Chinese zodiac · sign 2 of 12 · 丑 · Hong Life
You are a Ox if you were born in 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 — counting from Lunar New Year, not January 1. The Ox is the second sign of the Chinese zodiac, a yin sign whose fixed element is Earth, known in Korea as 소띠 and in Vietnam as Sửu (Trâu, water buffalo).
Each Ox 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 Rat. Click a year for its own page with the exact boundary, Korean Seollal and Ipchun times.
| Year | Sign | Stem-branch | Dates | Korean ddi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | Water Ox | 癸丑 | Feb 6, 1913 – Jan 25, 1914 | 검은 소띠 |
| 1925 | Wood Ox | 乙丑 | Jan 24, 1925 – Feb 12, 1926 | 푸른 소띠 |
| 1937 | Fire Ox | 丁丑 | Feb 11, 1937 – Jan 30, 1938 | 붉은 소띠 |
| 1949 | Earth Ox | 己丑 | Jan 29, 1949 – Feb 16, 1950 | 황금 소띠 |
| 1961 | Metal Ox | 辛丑 | Feb 15, 1961 – Feb 4, 1962 | 흰 소띠 |
| 1973 | Water Ox | 癸丑 | Feb 3, 1973 – Jan 22, 1974 | 검은 소띠 |
| 1985 | Wood Ox | 乙丑 | Feb 20, 1985 – Feb 8, 1986 | 푸른 소띠 |
| 1997 | Fire Ox | 丁丑 | Feb 7, 1997 – Jan 27, 1998 | 붉은 소띠 |
| 2009 | Earth Ox | 己丑 | Jan 26, 2009 – Feb 13, 2010 | 황금 소띠 |
| 2021 | Metal Ox | 辛丑 | Feb 12, 2021 – Jan 31, 2022 | 흰 소띠 |
Ox years are associated with endurance, honesty and a calm, methodical approach. Ox people are said to finish what they start, respect tradition and earn trust through actions rather than speeches.
Tradition paints the Ox as the zodiac’s quiet engine: hard-working, sincere and immovable once a decision is made, preferring proven methods to flashy shortcuts.
The Ox finished the Great Race second because it was steady rather than fast, and it carried the Rat across the river. In agricultural East Asia the ox was the family’s most valuable worker, so the sign stands for honest labour and slow, certain progress.
Loyal and protective, slow to open up but very committed; Oxen value stability, shared routines and a partner who is honest.
Suited to work that rewards persistence: engineering, agriculture, medicine, administration, crafts, real estate and long-term projects.
These are traditional folk associations, not psychological findings.
The year’s heavenly stem adds one of five elements, so there are five kinds of Ox that repeat every 60 years. The Ox’s own branch element is Earth, so the Earth Ox is the “purest” form of the sign.
| Type | Years | Traditional flavour |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Ox | 1925, 1985 | cooperative, principled, keeps growing; watch for overcommitting, stubborn about ideals |
| Fire Ox | 1937, 1997 | enthusiastic, expressive, inspiring; watch for impatient, prone to burnout |
| Earth Ox | 1949, 2009 | reliable, patient, grounded; watch for slow to change, worries quietly |
| Metal Ox | 1961, 2021 | disciplined, loyal, decisive; watch for rigid, can sound blunt |
| Water Ox | 1913, 1973 | perceptive, diplomatic, adaptable; watch for indecisive, keeps feelings hidden |
| Partner | Rating | Relation | Traditional reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | Excellent | Six Harmony | A Six Harmony pair: tradition calls these "secret friends" who quietly complete each other. |
| Snake | Very good | Three Harmony | Both belong to the Metal trine (Snake, Rooster, Ox), sharing goals and a similar pace. |
| Rooster | Very good | Three Harmony | Both belong to the Metal trine (Snake, Rooster, Ox), sharing goals and a similar pace. |
| Ox | Neutral | Same sign | Same sign: easy understanding and shared habits, with the risk of shared blind spots. |
| Tiger | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| 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. |
| Monkey | 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. |
| Horse | Challenging | Harm | A Harm pair: small misunderstandings can pile up; regular honest talk helps. |
| Dog | Challenging | Punishment | Part of a Punishment group: each can trigger the other’s stubborn side. |
| Goat | Most difficult | Clash, Punishment | Opposite signs that also form a punishment pair: strong attraction, frequent power struggles. |
Korean gunghap adds the wonjin (원진) pair, Ox–Horse. 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 Ox: Clash with Tai Sui (冲太岁) + punishment.
Ox and Goat sit directly opposite each other, so in Chinese folk belief the Ox "clashes with Tai Sui" in 2027, and the Ox–Goat–Dog punishment group adds tension. Tradition reads this as a year of movement—relocation, job change, reorganised plans—where caution with contracts, health routines and conflicts pays off.
Each Ox year also meets the Fire stem differently:
| Born | Sign | Age in 2027 | Element vs. 2027 Fire |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Earth Ox | 78 | Fire feeds Earth |
| 1961 | Metal Ox | 66 | Fire controls Metal |
| 1973 | Water Ox | 54 | Water controls Fire |
| 1985 | Wood Ox | 42 | Wood feeds Fire |
| 1997 | Fire Ox | 30 | Fire meets Fire |
| 2009 | Earth Ox | 18 | Fire feeds Earth |
| 2021 | Metal Ox | 6 | Fire controls Metal |
See the full 2027 Year of the Goat guide.
| Branch | 丑 Chuk (Chǒu / ushi) |
|---|---|
| Yin-yang | Yin |
| Fixed element | Earth |
| Trine | Metal trine: Snake, Rooster, Ox |
| Double-hour | 01:00–03:00 |
| Solar month | about Jan 6 – Feb 3 |
| Direction | North-northeast |
| Korean / Japanese / Vietnamese | 소띠 / ushi (丑, ushi) / Sửu (Trâu, water buffalo) |
| Lucky numbers / colours | 1, 9 / white, yellow (popular modern list; varies by source) |
Recent Ox years are 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021. Each starts at Lunar New Year, not on January 1, so check the exact dates in the table.
Tradition favours the Rat (Six Harmony) and the Snake and Rooster (Three Harmony). The Goat is the clashing sign. This is folklore for entertainment; real relationships depend on the people.
Depending on the year’s stem, a Ox is Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water: Water Ox 1973; Wood Ox 1985; Fire Ox 1997; Earth Ox 1949, 2009; Metal Ox 1961, 2021.
Clash with Tai Sui (冲太岁) + punishment: Ox and Goat sit directly opposite each other, so in Chinese folk belief the Ox "clashes with Tai Sui" in 2027, and the Ox–Goat–Dog punishment group adds tension. Tradition reads this as a year of movement—relocation, job change, reorganised plans—where caution with contracts, health routines and conflicts pays off.
The Ox is 소 (丑) in Korean, and people born in its years are called 소띠.
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.