Generating

Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood; the former nourishes the latter.

Traditional associations (mnemonic aids): Wood burning produces Fire, Fire's ashes become Earth, Earth yields Metal, Metal collects dew (Water), Water nourishes Wood. These are memory aids; the core is the cycle itself.

In the Ten Gods (shí shén), the element that generates the Day Master is the Seal (yìn xīng), and the element generated by the Day Master is the Output (shí shāng).