Friend groups, secret friends and clashes: reading the wheel

The wheel in one sentence

The twelve animals sit in a circle, in the order they arrived at the Jade Emperor’s great race, and where two animals sit in relation to each other tells you how their energies tend to meet.

Friend groups: the same colour

Every animal belongs to a friend group of three, sitting four places apart on the wheel. In Chinese these are the Three Harmonies (San He). Each group shares one of the elements, which is why they share a colour on the Starlight wheel:

• Water: Rat, Dragon and Monkey, the thinkers and doers
• Metal: Ox, Snake and Rooster, the steady builders
• Fire: Tiger, Horse and Dog, the brave protectors
• Wood: Rabbit, Goat and Pig, the gentle diplomats

Why does it work? Traditionally, the three animals of a group represent the birth, peak and storage of one element through the year. They need each other to complete a cycle, so they recognise each other easily.

Secret friends: the inner ring

Each animal also has one secret friend, shown by a matching jewel colour on the inner ring. These are the Six Harmonies (Liu He): Rat and Ox, Tiger and Pig, Rabbit and Dog, Dragon and Rooster, Snake and Monkey, Horse and Goat.

A secret friendship is quieter than a friend group. It often looks unlikely from the outside, yet it is loyal and dependable when it matters most.

Clashes: directly opposite

Animals directly opposite each other on the wheel clash. These are the Six Clashes (Liu Chong): Rat and Horse, Ox and Goat, Tiger and Monkey, Rabbit and Rooster, Dragon and Dog, Snake and Pig.

A clash is not a curse. It means the two energies pull in opposite directions, like two people who want the same thing in very different ways. Many strong partnerships are clashes, because each person brings what the other lacks.

The same idea applies to years: the year of your clash animal is traditionally a year to move carefully. In 2026, a Fire Horse year, people born in Rat years are in their clash year.

Where traditions differ

Most Chinese astrologers agree on all three relationships. Some schools add further patterns, such as “harms” and “punishments”, which Starlight leaves out to keep the wheel clear. Western writers sometimes describe clashes as “enemies”; Chinese sources more often describe them as opposites that must learn balance.