The Rooster 酉 in BaZi

Nature

The Rooster (酉) is a Yin Metal branch, the second of the two Metal branches in the cycle. It sits at the heart of autumn, from about 8 September to about 9 October, when the season is at its midpoint and the air turns crisp and dry. Its hours are 17:00 to 19:00, the time of early evening when the day's work settles and the world begins to quieten.

In BaZi, the Rooster branch carries a sharp, focused energy, like a blade honed by use. Picture a field after the harvest, the stalks cut and stacked, everything orderly and bare. The Rooster tends to bring a precision to the chart, a love for detail and routine, much like the season it rules. It can feel contained, even guarded, as if waiting for the right moment to act.

A whole chart decides how this branch lands for a person. The Rooster on its own is not loud or soft, it is exact. It tends to favour clarity over chaos, and people with this branch strong in their chart often value structure, whether in their thinking or their surroundings. There is a steadiness to it, but also a sharpness that can cut through what is unclear.

Hidden stems

The Rooster (酉) holds one hidden stem 藏干: 辛 Yin Metal. This is its main energy and the only stem it contains. There are no other elements tucked inside this branch, making it simpler than many of the other Earthly Branches.

辛 Yin Metal is like a fine jewel or a small, precise tool. It is not the raw ore of Yang Metal but something already shaped and polished. In the Rooster, this stem adds a layer of refinement and attention to detail. It tends to sharpen the branch's natural precision, giving it an eye for what is small but important.

Because the hidden stem is the same element as the branch itself, the Rooster's energy is concentrated and consistent. There is no mixing of influences inside it, everything points toward Metal. This can make the Rooster feel decisive in a chart, but also less flexible, as its focus is narrow and strong.

Clashes and combinations

The Rooster (酉) has several key partners and conflicts in BaZi. Its six-combination 六合 is with the Dragon (辰, Yang Earth). When these two meet, they combine toward Metal, strengthening the Rooster's own element. This tends to feel like a solid, supportive bond, the Earth of the Dragon feeds the Metal of the Rooster, creating a sense of stability and mutual respect. In a chart, this can show up as a steady partnership or a period when things hold together well.

The Rooster clashes 沖 with the Rabbit (卯, Yin Wood). This is a direct opposition, Metal controlling Wood. When the Rooster and Rabbit meet, there is often friction, like a sharp edge meeting something that wants to bend it. This clash can bring sudden changes, arguments, or a sense of being pulled in opposite directions. It tends to unsettle whatever the Rooster touches.

The Rooster harms 害 with the Dog (戌, Yang Earth). This is a quieter conflict than a clash, more like a slow irritation. The Dog and Rooster share a Metal-forming group but also rub against each other. This harm can show up as misunderstandings or small, nagging problems, especially in relationships or shared work.

When the Rooster meets itself, it triggers self-punishment 自刑. This is not a clash with another branch but a turning inward. It can feel like overthinking, perfectionism that turns against itself, or a tendency to get stuck in loops of self-criticism. In a chart, this tends to need other balancing energies to soften.

In each pillar

In the year pillar 年柱, the Rooster tends to colour the roots of a person's life. It can suggest a family background that values order, discipline, or craft. Others may first see someone as composed, sharp, or a bit distant, like someone who keeps their own counsel. The early environment often teaches precision, whether through work, routines, or expectations.

In the month pillar 月柱, the Rooster rules the middle of autumn. For someone born in its month, this branch is the season itself, and its energy tends to be strong and defining. The month pillar relates to work and career, and here the Rooster often brings a talent for detail, for finishing tasks, or for roles that require a clear eye. It can make a person methodical in their approach to their craft.

In the day pillar 日柱, the Rooster sits under the Day Master as the house of the partner. This tends to shape how someone relates in close relationships. There is often a desire for structure and reliability in a partner, and the person may be drawn to others who are practical or exact. The relationship itself may feel like a steady partnership, but the Rooster's sharpness can also create distance if not balanced.

In the hour pillar 時柱, the Rooster covers later life, the years after the peak of one's career, and also children. For someone born in its hours, 17:00 to 19:00, the evening energy of the Rooster can bring a focus on what is finished and refined. Later life may feel like a time to perfect what was started, and children or younger people in their circle may reflect the Rooster's love for order and detail.

With other signs

The Rooster (酉) forms a three-harmony 三合 group with the Snake (巳, Yin Fire) and the Ox (丑, Yin Earth), all toward Metal. When these three branches appear together in a chart, they create a strong Metal current. The Earth of the Ox feeds the Rooster's Metal and the Fire of the Snake tempers it, so the Metal feels supported and shaped at once. This tends to bring a sense of completion, as if the group's energies lock together.

It also joins a directional 三會 group with the Monkey (申, Yang Metal) and the Dog (戌, Yang Earth), also toward Metal. This is a seasonal group, matching the autumn months. Where the three-harmony is about steady accumulation, the directional group feels more like a flow, a gathering of Metal energy from the Monkey's raw force, the Rooster's precision, and the Dog's solid Earth. Together, they can make a chart feel focused and determined.

When two people's year branches meet, the Rooster tends to get along best with the Snake, Ox, or Dragon, as these support its Metal. It clashes with the Rabbit, and it has a slow harm with the Dog. Meeting another Rooster brings self-punishment, which can create tension or overthinking between them. To see how these dynamics play out, put two charts side by side and look at how each branch interacts with the other.