The Snake is the sixth of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Recent and coming Snake years include 2001 (from 24 January 2001), 2013 (from 10 February 2013) and 2025 (from 29 January 2025). A Snake year begins on the lunar new year and not on 1 January, so a Snake birthday in January or February may belong to the animal before.
Folklore, not science, is the right frame: a Snake year says nothing certain about the people born in it. This page sets out the Snake as the tradition describes it, with every Snake year and its exact start date, and you can check a birth date with the Chinese zodiac calculator.
Years of the Snake
These Snake years run from 1948 to 2047, with dates from the Hong Kong Observatory’s table, as in the calculator. Each Snake 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 Snake is always paired with the branch si.
| Chinese year | Begins | Ends | Element | Stem and branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 14 February 1953 | 2 February 1954 | Yin Water | Gui-si |
| 1965 | 2 February 1965 | 20 January 1966 | Yin Wood | Yi-si |
| 1977 | 18 February 1977 | 6 February 1978 | Yin Fire | Ding-si |
| 1989 | 6 February 1989 | 26 January 1990 | Yin Earth | Ji-si |
| 2001 | 24 January 2001 | 11 February 2002 | Yin Metal | Xin-si |
| 2013 | 10 February 2013 | 30 January 2014 | Yin Water | Gui-si |
| 2025 | 29 January 2025 | 16 February 2026 | Yin Wood | Yi-si |
| 2037 | 15 February 2037 | 3 February 2038 | Yin Fire | Ding-si |
For example, someone born on 14 January 2001 was born before the lunar new year of 2001, which began on 24 January 2001, so that person is a Dragon and not a Snake. If a Snake 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 Snake is said to have hidden in the Horse’s hoof. As the Horse came near the bank, the Snake slid out, startled the Horse, and slipped across to arrive sixth. The story is about quiet cunning, told with humour more than blame.
In the older calendar of earthly branches the Snake is si (巳), branch number 6. It is Yin, its fixed element is Fire, its double-hour is 9 am to 11 am and its compass direction is south-south-east. That fixed element stays the same in every Snake year, whereas the year element changes.
What the tradition says
The Snake is described as thoughtful, private, analytical and graceful, a person who prefers to observe before acting. In Chinese culture the Snake, sometimes called the little dragon, stands for wisdom and intuition, and it carries little of the fearful association common in some other traditions. The shadow side described is secrecy and holding back.
- Insight. Seeing the motive behind a question or a situation.
- Poise. A composed manner under pressure.
- Focus. Working on one goal with quiet determination.
- Discretion. Keeping a confidence.
Growth edges
Descriptions of the Snake mention suspicion and a tendency to keep plans and feelings hidden. A cautious mind can also be slow to trust. The suggested practice is to share one honest feeling with a friend each week and to check a suspicion against facts before acting.
In relationships
In close relationships the Snake is pictured as loyal and deeply attached, with a taste for a few meaningful bonds. The growth point is openness about what is going on inside. This is a description for reflection, not a ruling on any couple.
In work
The tradition links the Snake with research, analysis, writing, law, medicine, the arts and finance, anywhere that rewards depth of thought. These are descriptions of an approach that appears in any field.
The Snake with each element
The Snake returns every twelve years while the elements turn in a cycle of ten, so Snake years carry five different year elements, and the tradition reads each as a variation on the Snake. Across 1948 to 2047 they fall as follows.
- Wood Snake, in 1965 and 2025: the Snake’s quiet insight with a year that the tradition calls cooperative, idealistic and growth-minded. Read about Wood.
- Fire Snake, in 1977 and 2037: the Snake’s quiet insight with a year that the tradition calls energetic, enthusiastic and expressive. Read about Fire.
- Earth Snake, in 1989: the Snake’s quiet insight with a year that the tradition calls patient, practical and loyal. Read about Earth.
- Metal Snake, in 2001: the Snake’s quiet insight with a year that the tradition calls determined, precise and self-disciplined. Read about Metal.
- Water Snake, in 1953 and 2013: the Snake’s quiet insight 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 Snake the list is:
- Trine allies: Ox and Rooster, with the Snake in the steady and thoughtful trine.
- Secret friend (six harmonies): Monkey.
- Opposite (a clash): Pig.
- Harm: Tiger.
- Penalty: Tiger and Monkey.
None of these is a verdict on a Snake’s relationships. The compatibility overview explains each pairing, and the Chinese zodiac compatibility tool compares a Snake with anyone, from two birth dates.
Names and variations
In Chinese the Snake is she, and in folk speech it is also called the little dragon (xiao long). It is the sixth animal of the cycle, and the sixth earthly branch, si.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Which years are Years of the Snake?
Recent and upcoming Snake years are 2001, 2013, 2025. The next one begins on 15 February 2037 and is a Yin Fire year (Ding-si). Every Snake year to 2047 is in the table above, with its end date.
↳ I was born in January or February: am I A Snake?
Only if your birth date falls on or after the lunar new year that opens a Snake year. For the Snake year 2001 the new year was 24 January 2001, so a birth before that date counts as the Dragon. The calculator checks a Snake birthday, or any date from 1901 to 2100.
↳ Is the Year of the Snake lucky?
The Snake is read as a symbol of wisdom and intuition rather than danger, and its year is often described as reflective. This is folklore, and nothing shows that an animal year changes what happens to anyone.
↳ Who is the Snake most compatible with?
By the traditional pairings, the Snake's trine allies are Ox and Rooster, and its secret friend is Monkey. The tradition gives no score, and a Snake can do well or badly with any animal.
Return to the Chinese zodiac hub, or read about the Dragon and the Horse.