Chinese zodiac · sign 10 of 12 · 酉 · Hong Life
You are a Rooster if you were born in 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 — counting from Lunar New Year, not January 1. The Rooster is the tenth sign of the Chinese zodiac, a yin sign whose fixed element is Metal, known in Korea as 닭띠 and in Vietnam as Dậu (Gà, rooster).
Each Rooster 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 Monkey. Click a year for its own page with the exact boundary, Korean Seollal and Ipchun times.
| Year | Sign | Stem-branch | Dates | Korean ddi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | Metal Rooster | 辛酉 | Feb 8, 1921 – Jan 27, 1922 | 흰 닭띠 |
| 1933 | Water Rooster | 癸酉 | Jan 26, 1933 – Feb 13, 1934 | 검은 닭띠 |
| 1945 | Wood Rooster | 乙酉 | Feb 13, 1945 – Feb 1, 1946 | 푸른 닭띠 |
| 1957 | Fire Rooster | 丁酉 | Jan 31, 1957 – Feb 17, 1958 | 붉은 닭띠 |
| 1969 | Earth Rooster | 己酉 | Feb 17, 1969 – Feb 5, 1970 | 황금 닭띠 |
| 1981 | Metal Rooster | 辛酉 | Feb 5, 1981 – Jan 24, 1982 | 흰 닭띠 |
| 1993 | Water Rooster | 癸酉 | Jan 23, 1993 – Feb 9, 1994 | 검은 닭띠 |
| 2005 | Wood Rooster | 乙酉 | Feb 9, 2005 – Jan 28, 2006 | 푸른 닭띠 |
| 2017 | Fire Rooster | 丁酉 | Jan 28, 2017 – Feb 15, 2018 | 붉은 닭띠 |
| 2029 | Earth Rooster | 己酉 | Feb 13, 2029 – Feb 2, 2030 | 황금 닭띠 |
Rooster years are traditionally read as precise, honest and confident. Roosters are said to notice every detail, keep high standards and say exactly what they think.
In folk readings the Rooster is the zodiac’s organiser: punctual, well-presented and hard-working, proud of doing things properly.
The rooster that crows at dawn was believed to chase away night spirits. Tradition credits the bird with five virtues: civility (its comb), martial spirit (spurs), courage, benevolence (sharing food) and trustworthiness (keeping time).
Loyal and attentive, with clear expectations; Roosters appreciate a partner who is honest and who notices their effort.
Suited to accounting, auditing, journalism, the military, management, quality control and any detail-heavy profession.
These are traditional folk associations, not psychological findings.
The year’s heavenly stem adds one of five elements, so there are five kinds of Rooster that repeat every 60 years. The Rooster’s own branch element is Metal, so the Metal Rooster is the “purest” form of the sign.
| Type | Years | Traditional flavour |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Rooster | 1945, 2005 | cooperative, principled, keeps growing; watch for overcommitting, stubborn about ideals |
| Fire Rooster | 1957, 2017 | enthusiastic, expressive, inspiring; watch for impatient, prone to burnout |
| Earth Rooster | 1969, 2029 | reliable, patient, grounded; watch for slow to change, worries quietly |
| Metal Rooster | 1921, 1981 | disciplined, loyal, decisive; watch for rigid, can sound blunt |
| Water Rooster | 1933, 1993 | perceptive, diplomatic, adaptable; watch for indecisive, keeps feelings hidden |
| Partner | Rating | Relation | Traditional reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon | Excellent | Six Harmony | A Six Harmony pair: tradition calls these "secret friends" who quietly complete each other. |
| Ox | Very good | Three Harmony | Both belong to the Metal trine (Snake, Rooster, Ox), sharing goals and a similar pace. |
| Snake | Very good | Three Harmony | Both belong to the Metal trine (Snake, Rooster, Ox), 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. |
| Tiger | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Horse | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Goat | 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. |
| Rooster | Neutral | Same sign, Self-punishment | Same sign with a self-punishment flag: you understand each other but may amplify the same weaknesses. |
| Pig | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Dog | Challenging | Harm | A Harm pair: small misunderstandings can pile up; regular honest talk helps. |
| Rabbit | Most difficult | Clash | Directly opposite on the zodiac wheel: different rhythms and priorities, so compromise is essential. |
Korean gunghap adds the wonjin (원진) pair, Rooster–Tiger. 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 Rooster: No special relationship with the Goat.
Your sign has no classical harmony or clash with the Goat, so 2027 is read as a "neutral" year in which results depend on your own effort and on the rest of your chart rather than on the year sign.
Each Rooster year also meets the Fire stem differently:
| Born | Sign | Age in 2027 | Element vs. 2027 Fire |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | Wood Rooster | 82 | Wood feeds Fire |
| 1957 | Fire Rooster | 70 | Fire meets Fire |
| 1969 | Earth Rooster | 58 | Fire feeds Earth |
| 1981 | Metal Rooster | 46 | Fire controls Metal |
| 1993 | Water Rooster | 34 | Water controls Fire |
| 2005 | Wood Rooster | 22 | Wood feeds Fire |
| 2017 | Fire Rooster | 10 | Fire meets Fire |
See the full 2027 Year of the Goat guide.
| Branch | 酉 Yu (Yǒu / tori) |
|---|---|
| Yin-yang | Yin |
| Fixed element | Metal |
| Trine | Metal trine: Snake, Rooster, Ox |
| Double-hour | 17:00–19:00 |
| Solar month | about Sep 8 – Oct 7 |
| Direction | West |
| Korean / Japanese / Vietnamese | 닭띠 / tori (酉, tori) / Dậu (Gà, rooster) |
| Lucky numbers / colours | 5, 7, 8 / gold, brown (popular modern list; varies by source) |
Recent Rooster years are 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029. Each starts at Lunar New Year, not on January 1, so check the exact dates in the table.
Tradition favours the Dragon (Six Harmony) and the Snake and Ox (Three Harmony). The Rabbit is the clashing sign. This is folklore for entertainment; real relationships depend on the people.
Depending on the year’s stem, a Rooster is Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water: Metal Rooster 1981; Water Rooster 1993; Wood Rooster 1945, 2005; Fire Rooster 1957, 2017; Earth Rooster 1969, 2029.
No special relationship with the Goat: Your sign has no classical harmony or clash with the Goat, so 2027 is read as a "neutral" year in which results depend on your own effort and on the rest of your chart rather than on the year sign.
The Rooster is 닭 (酉) in Korean, and people born in its years are called 닭띠.
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.