Cathay Ink › Chinese zodiac › Year of the Snake
Year of the Snake
Thoughtful, elegant and private. The Snake is called the little dragon; it is the sign of wisdom that watches before it speaks.
The Snake is the sixth of the twelve animals, paired with the earthly branch 巳 and the hours 9 – 11 am. The next Year of the Snake is 2037, a Fire Snake year, from 15 February 2037.
Check my birthdayYears of the Snake
Each year starts at Chinese New Year, so a January birthday usually belongs to the previous animal.
- 1929Earth Snake, from 10 February 1929
- 1941Metal Snake, from 27 January 1941
- 1953Water Snake, from 14 February 1953
- 1965Wood Snake, from 2 February 1965
- 1977Fire Snake, from 18 February 1977
- 1989Earth Snake, from 6 February 1989
- 2001Metal Snake, from 24 January 2001
- 2013Water Snake, from 10 February 2013
- 2025Wood Snake, from 29 January 2025
- 2037Fire Snake, from 15 February 2037
Born in one of these years? Enter the exact date to confirm the animal and see your lunar birthday.
The Snake in Chinese culture
Character
Thoughtful, elegant and private. The Snake is called the little dragon; it is the sign of wisdom that watches before it speaks.
Closest companions in the cycle: the Ox and the Rooster, the two animals that share the Snake's trine. Its secret friend is the Monkey.
A story
The White Snake of West Lake, who took human form for love, is one of China's four great folk tales.
Element changes the flavour of each Snake 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 Snake in ink
A poster with the Snake 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.