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Ox in a traditional Chinese landscape

Earthly branch 2 of 12

Ox 丑 Branch: Hours 01:00–02:59, Earth & Trine

丑 Chou is branch 2 of 12: the Ox, Yin Earth, hours 01:00–02:59, month opening at Xiǎohán 小寒. It clashes with Goat and joins the Metal trine with Snake and Rooster.

丑Chou

What 丑 names

  • 01

    The hour

    01:00–02:59

    Traditionally the hour oxen chew the cud, long before the ploughing begins.

  • 02

    The month

    小寒 Xiǎohán

    Minor Cold opens it — month 12 counted from 立春, not from January.

  • 03

    The direction

    North-northeast

    The twelve branches divide the compass as they divide the day.

  • 04

    The phase

    Earth

    十二支五行 — the phase the branch itself carries.

Inside 丑: season and hidden stems

winter · yin Earth. The branch contains 己 (primary earth), 癸 (middle water), 辛 (residual metal). Compare the full hidden-stem register →

All branch memberships

Its fixed relations

  • 冲 · Clash

    Goat 未

    Six places opposite, so the two never share a season or an hour.

  • 六合 · Six harmony

    Rat 子

    One of six pairs whose positions balance across the cycle.

  • 三合 · Trine

    Snake · Rooster · Ox

    Four places apart, governing the Metal phase together.

The Ox in the Great Race

Place2of 12

Steady in the current and willing to carry passengers, the Ox would have led the field on merit and finished second on trust. It is the only animal in the story to be beaten by its own kindness.

Read the complete Great Race story →

The five Ox pillars

  1. Cycle position2乙丑Yin Wood OxExample year 1985
  2. Cycle position14丁丑Yin Fire OxExample year 1997
  3. Cycle position26己丑Yin Earth OxExample year 2009
  4. Cycle position38辛丑Yin Metal OxExample year 2021
  5. Cycle position50癸丑Yin Water OxExample year 2033

Move around the circle

The twelve branches