Cathay Ink › Chinese zodiac › Year of the Ox
Year of the Ox
Steady, patient and dependable. The Ox finishes what it starts and is trusted with what matters; in farming China it was the family's most valuable companion.
The Ox is the second of the twelve animals, paired with the earthly branch 丑 and the hours 1 – 3 am. The next Year of the Ox is 2033, a Water Ox year, from 31 January 2033.
Check my birthdayYears of the Ox
Each year starts at Chinese New Year, so a January birthday usually belongs to the previous animal.
- 1925Wood Ox, from 24 January 1925
- 1937Fire Ox, from 11 February 1937
- 1949Earth Ox, from 29 January 1949
- 1961Metal Ox, from 15 February 1961
- 1973Water Ox, from 3 February 1973
- 1985Wood Ox, from 20 February 1985
- 1997Fire Ox, from 7 February 1997
- 2009Earth Ox, from 26 January 2009
- 2021Metal Ox, from 12 February 2021
- 2033Water Ox, from 31 January 2033
Born in one of these years? Enter the exact date to confirm the animal and see your lunar birthday.
The Ox in Chinese culture
Character
Steady, patient and dependable. The Ox finishes what it starts and is trusted with what matters; in farming China it was the family's most valuable companion.
Closest companions in the cycle: the Snake and the Rooster, the two animals that share the Ox's trine. Its secret friend is the Rat.
A story
The Ox would have won the river race, but carried the Rat across and came second without complaint.
Element changes the flavour of each Ox year. Metal 金: resolve and clarity: the edge of a blade, the ring of a bell. Wood 木: growth and flexibility: spring, bamboo, new shoots. Water 水: adaptability and depth: rivers finding their way. Fire 火: warmth and drive: summer, lanterns, the hearth. Earth 土: steadiness and care: harvest, soil, the centre.
Your Ox in ink
A poster with the Ox above, your name and lunar birthday below, and your Chinese name as a round seal.
Make the poster
Enter your birthday and we set the poster: the animal in ink wash, the year's element, the date in the lunar calendar, your name. Full-resolution download, printable at A3.
Start with my birthdayWant a Chinese name on the seal? Find one first: three real names with every character explained, free.