Cathay Ink › Chinese zodiac › Compatibility › Rat and Ox
Rat and Ox
An excellent match ★★★★★
鼠Rat
The Rat and the Ox are secret friends (六合): the six pairs whose branches combine. The tradition reads it as a quieter, steadier bond than the trine, often described as the pair that look after each other.
The Rat: Quick, resourceful and sociable. The Rat opens the cycle: it is the sign of beginnings, of noticing the opening before anyone else and slipping through it.
The Ox: Steady, patient and dependable. The Ox finishes what it starts and is trusted with what matters; in farming China it was the family's most valuable companion.
牛Ox
Rat and Ox in love, friendship and work
In love
A quieter romance than the trine: less fireworks, more loyalty. Secret friends are the pairs who end up together after years of being each other's confidant.
As friends
As friends they are the ones who notice when something is wrong and say nothing in public. The bond is protective and lasts.
At work
At work a secret-friend pair make a reliable partnership: one covers what the other misses, and they are slow to fall out.
Other matches
For the Rat
Best: Dragon and Monkey (trine), Ox (secret friend). All twelve.
For the Ox
Best: Snake and Rooster (trine), Rat (secret friend). All twelve.
Questions
Are the Rat and the Ox compatible?
An excellent match. The Rat and the Ox are secret friends (六合): the six pairs whose branches combine. The tradition reads it as a quieter, steadier bond than the trine, often described as the pair that look after each other.
Who is the best match for the Rat?
The Rat's trine partners, the Dragon and the Monkey, and its secret friend, the Ox.
Who is the best match for the Ox?
The Ox's trine partners, the Snake and the Rooster, and its secret friend, the Rat.
Is zodiac compatibility real?
It is a tradition two thousand years old, used for matchmaking in old China and for fun today. We present it as culture, not prediction; the relations between the branches are exact, the conclusions are folklore.
Not sure of your animal?
It depends on the exact birthday, not the year.