Saju Glossary

Four Pillars / Eight Characters 四柱八字

The birth year, month, day and hour expressed as four stem-branch pairs. These eight characters form the starting point for a traditional saju reading.

Manseryeok 萬歲曆

A calendar of stem-branch dates, Korean lunar dates and solar terms used to construct a saju chart. Learn more

Heavenly Stems 天干

The ten stems: Gap, Eul, Byeong, Jeong, Mu, Gi, Gyeong, Sin, Im and Gye. Each has an element and yin or yang polarity.

Earthly Branches 地支

The twelve branches: Ja, Chuk, In, Myo, Jin, Sa, O, Mi, Sin, Yu, Sul and Hae. They correspond to zodiac animals, months and two-hour periods.

Sexagenary Cycle 六十甲子

The 60 stem-branch pairs formed by cycling ten stems and twelve branches together. Years, months, days and hours use this cycle.

Day Master 日干

The heavenly stem of the birth day, representing the self and serving as the reference point for interpretation. Learn more

Day Pillar 日柱

The stem and branch of the birth day. One of 60 pairs, used especially for personality and partnership themes. Learn more

Five Elements 五行

Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water, linked through generating and controlling cycles. Learn more

Generating Cycle 相生

Wood generates Fire, Fire Earth, Earth Metal, Metal Water, and Water Wood.

Controlling Cycle 相剋

Wood controls Earth, Earth Water, Water Fire, Fire Metal, and Metal Wood.

Ten Gods 十神

Ten element-and-polarity relationships to the Day Master: Peer, Rival, Eating God, Hurting Officer, Indirect Wealth, Direct Wealth, Seven Killings, Direct Officer, Indirect Resource and Direct Resource. Learn more

Hidden Stems 支藏干

Heavenly stems contained within an earthly branch, with relative weights based on their allotted days.

Twelve Life Stages 十二運星

Twelve symbolic stages of a life cycle describing the Day Master’s energy in each earthly branch. Learn more

Day Master Strength 身强·身弱

The balance between supporting energies and those that drain or control the Day Master. It helps determine the useful element.

Useful Element 用神

The element selected as most helpful for balancing the chart.

Supportive Element 喜神

An element that supports the useful element.

Challenging Element 忌神

An element that works against the chart’s selected balance.

Decade Cycle 大運

A major ten-year cycle that proceeds forward or backward from the month pillar.

Annual Cycle 歲運

The year’s stem-branch pair interpreted in relation to the natal chart. Learn more

Monthly Cycle 月運

The month’s stem-branch pair, changing at a solar-term boundary.

Day Cycle 日辰

The current day’s stem-branch pair, compared with the natal chart for a daily reading. Learn more

Solar Terms 節氣

Twenty-four points in the Sun’s annual path. Saju years change at Beginning of Spring; months change at their entry terms.

Beginning of Spring 立春

Ipchun, around February 4, marks the change of the year pillar and zodiac sign in this service.

Late Rat Hour 夜子時

The late-night portion of Rat hour. This service assigns births from 23:30 under modern Korean standard time without daylight saving to the next day’s Rat hour.

Combination 合

A relationship joining stems or branches, including stem combinations, six branch pairs and three-harmony groups.

Clash 沖

An opposing branch relationship: Ja-O, Chuk-Mi, In-Sin, Myo-Yu, Jin-Sul or Sa-Hae. It symbolizes change, movement or friction.

Punishment 刑

A traditional branch relationship associated with friction and constraint. Its name is symbolic and does not predict legal or medical events.

Friction 怨嗔

A branch relationship symbolizing emotional misunderstanding, often considered in zodiac compatibility. Learn more

Samjae 三災

A traditional three-year caution cycle recurring every twelve years, with entry, middle and exit stages. Learn more

Compatibility 宮合

A comparison of two charts for traditional themes of personality, affection and everyday harmony. Learn more

Updated 2026-10-16 · K-Fortune editorial team · Calculation rules