Chinese zodiac · Yin · animal number 2 of 12

Year of the Ox: years, element cycle and traits

The second animal, traditionally linked with patience, steady work and dependability.

Animal: 牛 niú · Earthly branch: 丑 chǒu

The Ox is second in the order because, in the Great Race story, it carried the Rat across the river and was then beaten at the line by the passenger. Its place in the zodiac fits its role in farming life, where the ox pulled the plough and was valued for strength and calm rather than speed.

Ox years from 1924 to 2031

The Chinese zodiac animal changes at Lunar New Year, not on 1 January. Each row shows the date the Ox 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.

If you were born in January or February, check the start date before assuming your animal. For example, a person born on 15 January 2021 was born before the 2021 Lunar New Year on 2021-02-12, so their zodiac animal is the Rat from the previous year, not the Ox. Birth place can also matter near the boundary, because the date is set in China time.

The element cycle for the Ox

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 Ox is a yin animal, and in the Four Pillars (BaZi) system its own fixed element is Earth, which is separate from the element of the year.

• Wood Ox (1925, 1985): the Wood element is read as growth, planning and reaching outward.
• Fire Ox (1937, 1997): the Fire element is read as warmth, expression and quick action.
• Earth Ox (1949, 2009): the Earth element is read as steadiness, care and holding things together.
• Metal Ox (1961, 2021): the Metal element is read as clarity, precision and firm edges.
• Water Ox (1973): the Water element is read as adaptability, depth and flowing around obstacles.

The traditional hour of the Ox is 01:00 to 03:00. 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 an Ox year are traditionally described as hard-working, honest and slow to anger. The Ox is a respected figure in agricultural China, and the character is often said to prefer tried methods and clear commitments. None of this describes every person born in a Ox year; read it as a mirror to hold up, not a rule.

Ox compatibility table

Traditional folk compatibility compares animals by position on the 12-step cycle. The Ox's trine allies are the Snake and Rooster; its sixth-harmony partner is the Rat; the opposite animal, the traditional clash, is the Goat. These are folk groupings, offered as conversation starters rather than verdicts on any relationship.

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 am I carrying that I have not asked anyone to share?
• Which of my methods is a habit rather than a choice?
• How do I show affection when words feel awkward?

Explore other animals

Next in the cycle: Tiger. Before: Rat. 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.