Chinese zodiac · sign 11 of 12 · 戌 · Hong Life
You are a Dog if you were born in 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 — counting from Lunar New Year, not January 1. The Dog is the eleventh sign of the Chinese zodiac, a yang sign whose fixed element is Earth, known in Korea as 개띠 and in Vietnam as Tuất (Chó, dog).
Each Dog year begins at Lunar New Year (China, UTC+8). Birthdays in January or early February before the start date belong to the previous sign, the Rooster. Click a year for its own page with the exact boundary, Korean Seollal and Ipchun times.
| Year | Sign | Stem-branch | Dates | Korean ddi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | Water Dog | 壬戌 | Jan 28, 1922 – Feb 15, 1923 | 검은 개띠 |
| 1934 | Wood Dog | 甲戌 | Feb 14, 1934 – Feb 3, 1935 | 푸른 개띠 |
| 1946 | Fire Dog | 丙戌 | Feb 2, 1946 – Jan 21, 1947 | 붉은 개띠 |
| 1958 | Earth Dog | 戊戌 | Feb 18, 1958 – Feb 7, 1959 | 황금 개띠 |
| 1970 | Metal Dog | 庚戌 | Feb 6, 1970 – Jan 26, 1971 | 흰 개띠 |
| 1982 | Water Dog | 壬戌 | Jan 25, 1982 – Feb 12, 1983 | 검은 개띠 |
| 1994 | Wood Dog | 甲戌 | Feb 10, 1994 – Jan 30, 1995 | 푸른 개띠 |
| 2006 | Fire Dog | 丙戌 | Jan 29, 2006 – Feb 17, 2007 | 붉은 개띠 |
| 2018 | Earth Dog | 戊戌 | Feb 16, 2018 – Feb 4, 2019 | 황금 개띠 |
| 2030 | Metal Dog | 庚戌 | Feb 3, 2030 – Jan 22, 2031 | 흰 개띠 |
Dog years are associated with loyalty, a strong sense of justice and sincerity. Dogs are said to be dependable friends who defend the vulnerable and speak up when something is unfair.
Tradition paints the Dog as the guardian of the zodiac: honest, faithful and responsible, sometimes anxious about the people and causes it protects.
As guardian of the home, the dog stands for loyalty and justice. In Japan the Dog is linked with easy childbirth, so expectant mothers traditionally visit shrines on a Dog day of the calendar.
Devoted and sincere once trust is built; Dogs need honesty above all and a partner who shares their values.
At home in law, social work, healthcare, teaching, public service, security and non-profit work.
These are traditional folk associations, not psychological findings.
The year’s heavenly stem adds one of five elements, so there are five kinds of Dog that repeat every 60 years. The Dog’s own branch element is Earth, so the Earth Dog is the “purest” form of the sign.
| Type | Years | Traditional flavour |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Dog | 1934, 1994 | cooperative, principled, keeps growing; watch for overcommitting, stubborn about ideals |
| Fire Dog | 1946, 2006 | enthusiastic, expressive, inspiring; watch for impatient, prone to burnout |
| Earth Dog | 1958, 2018 | reliable, patient, grounded; watch for slow to change, worries quietly |
| Metal Dog | 1970, 2030 | disciplined, loyal, decisive; watch for rigid, can sound blunt |
| Water Dog | 1922, 1982 | perceptive, diplomatic, adaptable; watch for indecisive, keeps feelings hidden |
| Partner | Rating | Relation | Traditional reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbit | Excellent | Six Harmony | A Six Harmony pair: tradition calls these "secret friends" who quietly complete each other. |
| Tiger | Very good | Three Harmony | Both belong to the Fire trine (Tiger, Horse, Dog), sharing goals and a similar pace. |
| Horse | Very good | Three Harmony | Both belong to the Fire trine (Tiger, Horse, Dog), sharing goals and a similar pace. |
| Rat | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Snake | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Monkey | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Dog | Neutral | Same sign | Same sign: easy understanding and shared habits, with the risk of shared blind spots. |
| Pig | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Ox | Challenging | Punishment | Part of a Punishment group: each can trigger the other’s stubborn side. |
| Goat | Challenging | Punishment | Part of a Punishment group: each can trigger the other’s stubborn side. |
| Rooster | Challenging | Harm | A Harm pair: small misunderstandings can pile up; regular honest talk helps. |
| Dragon | Most difficult | Clash | Directly opposite on the zodiac wheel: different rhythms and priorities, so compromise is essential. |
Korean gunghap adds the wonjin (원진) pair, Dog–Snake. Compare every pair on the 12×12 compatibility chart.
2027 is the Yin Fire Goat year Jeongmi (丁未), from Feb 6, 2027 to Jan 25, 2028 in the Chinese calendar (Korean Seollal: Feb 7). For the Dog: Punishment / break with Tai Sui (刑·破太岁).
Dog belongs to the Ox–Goat–Dog punishment group, and Dog–Goat is also a "break" (破) pair, so 2027 is listed among the years that "offend Tai Sui" for the Dog. Folk advice: keep paperwork in order, avoid risky guarantees and choose patience over confrontation.
Each Dog year also meets the Fire stem differently:
| Born | Sign | Age in 2027 | Element vs. 2027 Fire |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Fire Dog | 81 | Fire meets Fire |
| 1958 | Earth Dog | 69 | Fire feeds Earth |
| 1970 | Metal Dog | 57 | Fire controls Metal |
| 1982 | Water Dog | 45 | Water controls Fire |
| 1994 | Wood Dog | 33 | Wood feeds Fire |
| 2006 | Fire Dog | 21 | Fire meets Fire |
| 2018 | Earth Dog | 9 | Fire feeds Earth |
See the full 2027 Year of the Goat guide.
| Branch | 戌 Sul (Xū / inu) |
|---|---|
| Yin-yang | Yang |
| Fixed element | Earth |
| Trine | Fire trine: Tiger, Horse, Dog |
| Double-hour | 19:00–21:00 |
| Solar month | about Oct 8 – Nov 6 |
| Direction | West-northwest |
| Korean / Japanese / Vietnamese | 개띠 / inu (戌, inu) / Tuất (Chó, dog) |
| Lucky numbers / colours | 3, 4, 9 / green, red (popular modern list; varies by source) |
Recent Dog years are 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030. Each starts at Lunar New Year, not on January 1, so check the exact dates in the table.
Tradition favours the Rabbit (Six Harmony) and the Tiger and Horse (Three Harmony). The Dragon is the clashing sign. This is folklore for entertainment; real relationships depend on the people.
Depending on the year’s stem, a Dog is Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water: Water Dog 1982; Wood Dog 1994; Fire Dog 1946, 2006; Earth Dog 1958, 2018; Metal Dog 1970, 2030.
Punishment / break with Tai Sui (刑·破太岁): Dog belongs to the Ox–Goat–Dog punishment group, and Dog–Goat is also a "break" (破) pair, so 2027 is listed among the years that "offend Tai Sui" for the Dog. Folk advice: keep paperwork in order, avoid risky guarantees and choose patience over confrontation.
The Dog is 개 (戌) in Korean, and people born in its years are called 개띠.
In Korean Saju the year animal is one of four pillars. The free calculator shows all of them, plus your five-element balance and a 2027 outlook.
Open the free Korean Saju calculator →Everything on this page about personality, compatibility and luck is cultural tradition for entertainment.