Core nature
Dependable, Patient, Steady. These are the qualities most often associated with the Ox sign.
Chinese zodiac Ox guide
Find exact Ox years, understand classic Ox personality traits, compare compatible signs, and see how Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water changes the profile.
Enter your birth date. The checker uses the exact Chinese New Year boundary, not January 1.
No account required. Your date is used only for this calculation.
Zodiac order
2 of 12
second
Earthly Branch
丑
CHǑU
Fixed nature
Yin Earth
traditional sign association
Zodiac hours
1–3 a.m.
traditional two-hour period
Ox sign at a glance
The Ox represents patience, responsibility, and progress built through steady effort.
Dependable, Patient, Steady. These are the qualities most often associated with the Ox sign.
They prefer direct facts and time to think. Sudden pressure can make them dig in instead of opening up.
Keep the dependable core, but change the route when the old one no longer works.
Ox Chinese zodiac years
A Ox year begins at Chinese New Year, not January 1. Use the exact date range if you were born in January or February.
| Lunar year | Exact date range | Ox element type |
|---|---|---|
| 1925 | Jan 24, 1925 – Feb 12, 1926 | Wood Ox |
| 1937 | Feb 11, 1937 – Jan 30, 1938 | Fire Ox |
| 1949 | Jan 29, 1949 – Feb 16, 1950 | Earth Ox |
| 1961 | Feb 15, 1961 – Feb 4, 1962 | Metal Ox |
| 1973 | Feb 3, 1973 – Jan 22, 1974 | Water Ox |
| 1985 | Feb 20, 1985 – Feb 8, 1986 | Wood Ox |
| 1997 | Feb 7, 1997 – Jan 27, 1998 | Fire Ox |
| 2009 | Jan 26, 2009 – Feb 13, 2010 | Earth Ox |
| 2021 | Feb 12, 2021 – Jan 31, 2022 | Metal Ox |
| 2033 | Jan 31, 2033 – Feb 18, 2034 | Water Ox |
How the sign is calculated
The familiar animal sign follows the lunar-year boundary. Birth dates near the start of the calendar year need an exact check.
The calendar year alone can give the wrong animal for a January or early-February birthday.
The animal sign changes on Chinese New Year. The date moves each year.
A BaZi Year Pillar uses Li Chun. For a few days, it can differ from the familiar zodiac animal.
Five types of Ox
The animal repeats every 12 years, but the same animal-element pairing returns every 60 years. Each element changes how classic Ox traits tend to appear.
01
1925 · 1985
Wood makes the steady Ox more flexible and open to improvement. Wood Oxen keep their patience, but they are more willing to update a method and help other people grow.
02
1937 · 1997
Fire adds drive and visibility to the patient Ox. Fire Oxen combine endurance with ambition, so they can push a demanding goal long after the first excitement fades.
03
1949 · 2009
Earth reinforces the Ox's practical and steady nature. Earth Oxen prefer clear duties, proven methods, and results that can support people for a long time.
04
1961 · 2021
Metal gives the Ox even stronger discipline, standards, and resolve. Metal Oxen are hard to distract once they accept a duty, and they prefer exact expectations.
05
1973 · 2033
Water softens the Ox's fixed pace and adds perception. Water Oxen still value stability, but they listen carefully and can adjust without abandoning the larger plan.
Ox Chinese zodiac personality
People born in an Ox year tend to build trust through consistency. They value clear duties, practical plans, and results that last. Their persistence is a real strength, but it works best when they stay open to a better method.
People born in an Ox year tend to build trust through consistency. They value clear duties, practical plans, and results that last. Their persistence is a real strength, but it works best when they stay open to a better method.
They prefer direct facts and time to think. Sudden pressure can make them dig in instead of opening up.
They thrive where patience, craft, operations, finance, or long-term ownership matter more than quick applause.
They are loyal and practical partners. They may say less, but they show commitment through reliable action.
Ox Chinese zodiac compatibility
Traditional compatibility looks at how two animal signs support or challenge each other. It is a useful starting point, not a complete relationship reading.
Six Harmony match
The Rat represents alertness, ingenuity, and the ability to find an opening when resources are limited.
Three Harmony match
The Snake represents intuition, strategy, and the power of careful observation.
Three Harmony match
The Rooster represents observation, clarity, and order.
Ox and Goat sit opposite each other in the 12-sign cycle. They may differ in pace, priorities, or communication. Clear expectations can turn that tension into balance.
Ox traits in daily life
They thrive where patience, craft, operations, finance, or long-term ownership matter more than quick applause.
They are loyal and practical partners. They may say less, but they show commitment through reliable action.
They prefer direct facts and time to think. Sudden pressure can make them dig in instead of opening up.
Keep the dependable core, but change the route when the old one no longer works.
Meaning in Chinese culture
The Ox has long represented farming, endurance, and the quiet strength that supports everyday life.
The Ox is the second animal in the 12-sign zodiac cycle.
Dependable, Patient, Steady are the qualities most commonly linked with this sign.
Traditional lists connect the Ox with white, yellow, green and the numbers 1, 4.
The Great Race
The Ox crossed the river with patient, powerful steps and seemed certain to finish first.
The Rat had hidden on its back and jumped ahead at the final moment. The Ox accepted second place, reinforcing its image as steady, generous, and unshowy.
Go beyond the animal sign
BaZi also uses your birth month, day, hour, and location. A full chart shows your Four Pillars, Day Master, and complete Five Elements pattern.
See how BaZi differs from the Chinese zodiacOx years repeat every 12 years. The table above gives the exact Chinese New Year date range for each recent Ox year.
People born in an Ox year tend to build trust through consistency. They value clear duties, practical plans, and results that last. Their persistence is a real strength, but it works best when they stay open to a better method.
Fire Ox combines the Ox's dependable, patient, steady nature with fire adds warmth, visibility, speed, and a stronger need to express what matters.
Traditional matches for the Ox include Rat, Snake, Rooster. Goat is the opposite sign.
Yes. In everyday English, “Chinese horoscope sign” often means the 12-animal Chinese zodiac sign based on your birth year.
Yes. The animal sign changes at Chinese New Year, while the BaZi Year Pillar changes at Li Chun. Dates between those boundaries can produce different results.