Chinese zodiac · Yang · animal number 9 of 12
Year of the Monkey: years, element cycle and traits
The ninth animal, traditionally linked with playfulness, invention and a quick mind.
Animal: 猴 hóu · Earthly branch: 申 shēn
The Monkey is ninth in the order and the best-known monkey in Chinese literature is the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, the clever, rebellious hero of the 16th-century novel Journey to the West. His story of mischief and eventual wisdom is one of the most loved in Chinese culture and helps explain the zodiac animal's cheerful reputation.
Monkey years from 1924 to 2031
The Chinese zodiac animal changes at Lunar New Year, not on 1 January. Each row shows the date the Monkey year begins and the last day before the next animal takes over. Dates follow China Standard Time (UTC+8) and are computed from the positions of the Sun and the new Moon.
| Year | Element and polarity | Starts (Lunar New Year) | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Water Monkey (Yang) | ||
| 1944 | Wood Monkey (Yang) | ||
| 1956 | Fire Monkey (Yang) | ||
| 1968 | Earth Monkey (Yang) | ||
| 1980 | Metal Monkey (Yang) | ||
| 1992 | Water Monkey (Yang) | ||
| 2004 | Wood Monkey (Yang) | ||
| 2016 | Fire Monkey (Yang) | ||
| 2028 | Earth Monkey (Yang) |
If you were born in January or February, check the start date before assuming your animal. For example, a person born on 15 January 2028 was born before the 2028 Lunar New Year on 2028-01-26, so their zodiac animal is the Goat from the previous year, not the Monkey. Birth place can also matter near the boundary, because the date is set in China time.
The element cycle for the Monkey
The Chinese calendar pairs the 12 animals with five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Each element covers two consecutive years, first yang and then yin, so the full pairing of animal and element repeats only every 60 years. The Monkey is a yang animal, and in the Four Pillars (BaZi) system its own fixed element is Metal, which is separate from the element of the year.
- Wood Monkey (1944, 2004): the Wood element is read as growth, planning and reaching outward.
- Fire Monkey (1956, 2016): the Fire element is read as warmth, expression and quick action.
- Earth Monkey (1968, 2028): the Earth element is read as steadiness, care and holding things together.
- Metal Monkey (1980): the Metal element is read as clarity, precision and firm edges.
- Water Monkey (1932, 1992): the Water element is read as adaptability, depth and flowing around obstacles.
The traditional hour of the Monkey is 15:00 to 17:00. The popular zodiac year begins at Lunar New Year, while the Four Pillars system begins its year at Lichun, around 4 February; the two can give different animals for dates in early February, as explained on how we calculate.
Traits as reflection
People born in a Monkey year are traditionally described as playful, inventive and quick to learn. The character is often said to be witty, curious and a natural problem solver. None of this describes every person born in a Monkey year; read it as a mirror to hold up, not a rule.
Strengths people often recognise
- Inventive solutions to practical problems
- Humour that lightens a tense room
- Learns new skills fast
- Curious about how things work
Themes to reflect on
- Boredom once the puzzle is solved
- Cleverness used to avoid a harder conversation
- Teasing that lands badly
Monkey compatibility table
Traditional folk compatibility compares animals by position on the 12-step cycle. The Monkey's trine allies are the Rat and Dragon; its sixth-harmony partner is the Snake; the opposite animal, the traditional clash, is the Tiger. These are folk groupings, offered as conversation starters rather than verdicts on any relationship.
| Animal | Traditional relation |
|---|---|
| Rat | Trine ally |
| Ox | No special relation |
| Tiger | Opposite on the cycle (clash) |
| Rabbit | No special relation |
| Dragon | Trine ally |
| Snake | Sixth-harmony partner |
| Horse | No special relation |
| Goat | No special relation |
| Rooster | No special relation |
| Dog | No special relation |
| Pig | Traditional harm pairing |
The animal is only one part of a Chinese chart, and Western signs add another layer. See the compatibility report for two-chart comparisons, or browse the 12 zodiac signs.
Questions to reflect on
- What puzzle am I solving to avoid a feeling?
- Where does teasing stand in for what I want to say?
- What would I stay with past the interesting part?
See your own Chinese zodiac year
The free chart shows your Chinese zodiac animal and element beside your Western Sun, Moon and Rising signs, calculated in your browser from your birth date, time and place.
Explore other animals
Next in the cycle: Rooster. Before: Goat. The full year-by-year table lists every year from 1924 to 2031, and the origins and sources page explains where these traditions come from.
Astrology is a symbolic framework that mainstream science does not recognize. These lines are prompts for reflection, not advice or a forecast. Orrery Lane offers astrology for reflection and entertainment. It does not predict events and is not professional advice.