Bazi (Four Pillars)
21 entries in total
- San He
- Shen-Zi-Chen, Hai-Mao-Wei, Yin-Wu-Xu, Si-You-Chou — each group of three Earthly Branches combines to form a Five Element phase. On the Chinese almanac, 'San He' indicates the day's Earthly Branch and the month's branch form such a combination, traditionally considered auspicious for alliances, marriages, and business openings.
- Six Harmonies
- Zi-Chou, Yin-Hai, Mao-Xu, Chen-You, Si-Shen, Wei-Wu — two Earthly Branches combining. In the almanac, 'Six Harmonies' refers to the day's Earthly Branch combining with the month's Earthly Branch, traditionally favorable for marriage, contracts, and meetings.
- Ten Gods
- Based on the day pillar's heavenly stem, the other heavenly stems' generating and overcoming relationships with it result in ten types of names.
- Day Master (Rì Zhǔ)
- It is the heavenly stem of the day pillar, representing the querent themselves. All ten gods in the entire chart are calculated based on it.
- Nà Yīn (Sound-Element)
- A system that pairs every two of the sixty Jiazi cycles with one of the Five Elements and a concrete name (e.g., Jiazi and Yichou are both 'Sea Metal'), resulting in thirty total. The almanac lists the day's Nayin, while a BaZi chart lists the Nayin for each pillar.
- Void (Xún Kōng)
- The two Earthly Branches in the same ten-day cycle as the pillar that lack a matching Heavenly Stem.
- Major Luck Cycles
- A set of sexagenary cycle pillars (干支) representing a 10-year period, starting from a certain point after birth. The direction of the sequence (forward or reverse) is determined by the Yin/Yang nature of the birth year's Heavenly Stem and the person's gender.
- Bijie
- The category sharing the same element as the Day Master. Like peers or companions—they can help, but also take a share of resources.
- Resource Star (Yìn Xīng)
- The type that nourishes the Day Master. Like elders and protection—it provides the Day Master with strength.
- Shi-shang
- The element-type produced by the Day Master. Like talent and expression — it is an output of the Day Master's energy.
- Wealth Star
- The element type that the Day Master overcomes. Like controllable resources—requires the Day Master to be strong enough to grasp them.
- Guān Shā (Officials & Killers)
- The category that restrains the Day Master. Like norms and pressure — they constrain the Day Master.
- Yuè Lìng (Month's Decree)
- The Earthly Branch of the birth month, the most powerful pillar in the entire chart, determining which of the Five Elements are in season.
- Thriving, Assisting, Resting, Trapped, Dead (Wàng Xiàng Xiū Qiú Sǐ)
- The five states of the Five Phases within a given month, determined by their relationship to the month's ruling element.
- De Ling
- The Day Master is 'Prosperous' or 'Strong' in the Month Command — born in its own season or a month that generates it.
- Dé Dì (Gaining Ground)
- When the element of the Day Master appears within the hidden stems of an Earthly Branch, it is said to be rooted in that branch.
- gaining momentum
- The count of allied forces (Bi-Jie and Yin-Xing) is greater than that of opposing forces (Shi-Shan, Cai-Xing, Guan-Sha).
- Stage of Life
- The phase of strength or weakness of the Day Master at a specific Earthly Branch, with twelve stages: Long Life, Bathing, Crown, Official, Emperor's Vigor, Decline, Illness, Death, Tomb, Extinction, Embryo, and Nourishment.
- Four Pillars
- A set of one Heavenly Stem and one Earthly Branch is taken from the year, month, day, and hour of birth, forming four sets totaling eight characters, hence it is also called the Eight Characters (Ba Zi).
- taiyuan
- A set of heavenly stems and earthly branches derived from the month pillar, representing the month of conception.
- Mìnggōng (Life Palace)
- A pair of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches derived from the lunar month branch and hour branch; its calculation varies among different schools of thought.