Zodiac compatibility Love and partnership match by birth year
In Vietnam, couples and business partners traditionally “check their ages” (xem hợp tuổi) before a wedding or a big venture. Enter two birth years to see how your elements, Heavenly Stems, zodiac animals and Kua numbers fit together, scored out of ten.
How Vietnamese compatibility is scored
The method follows the five checks most Vietnamese families use. Each is worth up to two points: two for a harmonious relationship, one for neutral and zero for a conflicting one.
- Destiny element (mệnh nạp âm). Each birth year carries one of thirty poetic elements, such as Sea Metal or Great Forest Wood. Elements that feed each other (Wood feeds Fire, Fire makes Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal collects Water, Water nourishes Wood) score best; elements that control each other score lowest.
- Heavenly Stems. Five stem pairs combine (Jia with Ji, Yi with Geng, Bing with Xin, Ding with Ren, Wu with Gui), and four pairs clash.
- Earthly Branches. The animals in the same “trine” of three harmony (for example Monkey, Rat and Dragon) or in a six-harmony pair get along naturally; opposite animals clash, and six pairs are in harm.
- Kua numbers. From the Eight Mansions school of feng shui: partners in the same East or West group can share one home layout comfortably.
- Yin and Yang. One Yin year and one Yang year complement each other.
Birth years follow the lunar calendar. If you were born in January or early February before Lunar New Year (Tết), you belong to the previous year’s animal; tick the box and the tool uses the earlier year. Not sure of the date of Tết in your birth year? Check it in the lunar calendar converter.
The 12 animals: compatibility chart
The chart below shows the classic relationships between the twelve animals of the Vietnamese zodiac, where the Cat (Mão) takes the place of the Chinese Rabbit. Trine and Ally are the most harmonious pairings; Clash and Harm are the ones traditionally said to need more care. Punishment and Break are minor relations, shown for interest but not scored.
| Animal | RatTý | OxSửu | TigerDần | CatMão | DragonThìn | SnakeTỵ | HorseNgọ | GoatMùi | MonkeyThân | RoosterDậu | DogTuất | PigHợi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rat Tý | Same | Ally | · | Punish | Trine | · | Clash | Harm | Trine | Break | · | · |
| Ox Sửu | Ally | Same | · | · | Break | Trine | Harm | Clash | · | Trine | Punish | · |
| Tiger Dần | · | · | Same | · | · | Punish | Trine | · | Clash | · | Trine | Ally |
| Cat Mão | Punish | · | · | Same | Harm | · | Break | Trine | · | Clash | Ally | Trine |
| Dragon Thìn | Trine | Break | · | Harm | Same | · | · | · | Trine | Ally | Clash | · |
| Snake Tỵ | · | Trine | Punish | · | · | Same | · | · | Ally | Trine | · | Clash |
| Horse Ngọ | Clash | Harm | Trine | Break | · | · | Same | Ally | · | · | Trine | · |
| Goat Mùi | Harm | Clash | · | Trine | · | · | Ally | Same | · | · | Punish | Trine |
| Monkey Thân | Trine | · | Clash | · | Trine | Ally | · | · | Same | · | · | Harm |
| Rooster Dậu | Break | Trine | · | Clash | Ally | Trine | · | · | · | Same | Harm | · |
| Dog Tuất | · | Punish | Trine | Ally | Clash | · | Trine | Punish | · | Harm | Same | · |
| Pig Hợi | · | · | Ally | Trine | · | Clash | · | Trine | Harm | · | · | Same |
- Trine Three Harmony: the strongest natural affinity
- Ally Six Harmony: secret friends who complete each other
- Same Same sign: easy understanding, similar strengths and blind spots
- Clash Opposite signs: strong attraction or strong friction
- Harm Harm: small irritations that build up
- Punish Punishment: power struggles or unkind words
- Break Break: plans tend to get disrupted
Reading the result sensibly
A high score is a pleasant confirmation, and a low one is not a reason to end a relationship. In Vietnamese practice a difficult match is usually “softened” rather than avoided: by choosing an auspicious wedding date, arranging the home in a direction that suits both partners, or simply by knowing where misunderstandings tend to start. Use the feng shui directions tool to find each person’s best directions, and the auspicious day finder for a wedding date.
Frequently asked questions
Which animal is the Cat in the Vietnamese zodiac?
The Cat (Mão) replaces the Rabbit of the Chinese zodiac. People born in a Rabbit year in Chinese tradition, such as 1987, 1999 or 2011, are Cats in Vietnam. Their compatibility is exactly the same as the Rabbit’s.
Do I use my Western birth year?
Use the lunar year. If you were born before Lunar New Year, usually between 1 January and mid-February, your animal is the previous year’s, so tick the “before Lunar New Year” box.
Does the order of the two people matter?
No. All five criteria are symmetrical. Gender matters only for the Kua number, which is calculated differently for men and women.
Can same-sex couples use this tool?
Yes. Choose each person’s gender; the Kua number is then calculated for each person individually and the score is adjusted accordingly.
Our ages clash. Should we worry?
No. Compatibility by birth year is a folk tradition. Many families simply pick a good wedding date and arrange the home sensibly. Communication and shared values matter far more.
Why does this differ from Chinese compatibility websites?
Most Chinese sites look only at the animals. The Vietnamese method also weighs the nạp âm element, Heavenly Stems, Kua and Yin–Yang, so two people with clashing animals can still score well overall.