Chinese zodiac · Yin · animal number 6 of 12
Year of the Snake: years, element cycle and traits
The sixth animal, traditionally linked with thoughtfulness, privacy and careful planning.
Animal: 蛇 shé · Earthly branch: 巳 sì
The Snake is sixth in the order. A snake sheds its skin, and the image has long stood for renewal. In the Great Race story the Snake is said to have hidden on the Horse's hoof and startled it at the finish, slipping past into sixth place.
Snake years from 1924 to 2031
The Chinese zodiac animal changes at Lunar New Year, not on 1 January. Each row shows the date the Snake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | Earth Snake (Yin) | ||
| 1941 | Metal Snake (Yin) | ||
| 1953 | Water Snake (Yin) | ||
| 1965 | Wood Snake (Yin) | ||
| 1977 | Fire Snake (Yin) | ||
| 1989 | Earth Snake (Yin) | ||
| 2001 | Metal Snake (Yin) | ||
| 2013 | Water Snake (Yin) | ||
| 2025 | Wood Snake (Yin) |
If you were born in January or February, check the start date before assuming your animal. For example, a person born on 15 January 2025 was born before the 2025 Lunar New Year on 2025-01-29, so their zodiac animal is the Dragon from the previous year, not the Snake. Birth place can also matter near the boundary, because the date is set in China time.
The element cycle for the Snake
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 Snake is a yin animal, and in the Four Pillars (BaZi) system its own fixed element is Fire, which is separate from the element of the year.
- Wood Snake (1965, 2025): the Wood element is read as growth, planning and reaching outward.
- Fire Snake (1977): the Fire element is read as warmth, expression and quick action.
- Earth Snake (1929, 1989): the Earth element is read as steadiness, care and holding things together.
- Metal Snake (1941, 2001): the Metal element is read as clarity, precision and firm edges.
- Water Snake (1953, 2013): the Water element is read as adaptability, depth and flowing around obstacles.
The traditional hour of the Snake is 09:00 to 11:00. 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 Snake year are traditionally described as wise, private and watchful. The Snake is linked with intuition and elegance, and the character is often said to think for a long time before speaking. None of this describes every person born in a Snake year; read it as a mirror to hold up, not a rule.
Strengths people often recognise
- Careful, patient planning
- Perceptive about people's motives
- Quiet confidence
- Depth of thought on questions that matter
Themes to reflect on
- Keeping plans and feelings hidden
- Suspicion when a motive is unclear
- Holding onto a slight for a long time
Snake compatibility table
Traditional folk compatibility compares animals by position on the 12-step cycle. The Snake's trine allies are the Ox and Rooster; its sixth-harmony partner is the Monkey; the opposite animal, the traditional clash, is the Pig. These are folk groupings, offered as conversation starters rather than verdicts on any relationship.
| Animal | Traditional relation |
|---|---|
| Rat | No special relation |
| Ox | Trine ally |
| Tiger | Traditional harm pairing |
| Rabbit | No special relation |
| Dragon | No special relation |
| Horse | No special relation |
| Goat | No special relation |
| Monkey | Sixth-harmony partner |
| Rooster | Trine ally |
| Dog | No special relation |
| Pig | Opposite on the cycle (clash) |
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 planning in private that might be easier shared?
- When did I last assume a motive without asking?
- What would I like to shed this year?
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: Horse. Before: Dragon. 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.