The Rooster is the tenth of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Recent and coming Rooster years include 2005 (from 9 February 2005), 2017 (from 28 January 2017) and 2029 (from 13 February 2029). A Rooster year begins on the lunar new year and not on 1 January, so a Rooster birthday in January or February may belong to the animal before.
Folklore, not science, is the right frame: a Rooster year says nothing certain about the people born in it. This page sets out the Rooster as the tradition describes it, with every Rooster year and its exact start date, and you can check a birth date with the Chinese zodiac calculator.
Years of the Rooster
These Rooster years run from 1948 to 2047, with dates from the Hong Kong Observatory’s table, as in the calculator. Each Rooster 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 Rooster is always paired with the branch you.
| Chinese year | Begins | Ends | Element | Stem and branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | 31 January 1957 | 17 February 1958 | Yin Fire | Ding-you |
| 1969 | 17 February 1969 | 5 February 1970 | Yin Earth | Ji-you |
| 1981 | 5 February 1981 | 24 January 1982 | Yin Metal | Xin-you |
| 1993 | 23 January 1993 | 9 February 1994 | Yin Water | Gui-you |
| 2005 | 9 February 2005 | 28 January 2006 | Yin Wood | Yi-you |
| 2017 | 28 January 2017 | 15 February 2018 | Yin Fire | Ding-you |
| 2029 | 13 February 2029 | 2 February 2030 | Yin Earth | Ji-you |
| 2041 | 1 February 2041 | 21 January 2042 | Yin Metal | Xin-you |
For example, someone born on 30 January 2005 was born before the lunar new year of 2005, which began on 9 February 2005, so that person is a Monkey and not a Rooster. If a Rooster 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 Great Race the Rooster is placed tenth, after crossing on the raft with the Goat and the Monkey. It is remembered in the story for its crowing, which became the sign of dawn. Tellings differ, and the account is a folktale.
In the older calendar of earthly branches the Rooster is you (酉), branch number 10. It is Yin, its fixed element is Metal, its double-hour is 5 pm to 7 pm and its compass direction is west. That fixed element stays the same in every Rooster year, whereas the year element changes.
What the tradition says
The Rooster is described as observant, hardworking, organised and candid, a person who rises early, keeps things in order and says what they think. It is the symbol of dawn and of punctuality. The shadow side described is perfectionism and sharp criticism.
- Diligence. Steady, careful work, often starting early.
- Honesty. Saying plainly what they see.
- Organisation. Keeping plans, lists and spaces in order.
- Observation. Noticing small errors and small kindnesses alike.
Growth edges
Descriptions of the Rooster mention a critical streak, a wish for things to be done just so and difficulty relaxing when something is out of place. The suggested practice is to praise something specific each day and to leave one task at good enough.
In relationships
In close relationships the Rooster is pictured as loyal, protective and devoted to a household, with a taste for showing care through effort. The growth point is gentleness in how honest comments are phrased. This is a prompt for reflection about yourself, not a ruling on any couple.
In work
The tradition links the Rooster with administration, farming, editing, the military, hospitality, accounting and any work that rewards care with detail. These describe an approach found in any field.
The Rooster with each element
The Rooster returns every twelve years while the elements turn in a cycle of ten, so Rooster years carry five different year elements, and the tradition reads each as a variation on the Rooster. Across 1948 to 2047 they fall as follows.
- Wood Rooster, in 2005: the Rooster’s careful candour with a year that the tradition calls cooperative, idealistic and growth-minded. Read about Wood.
- Fire Rooster, in 1957 and 2017: the Rooster’s careful candour with a year that the tradition calls energetic, enthusiastic and expressive. Read about Fire.
- Earth Rooster, in 1969 and 2029: the Rooster’s careful candour with a year that the tradition calls patient, practical and loyal. Read about Earth.
- Metal Rooster, in 1981 and 2041: the Rooster’s careful candour with a year that the tradition calls determined, precise and self-disciplined. Read about Metal.
- Water Rooster, in 1993: the Rooster’s careful candour 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 Rooster the list is:
- Trine allies: Ox and Snake, with the Rooster in the steady and thoughtful trine.
- Secret friend (six harmonies): Dragon.
- Opposite (a clash): Rabbit.
- Harm: Dog.
- Penalty: no other animal. The Rooster is also on the list of self-penalty animals.
None of these is a verdict on a Rooster’s relationships. The compatibility overview explains each pairing, and the Chinese zodiac compatibility tool compares a Rooster with anyone, from two birth dates.
Names and variations
In Chinese the animal is ji, the word for chicken, and English writers use Rooster, Cock or Chicken for the year. The word sounds like another word meaning good fortune, which is part of its lucky reputation. It is the tenth animal and, like the Dragon, one of four the tradition says can be hard on themselves.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Which years are Years of the Rooster?
Recent and upcoming Rooster years are 2005, 2017, 2029. The next one begins on 13 February 2029 and is a Yin Earth year (Ji-you). Every Rooster year to 2047 is in the table above, with its end date.
↳ I was born in January or February: am I A Rooster?
Only if your birth date falls on or after the lunar new year that opens a Rooster year. For the Rooster year 2005 the new year was 9 February 2005, so a birth before that date counts as the Monkey. The calculator checks a Rooster birthday, or any date from 1901 to 2100.
↳ Is the Year of the Rooster lucky?
The Rooster is read as a symbol of dawn, hard work and punctuality, and its name sounds like a word for good fortune. That is wordplay and tradition, and no animal year is proven to affect luck.
↳ Who is the Rooster most compatible with?
By the traditional pairings, the Rooster's trine allies are Ox and Snake, and its secret friend is Dragon. The tradition gives no score, and a Rooster can do well or badly with any animal.
Return to the Chinese zodiac hub, or read about the Monkey and the Dog.