What it means
比肩 means “shoulder to shoulder”. A Friend is a character that is exactly what the Day Master is: the same element and the same polarity. For a Gap (Yang Wood) Day Master, another 甲 anywhere in the chart is a Friend. It stands for people on your own level, such as siblings, classmates, colleagues and teammates, and for the part of you that insists on doing things yourself.
Because a Friend adds more of the Day Master’s own element, it makes the chart stronger. A weak Day Master with a Friend nearby has someone to lean on. A strong one with several has more of itself than it needs.
Which stem is your Friend
A ten god is a relationship, so it depends on your Day Master. Find your Day Master on the left; the stem on the right is your Friend. A branch counts as Friend when its main hidden stem is that stem.
| Day Master | Its Friend |
|---|---|
| 甲 Gap (Yang Wood) | 甲 Gap (Yang Wood) |
| 乙 Eul (Yin Wood) | 乙 Eul (Yin Wood) |
| 丙 Byeong (Yang Fire) | 丙 Byeong (Yang Fire) |
| 丁 Jeong (Yin Fire) | 丁 Jeong (Yin Fire) |
| 戊 Mu (Yang Earth) | 戊 Mu (Yang Earth) |
| 己 Gi (Yin Earth) | 己 Gi (Yin Earth) |
| 庚 Gyeong (Yang Metal) | 庚 Gyeong (Yang Metal) |
| 辛 Sin (Yin Metal) | 辛 Sin (Yin Metal) |
| 壬 Im (Yang Water) | 壬 Im (Yang Water) |
| 癸 Gye (Yin Water) | 癸 Gye (Yin Water) |
When it works well
- Independence: you set your own direction and do not wait for permission.
- Loyalty among equals: you do well in partnerships where everyone carries the same weight.
- Stamina: a Friend in the branch under the Day Master is read as a root, the ability to hold steady under pressure.
When there is too much
A chart crowded with Friends is self-willed. Tradition says Friends divide the Wealth: the same money has to be shared among more hands, so income is contested and partnerships end in arguments over who is owed what. The modern reading is less dramatic: stubbornness, reluctance to delegate, and a habit of hearing advice as interference. An Officer character, which stands for rules and structure, is what keeps many Friends in line.
When there is none
A chart without Friend or Rob Wealth depends on Resource for support, or stands alone. It is read as someone used to handling things without peers, who may find competition uncomfortable rather than energising.