Start with the boundary
Compare is a private learning tool. Both people should agree before either person enters birth details, and the report should never be used to screen a partner, employee, client, or family member.
The report does not calculate a single compatibility score. A score hides which data produced a conclusion and encourages certainty that the three traditions cannot support.
Read the Western structure
The Western panel uses the Sun sign as an introductory seasonal lens. Element, modality, and polarity describe broad styles of expression; they are not a complete natal chart and do not establish character.
Read the shared signals first, then the contrasts. A shared element can suggest a familiar vocabulary. A modality or polarity contrast can suggest a useful question about pacing, initiative, or space.
Read the Chinese zodiac year pillar
The Chinese panel uses the year pillar returned by the calculation, not a simple Gregorian-year lookup. Its earthly branch can form named traditional relationships such as Six Harmony, Three Harmony, clash, harm, break, or punishment.
Treat a named branch relationship as a cultural pattern to investigate. It does not predict whether two people will stay together, and it does not override consent or observed behavior.
A traditional relationship name is a prompt for attention, not a sentence about the relationship.
Read Zi Wei in context
The Zi Wei layer compares Life Palace themes and shows each person’s Spouse Palace context. A Life Palace theme is more detailed than a year-pillar animal sign, but more detail still does not make it a scientific personality test.
If a Life Palace is open, the report says so and points back to the opposite and connected palaces. Keep the missing direct star visible instead of forcing a label.
Turn the report into a conversation
- Name one signal that feels recognisable and one that does not.
- Describe a recent situation where the pattern appeared, using observable behaviour rather than a label.
- Ask which need, boundary, or rhythm would make the difference easier to work with.
- Choose one small experiment and agree when you will review it.
Trace the ideas
These public references support the historical or technical context on this page. Interpretive language is AstroEW’s educational framing, and different traditions and calculation conventions may read the same symbol differently.
- Astrodienst · zodiac signs · Reference point for Western zodiac sign language and the user expectations around natal astrology.
- Hong Kong Observatory · 2026 Chinese calendar · Public calendar reference for the Chinese zodiac year pillar, lunar dates, and traditional calendar context.
- iztro documentation · Open-source reference for AstroEW's Zi Wei Dou Shu calculation fields.