓) | Tomb | Store, reset |
| 절 (絕) | Extinction | Cut-off, detach |
| 태 (胎) | Fetus | Forming, plan |
| 양 (養) | Nurture | Nourish, prepare |
Day Masters (일간)
Your Day Master (일간) is the single most important symbol in your Saju chart — it represents your core self, the “you” that responds to every situation in life. All other elements in your chart are interpreted in relation to your Day Master: how they support it, challenge it, or drain it.
Use this table for a fast personality snapshot. The “Quick Routine” column offers one practical habit tailored to each Day Master’s natural strengths and blind spots — a useful starting point for applying Saju insights to daily life.
→ Find your Day Master and read your Day Pillar: Bazi Destiny Chart guide →💛
| Day Master | Romanization / Pinyin | Nature | Strengths | Pitfalls | Quick Routine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 甲 (갑) | Gap / Jia | Yang Wood — big tree | Vision, leadership | Rigidity | Weekly growth goals |
| 乙 (을) | Eul / Yi | Yin Wood — vine | Adaptability, empathy | Indecision | Daily small wins |
| 丙 (병) | Byeong / Bing | Yang Fire — sun | Inspire, visibility | Burnout | Sprint + cooldown |
| 丁 (정) | Jeong / Ding | Yin Fire — candle | Precision, craft | Over-perfection | Ship small iterations |
| 戊 (무) | Mu / Wu | Yang Earth — mountain | Stability, trust | Stubbornness | Quarterly systems review |
| 己 (기) | Gi / Ji | Yin Earth — field soil | Nurture, support | Worry, over-care | Boundaries + buffer time |
| 庚 (경) | Gyeong / Geng | Yang Metal — axe | Reform, decisive | Harshness | Batch + audit day |
| 辛 (신) | Sin / Xin | Yin Metal — jewel/needle | Refine, standards | Overcritical | QC checklist |
| 壬 (임) | Im / Ren | Yang Water — ocean | Strategy, network | Diffusion | Weekly focus theme |
| 癸 (계) | Gye / Gui | Yin Water — rain/mist | Intuition, research | Hesitation | 30-min deep work blocks |
Ten Gods (십신, 十神)
The Ten Gods (십신, 十神) are the relational roles that every other stem in your chart plays in relation to your Day Master. They answer the question: “What does this energy do for me?” A 정관 (Direct Officer) represents authority, structure, and discipline. A 식신 (Eating God) represents creativity, output, and enjoyment. Together they map your relationships, career style, wealth approach, and inner psychology.
To find your Ten Gods, compare each stem in your chart to your Day Master using the element and yin/yang relationship. The table below shows the Korean term, its romanization, a reader-friendly English name, and the equivalent BaZi term — useful when cross-referencing Chinese or Singaporean sources.
→ Read full birth chart compatibility analysis: Korean Saju Reading: Birth Chart for Love Compatibility →
| Category | KO Term (Hangul/Hanja) | Korean-style English (romanization) | Reader-friendly English | BaZi Term (Pinyin / standard) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Companions | 비견 (比肩) | Bi-gyeon | Friend / Peer | Bi Jian (比肩) |
| Companions | 겁재 (劫財) | Geop-jae | Competitor / Rob Wealth | Jie Cai (劫财) |
| Output | 식신 (食神) | Sik-sin | Eating God / Artisan | Shi Shen (食神) |
| Output | 상관 (傷官) | Sang-gwan | Hurting Officer / Performer | Shang Guan (伤官) |
| Wealth | 편재 (偏財) | Pyeon-jae | Indirect Wealth | Pian Cai (偏财) |
| Wealth | 정재 (正財) | Jeong-jae | Direct Wealth | Zheng Cai (正财) |
| Power (Officer) | 편관 (偏官) | Pyeon-gwan | Seven Killings | Qi Sha (七杀) |
| Power (Officer) | 정관 (正官) | Jeong-gwan | Direct Officer | Zheng Guan (正官) |
| Resource (Seal) | 편인 (偏印) | Pyeon-in | Indirect Resource (Unorthodox Seal) | Pian Yin (偏印) |
| Resource (Seal) | 정인 (正印) | Jeong-in | Direct Resource (Proper Seal) | Zheng Yin (正印) |
Shensha(신살(神煞), Special Stars) — Essential Set
Shensha (신살, 神煞) are special stars derived from branch combinations in your chart. Unlike the core elements and stems, they act as modifiers — amplifying specific life themes such as charisma, travel, academic talent, or benefactor luck. Most practitioners focus on 7–10 essential stars rather than trying to learn all of them at once.
