What are the good hours on May 18, 2026?

Si 09:00–11:00, Mao 05:00–07:00, Yin 03:00–05:00. The Nobleman hours come from the day stem, and the Yellow Path hours from the day branch.

What is May 18, 2026 good for?

Good for saving, closing accounts, sorting things out at home or at work; better not opening a business, starting a new role, long trips.

Which zodiac sign does May 18, 2026 clash with?

It clashes with people born in the year of the Dog; the sha direction is South.

Almanac › Monday

May 18 · MonLunar 4/2Ren Chen day · 閉 day

Good for planning and handing out tasks; daytime suits better than evening.

Your own good hours

Good hours this day

Good hours this day7 of 12

★ Si 09:00–11:00Help comes easily: asking for help, reaching the person who can unblock you, the hard conversation ／ discussions, signing, submitting
★ Mao 05:00–07:00Help comes easily: asking for help, reaching the person who can unblock you, the hard conversation
Yin 03:00–05:00arranging, delegating, handing things on
Chen 07:00–09:00beginnings, going out, meeting people
Shen 15:00–17:00money, collecting, placing orders
You 17:00–19:00asking favours, making peace, good deeds
Hai 21:00–23:00reading, writing, quiet work

Read from the day's stem and branch, so they are the same for everyone. Your own hours come from your BaZi chart.

Good for, better notthe almanac calls it a smooth day

Good forsaving, closing accounts, sorting things out at home or at work
Hold off onopening a business, starting a new role, long trips
People born in the year of the DogToday runs opposite to people born in the year of the Dog; big things can wait for another day. If you are breaking ground or moving heavy things, avoid working toward the South.

The twelve double-hours

The six coloured hours are the ones the almanac calls good; the other six are ordinary. ★ marks the hours when help tends to come.

Zi23:00–01:00an ordinary hour, nothing to pick it for 天牢 · Black Path
Chou01:00–03:00an ordinary hour, nothing to pick it for 玄武 · Black Path
Yin03:00–05:00arranging, delegating, handing things on 司命 · Yellow Path
★ Mao05:00–07:00asking for help, reaching the person who can unblock you, the hard conversation 勾陳 · Black Path
Chen07:00–09:00beginnings, going out, meeting people 青龍 · Yellow Path
★ Si09:00–11:00asking for help, reaching the person who can unblock you, the hard conversation ／ discussions, signing, submitting 明堂 · Yellow Path
Wu11:00–13:00an ordinary hour, nothing to pick it for 天刑 · Black Path
Wei13:00–15:00an ordinary hour, nothing to pick it for 朱雀 · Black Path
Shen15:00–17:00money, collecting, placing orders 金匱 · Yellow Path
You17:00–19:00asking favours, making peace, good deeds 天德 · Yellow Path
Xu19:00–21:00an ordinary hour, nothing to pick it for 白虎 · Black Path
Hai21:00–23:00reading, writing, quiet work 玉堂 · Yellow Path

Solar terms

Start of Summer 立夏Now in Start of Summer 立夏, since May 5 at 07:49 PM
Grain Buds 小滿Next: Grain Buds 小滿, May 21 at 08:37 AM

Stems and branchesNayin 長流水

This is how the almanac itself writes the day: two characters each for year, month and day, plus the day officer on duty. The good hours and do’s and don’ts above are all looked up from these.

YearBing Wu
MonthGui Si
DayRen Chen
閉 dayBi, Close, shuts and stores. Good for keeping and sorting inside; not for opening outward.
司命Life Keeper on duty: good for arranging and delegating, better by day than by night.

FromThe day's officer, spirit, clash and nayin come from tables on the month and day branches. Good hours: Nobleman hours from the day stem, the twelve Yellow and Black Path spirits from the day branch. Solar terms are the observatory's timetable; the lunar date is ICU's Chinese calendar. Times are Taipei time (UTC+8).

Peng Zu's taboosRen Chen

Old Chinese almanacs list two customs for every day: one from the day's stem, one from its branch, the same for everyone. The Qing court almanac files them as habits handed down rather than reasoned rules. Each line in the original goes on to say what happens if you ignore it; only the first four characters are printed here. The line for xu days is about an old eating habit that has no place in life today, so it is left out. Whether to follow them is up to you.

壬不決水On a ren day no dyke was opened to let water out. Today: leave the plumbing alone.
辰不哭泣On a chen day weeping was avoided. Today it mostly comes up only when choosing a date for a funeral.

FromQinding Xieji Bianfang Shu (1739), vol. 35, appendix on the hundred taboo days.

Your own good hours

Everything above is the same for everyone. Sign in and make a profile, and a second row appears that is yours alone: hours worked out from your BaZi day stem and the elements your chart favours. An hour lit on both rows is your good hour.

Start free arranging the home this year

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The almanac describes the day. For your own good hours, it needs your chart.