Free tool
Auspicious hours
The auspicious hours of a day follow that day's earthly branch, giving six favourable and six unfavourable slots among the twelve two-hour windows. This is folk convention, and the almanacs in circulation do not agree perfectly. The hour of Tý also straddles midnight, so something done at 23:30 belongs to the next day rather than the one on screen.
See all 12 two-hour blocks for today, which are auspicious for major undertakings and which to avoid, optionally enter your birthday to see which hours specifically suit your age.
Learn more
What are auspicious hours and how are they calculated?
In the traditional East Asian system, a day-night cycle is split into 12 "hours" (each equal to 2 modern hours), named after the 12 Earthly Branches: Tý (11pm-1am), Sửu (1am-3am), Dần (3am-5am)... through Hợi (9pm-11pm). The idea of "auspicious" vs "inauspicious" hours comes from the day/hour-selection tradition (Trạch Cát) in East Asian culture, built on 12 symbolic stars: six "good" ones (Green Dragon, Bright Hall, Golden Chest...) and six "unlucky" ones (White Tiger, Sky Prison...), believed to preside over each two-hour block in rotation.
Which hours count as auspicious on a given day isn't fixed; it depends on that day's own Earthly Branch (days grouped as Tý/Ngọ, Sửu/Mùi, etc. each map to their own auspicious-hour table, derived from a traditional formula recorded in old day-selection almanacs). This tool applies that same formula programmatically instead of requiring a printed lookup table.
At its core this is an inherited folk divination system, not a physically or astronomically verifiable law. Many Vietnamese families still consult auspicious hours when picking a time to travel, open a business, hold a wedding, or break ground for construction, as part of custom, alongside practical factors like weather and schedules.
The "find which hours suit me best" section on this page also cross-references the hour's Earthly Branch against the viewer's own birth-year Branch using the familiar Tam Hợp (Three Harmony) / Tứ Hành Xung (Four Clash) / Lục Hại (Six Harm) groupings from Tử Vi astrology, a more personalized suggestion on top of the day's general table, still meant as cultural reference rather than a definitive should/shouldn't verdict.
Because the auspicious-hour pattern shifts depending on the day's own Branch, this page deliberately does not print one single fixed "hour X is always auspicious" table, doing so would be misleading since the same clock hour can be auspicious on one day and inauspicious on another. Instead, enter (or default to) a specific date, and the tool computes the correct 6 auspicious / 6 inauspicious hours for that exact day using the traditional formula.
Historically, this system comes from the same body of day/hour-selection almanacs (Trạch Nhật) that also produced good-day selection and Tam Tai. It sits alongside, but is distinct from, Western concepts like "lucky numbers": rather than a fixed personal attribute, an auspicious hour is a property of a specific moment in time, shared by everyone regardless of their own birth chart, though the "suits me best" section adds a personalized layer on top.
| Hour (Branch) | Modern time range | Symbolic meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Tý | 11pm-1am | Deep night, when rats are most active |
| Sửu | 1am-3am | Late night, the buffalo chews cud before dawn |
| Dần | 3am-5am | Pre-dawn, when tigers hunt |
| Mão | 5am-7am | Early morning, rabbits leave their burrow |
| Thìn | 7am-9am | Morning, the mythical dragon's hour for bringing rain |
| Tỵ | 9am-11am | Mid-morning, snakes rest in their den avoiding the sun |
| Ngọ | 11am-1pm | Midday, when horses are at their most energetic |
| Mùi | 1pm-3pm | Early afternoon, goats graze |
| Thân | 3pm-5pm | Late afternoon, monkeys are lively before dusk |
| Dậu | 5pm-7pm | Dusk, chickens return to roost |
| Tuất | 7pm-9pm | Early evening, dogs guard the house |
| Hợi | 9pm-11pm | Day's end, pigs sleep soundly |
Frequently asked questions
Are auspicious hours the same every day?
No. Which hours are auspicious depends on that day's own Earthly Branch (Tý/Ngọ days follow a different table than Sửu/Mùi days...), so the same clock hour can be favorable on one day and unfavorable on another.
What are auspicious hours used for?
By folk custom, many people consult auspicious hours when choosing a time to travel, open a business, hold a wedding, or break ground, as one cultural reference factor alongside practical considerations.
How does "hours that suit me" differ from the day's general auspicious hours?
The day's general auspicious hours apply to everyone that day. "Hours that suit me" additionally cross-references the hour's Branch against your own birth-year Branch via Three Harmony/Four Clash/Six Harm, giving a more personalized suggestion.
How many auspicious hours are there in one day?
There are always exactly 6 out of 12 hours considered auspicious and 6 considered inauspicious, per the traditional rule, though which specific hours fall into which group changes from day to day.
Is there scientific basis for auspicious hours?
No. This is an inherited folk divination system, not a physically or astronomically verifiable law.
Can I check auspicious hours for a future date?
Yes, pick any solar date (today or in the future) to see that specific day's auspicious/inauspicious hour breakdown.
Are "auspicious hours" and "auspicious days" the same thing?
No, these are two separate concepts. Auspicious hours apply to 2-hour blocks within a day; picking a good day for a specific purpose (wedding, business opening...) uses its own separate set of criteria, covered by the site's Best Day for a Purpose tool.