The stars in this table are the most frequently referenced in Korean Saju practice. If you have 도화 (Tao Hua / Peach Blossom) in your chart, for example, you tend to attract attention naturally — useful in careers involving performance, media, or sales. 역마 (Yi Ma) in an active pillar often signals a life filled with movement, career changes, or living abroad.
| KR / Hanja | Romanization | Pinyin | Quick Meaning / Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 도화 (桃花) | Do-hwa | Tao Hua | Charisma / attraction; romance & publicity timing |
| 역마 (驛馬) | Yeok-ma | Yi Ma | Mobility, moves, travel; career/role changes |
| 문창 (文昌) | Mun-chang | Wen Chang | Study, exams, writing, content creation |
| 천을귀인 (天乙貴人) | Cheon-eul Gwi-in | Tian Yi Gui Ren | Benefactors; help when needed, problem-solving luck |
| 홍란 (紅鸞) | Hong-ran | Hong Luan | Marriage/joy star; relationship milestones |
| 금여 (金舆) | Geum-yeo | Jin Yu | Comfort & spouse luck; home/family support |
| 괴강 (魁罡) | Goe-gang | Kui Gang | Strong will/authority; +leadership, −rigidity—use consciously |
Monthly Energy by Branch (월령·월지)
Each month carries a dominant elemental tone based on its ruling branch (월령, 월지). This table is one of the most practical tools in Saju — it lets you align your goals and actions with the seasonal energy of the month, rather than pushing against it. Think of it as a natural productivity calendar rooted in Korean Five Elements philosophy.
For instance, the 寅 (Tiger) month in February brings fresh Wood energy — ideal for starting new projects, hiring, or launching initiatives. The 申 (Monkey) month in August brings Metal energy — better suited for building systems, automating processes, and auditing what’s working. Use the “Suggested Actions” column as a loose planning guide alongside your personal chart.
| Month Branch | Approx. Month | Element Tone | Focus | Suggested Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 子 (자) | Dec | Water | Plan, conserve | Set themes, research |
| 丑 (축) | Jan | Earth | Grounding | Budget, routines |
| 寅 (인) | Feb | Wood | Initiate | Kick-off, hire, start |
| 卯 (묘) | Mar | Wood | Grow | Outreach, collabs |
| 辰 (진) | Apr | Earth | Stabilize | Doc, QA, debt paydown |
| 巳 (사) | May | Fire | Visibility | Launch, speak, PR |
| 午 (오) | Jun | Fire | Peak output | Ship, promote |
| 未 (미) | Jul | Earth | Care & refine | Customer success |
| 申 (신) | Aug | Metal | Systems | Automate, audit |
| 酉 (유) | Sep | Metal | Quality | Polish, certify |
| 戌 (술) | Oct | Earth | Consolidate | Close projects |
| 亥 (해) | Nov | Water | Transition | Learn, plan next |
Samjae Groups & Periods (삼재 그룹·주기)
Samjae (삼재, 三災) refers to a three-year cycle believed to bring increased turbulence — challenges in health, relationships, finances, or career — depending on your birth year animal. Samjae isn’t a curse, but a rhythm: Korean practitioners treat it as a cue to slow down, be more cautious with major decisions, and invest in prevention rather than expansion.
To find your group, locate your birth year animal in the table. If you were born in the year of the Pig, Rabbit, or Goat, your current Samjae window runs 2025–2027. The first year (입삼재) brings the strongest shift; by the third year (날삼재), the energy eases.
| Group (삼합) | Animals | Recent/Upcoming Samjae Window | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 申–子–辰 | Monkey · Rat · Dragon | 2022–2024 | Completed |
| 亥–卯–未 | Pig · Rabbit · Goat | 2025–2027 | Current cycle |
| 寅–午–戌 | Tiger · Horse · Dog | 2028–2030 | Next |
| 巳–酉–丑 | Snake · Rooster · Ox | 2031–2033 | Following |
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