Chinese zodiac · sign 7 of 12 · 午 · Hong Life
You are a Horse if you were born in 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 — counting from Lunar New Year, not January 1. The Horse is the seventh sign of the Chinese zodiac, a yang sign whose fixed element is Fire, known in Korea as 말띠 and in Vietnam as Ngọ (Ngựa, horse).
Each Horse 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 Snake. Click a year for its own page with the exact boundary, Korean Seollal and Ipchun times.
| Year | Sign | Stem-branch | Dates | Korean ddi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 | Earth Horse | 戊午 | Feb 11, 1918 – Jan 31, 1919 | 황금 말띠 |
| 1930 | Metal Horse | 庚午 | Jan 30, 1930 – Feb 16, 1931 | 흰 말띠 |
| 1942 | Water Horse | 壬午 | Feb 15, 1942 – Feb 4, 1943 | 검은 말띠 |
| 1954 | Wood Horse | 甲午 | Feb 3, 1954 – Jan 23, 1955 | 푸른 말띠 |
| 1966 | Fire Horse | 丙午 | Jan 21, 1966 – Feb 8, 1967 | 붉은 말띠 |
| 1978 | Earth Horse | 戊午 | Feb 7, 1978 – Jan 27, 1979 | 황금 말띠 |
| 1990 | Metal Horse | 庚午 | Jan 27, 1990 – Feb 14, 1991 | 흰 말띠 |
| 2002 | Water Horse | 壬午 | Feb 12, 2002 – Jan 31, 2003 | 검은 말띠 |
| 2014 | Wood Horse | 甲午 | Jan 31, 2014 – Feb 18, 2015 | 푸른 말띠 |
| 2026 | Fire Horse | 丙午 | Feb 17, 2026 – Feb 5, 2027 | 붉은 말띠 |
Horse years are associated with energy, independence and enthusiasm. Horses are said to love movement and new experiences, speak their minds and win friends easily.
Tradition paints the Horse as cheerful and restless: quick to act, warm in company and happiest with open space and a goal to run toward.
The horse stands at due south and at midday, the peak of yang energy. Fire Horse years carry special folklore in Japan (hinoeuma): births in Japan fell by about a quarter in 1966 because of the superstition, according to national vital statistics.
Romantic and spontaneous, falling in love quickly; Horses need freedom and a partner who enjoys adventure.
At home in travel, sales, sport, media, performance, field work and fast-moving startups.
These are traditional folk associations, not psychological findings.
The year’s heavenly stem adds one of five elements, so there are five kinds of Horse that repeat every 60 years. The Horse’s own branch element is Fire, so the Fire Horse is the “purest” form of the sign.
| Type | Years | Traditional flavour |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Horse | 1954, 2014 | cooperative, principled, keeps growing; watch for overcommitting, stubborn about ideals |
| Fire Horse | 1966, 2026 | enthusiastic, expressive, inspiring; watch for impatient, prone to burnout |
| Earth Horse | 1918, 1978 | reliable, patient, grounded; watch for slow to change, worries quietly |
| Metal Horse | 1930, 1990 | disciplined, loyal, decisive; watch for rigid, can sound blunt |
| Water Horse | 1942, 2002 | perceptive, diplomatic, adaptable; watch for indecisive, keeps feelings hidden |
| Partner | Rating | Relation | Traditional reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goat | 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. |
| Dog | Very good | Three Harmony | Both belong to the Fire trine (Tiger, Horse, Dog), sharing goals and a similar pace. |
| Rabbit | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Dragon | 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. |
| Horse | Neutral | Same sign, Self-punishment | Same sign with a self-punishment flag: you understand each other but may amplify the same weaknesses. |
| Monkey | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Rooster | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Pig | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Ox | Challenging | Harm | A Harm pair: small misunderstandings can pile up; regular honest talk helps. |
| Rat | Most difficult | Clash | Directly opposite on the zodiac wheel: different rhythms and priorities, so compromise is essential. |
Korean gunghap adds the wonjin (원진) pair, Horse–Ox. 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 Horse: Six Harmony with the Goat.
The Horse and Goat form a Six Harmony pair, so tradition counts 2027 as a supportive year: help from others, smoother teamwork and good timing for partnerships. Do not let the easy mood replace preparation.
Each Horse year also meets the Fire stem differently:
| Born | Sign | Age in 2027 | Element vs. 2027 Fire |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Water Horse | 85 | Water controls Fire |
| 1954 | Wood Horse | 73 | Wood feeds Fire |
| 1966 | Fire Horse | 61 | Fire meets Fire |
| 1978 | Earth Horse | 49 | Fire feeds Earth |
| 1990 | Metal Horse | 37 | Fire controls Metal |
| 2002 | Water Horse | 25 | Water controls Fire |
| 2014 | Wood Horse | 13 | Wood feeds Fire |
| 2026 | Fire Horse | 1 | Fire meets Fire |
See the full 2027 Year of the Goat guide.
| Branch | 午 O (Wǔ / uma) |
|---|---|
| Yin-yang | Yang |
| Fixed element | Fire |
| Trine | Fire trine: Tiger, Horse, Dog |
| Double-hour | 11:00–13:00 |
| Solar month | about Jun 6 – Jul 6 |
| Direction | South |
| Korean / Japanese / Vietnamese | 말띠 / uma (午, uma) / Ngọ (Ngựa, horse) |
| Lucky numbers / colours | 2, 3, 7 / yellow, green (popular modern list; varies by source) |
Recent Horse years are 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026. Each starts at Lunar New Year, not on January 1, so check the exact dates in the table.
Tradition favours the Goat (Six Harmony) and the Tiger and Dog (Three Harmony). The Rat is the clashing sign. This is folklore for entertainment; real relationships depend on the people.
Depending on the year’s stem, a Horse is Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water: Earth Horse 1978; Metal Horse 1990; Water Horse 1942, 2002; Wood Horse 1954, 2014; Fire Horse 1966, 2026.
Six Harmony with the Goat: The Horse and Goat form a Six Harmony pair, so tradition counts 2027 as a supportive year: help from others, smoother teamwork and good timing for partnerships. Do not let the easy mood replace preparation.
The Horse is 말 (午) in Korean, and people born in its years are called 말띠.
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.