The Ox is the second of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Recent and coming Ox years include 1997 (from 7 February 1997), 2009 (from 26 January 2009) and 2021 (from 12 February 2021). A Ox year begins on the lunar new year and not on 1 January, so a Ox birthday in January or February may belong to the animal before.
Folklore, not science, is the right frame: a Ox year says nothing certain about the people born in it. This page sets out the Ox as the tradition describes it, with every Ox year and its exact start date, and you can check a birth date with the Chinese zodiac calculator.
Years of the Ox
These Ox years run from 1948 to 2047, with dates from the Hong Kong Observatory’s table, as in the calculator. Each Ox year begins on the lunar new year in China and Hong Kong and ends the day before the next. The element column is the element of that particular year, and the last column names it in the sixty-year cycle, where the Ox is always paired with the branch chou.
| Chinese year | Begins | Ends | Element | Stem and branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 29 January 1949 | 16 February 1950 | Yin Earth | Ji-chou |
| 1961 | 15 February 1961 | 4 February 1962 | Yin Metal | Xin-chou |
| 1973 | 3 February 1973 | 22 January 1974 | Yin Water | Gui-chou |
| 1985 | 20 February 1985 | 8 February 1986 | Yin Wood | Yi-chou |
| 1997 | 7 February 1997 | 27 January 1998 | Yin Fire | Ding-chou |
| 2009 | 26 January 2009 | 13 February 2010 | Yin Earth | Ji-chou |
| 2021 | 12 February 2021 | 31 January 2022 | Yin Metal | Xin-chou |
| 2033 | 31 January 2033 | 18 February 2034 | Yin Water | Gui-chou |
| 2045 | 17 February 2045 | 5 February 2046 | Yin Wood | Yi-chou |
For example, someone born on 16 January 2009 was born before the lunar new year of 2009, which began on 26 January 2009, so that person is a Rat and not an Ox. If a Ox birthday falls within a day of the new year, check the family date, since the time zone can move it.
Its place in the zodiac
In the story of the Great Race the Ox was the strongest swimmer and set off early, trusting steady effort. It carried the Rat on its back without complaint, and arrived second after the Rat leapt ahead. The tale is told as a lesson that diligence is honoured even when someone else gets the credit.
In the older calendar of earthly branches the Ox is chou (丑), branch number 2. It is Yin, its fixed element is Earth, its double-hour is 1 am to 3 am and its compass direction is north-north-east. That fixed element stays the same in every Ox year, whereas the year element changes.
What the tradition says
The Ox is described as dependable, patient, hardworking and methodical, a person who finishes what they start. It is the animal of farming and of the plough, and the tradition links it with honesty, a calm manner and a liking for routine. The shadow side described is stubbornness.
- Reliability. Doing what was promised, in the way it was promised.
- Patience. Staying with a slow task until it is done.
- Steadiness. Keeping calm when others are rattled.
- Honesty. A plain way of speaking that people tend to trust.
Growth edges
The Ox is pictured as slow to change its mind and slow to admit it is tired. Descriptions point to rigidity: a fixed way of doing things can turn into resistance to useful change. The suggested practice is to try one small new method each month and to ask for help before a load becomes too heavy.
In relationships
In relationships the Ox is described as loyal, undemonstrative and committed, showing care through practical help more than words. The growth point is saying the warm things aloud. This is a way of thinking about your own habits, not a verdict on any partnership.
In work
The tradition links the Ox with farming, building, engineering, administration, teaching and craftwork, anywhere that careful, repeated effort pays off. These are descriptions of an approach that can be found in any career, and they promise nothing about success.
The Ox with each element
The Ox returns every twelve years while the elements turn in a cycle of ten, so Ox years carry five different year elements, and the tradition reads each as a variation on the Ox. Across 1948 to 2047 they fall as follows.
- Wood Ox, in 1985 and 2045: the Ox’s dependable patience with a year that the tradition calls cooperative, idealistic and growth-minded. Read about Wood.
- Fire Ox, in 1997: the Ox’s dependable patience with a year that the tradition calls energetic, enthusiastic and expressive. Read about Fire.
- Earth Ox, in 1949 and 2009: the Ox’s dependable patience with a year that the tradition calls patient, practical and loyal. Read about Earth.
- Metal Ox, in 1961 and 2021: the Ox’s dependable patience with a year that the tradition calls determined, precise and self-disciplined. Read about Metal.
- Water Ox, in 1973 and 2033: the Ox’s dependable patience with a year that the tradition calls intuitive, adaptable and thoughtful. Read about Water.
Compatibility in the tradition
The tradition compares animals by a handful of old pairings. For the Ox the list is:
- Trine allies: Snake and Rooster, with the Ox in the steady and thoughtful trine.
- Secret friend (six harmonies): Rat.
- Opposite (a clash): Goat.
- Harm: Horse.
- Penalty: Goat and Dog.
None of these is a verdict on a Ox’s relationships. The compatibility overview explains each pairing, and the Chinese zodiac compatibility tool compares a Ox with anyone, from two birth dates.
Names and variations
In Chinese the Ox is niu, a word that also means cattle or cow, and the Vietnamese zodiac uses the water buffalo in its place. English writers use Ox, Bull, Cow or Buffalo, which all refer to the same position in the cycle.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Which years are Years of the Ox?
Recent and upcoming Ox years are 1997, 2009, 2021. The next one begins on 31 January 2033 and is a Yin Water year (Gui-chou). Every Ox year to 2047 is in the table above, with its end date.
↳ I was born in January or February: am I An Ox?
Only if your birth date falls on or after the lunar new year that opens a Ox year. For the Ox year 2009 the new year was 26 January 2009, so a birth before that date counts as the Rat. The calculator checks a Ox birthday, or any date from 1901 to 2100.
↳ Is the Year of the Ox lucky?
The Ox is traditionally read as a symbol of diligence and steady reward, which is a good thing to hold in mind. It is not a promise of fortune, and nobody has shown that a year's animal changes what happens in it.
↳ Who is the Ox most compatible with?
By the traditional pairings, the Ox's trine allies are Snake and Rooster, and its secret friend is Rat. The tradition gives no score, and a Ox can do well or badly with any animal.
Return to the Chinese zodiac hub, or read about the Rat and the Tiger.