the twelve earthly branches: [[子|子|zi3]], [[丑|丑|chou3]], [[寅|寅|yin2]], [[卯|卯|mao3]], [[辰|辰|chen2]], [[巳|巳|si4]], [[午|午|wu3]], [[未|未|wei4]], [[申|申|shen1]], [[酉|酉|you3]], [[戌|戌|xu1]], [[亥|亥|hai4]] (used cyclically in the calendar and as ordinal numbers)