earthly branches
The 12 earthly branches of the Chinese zodiac, used in combination with the 10 heavenly stems (十干) to form the sexagenary cycle. Often encountered in traditional calendar, astrology, and historical contexts.
See also: 十二支
The twelve zodiac signs consist of the earthly branches: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar.
From Chinese 地支 (dìzhī), literally 'earth branch'. The term has been used in East Asian calendrical and astrological traditions for centuries.