Year of the Ox (丑): Personality, Compatibility & Years
Born in the Year of the Ox? Personality, love, career, compatibility, lucky tips and a full list of years, from the Japanese and Chinese zodiac.
At a glance
- Order
- 2 / 12 · Ushi (丑)
- Branch element
- Earth
- Yin / Yang
- Yin
- Direction
- North-northeast
- Hours
- 01:00–03:00
Personality
The Ox stands for patience. The character 丑 shows a sprout still curled up underground, gathering strength before it appears.
Strengths
Hard-working, honest and steady. Once you start something you see it through.
Watch out for
You can be stubborn and slow to change your mind, and you may keep feelings to yourself for too long.
Love
Slow to fall in love but deeply loyal. Trust grows over time and lasts.
Work
Work that rewards care and persistence: craft, research, agriculture, public service.
Compatibility
Based on the classical relationships between the twelve branches: the trine (three harmonies), the six harmonies and the six clashes.
Years of the Ox
| 1925 | Yin Wood Ox (乙丑) |
| 1937 | Yin Fire Ox (丁丑) |
| 1949 | Yin Earth Ox (己丑) |
| 1961 | Yin Metal Ox (辛丑) |
| 1973 | Yin Water Ox (癸丑) |
| 1985 | Yin Wood Ox (乙丑) |
| 1997 | Yin Fire Ox (丁丑) |
| 2009 | Yin Earth Ox (己丑) |
| 2021 | Yin Metal Ox (辛丑) |
Each year begins at Risshun (around 4 February), the start of spring in the solar calendar. In China and Korea the animal is popularly counted from Lunar New Year instead, so people born between January and mid-February may see a different animal elsewhere.
Lucky tips
Visit a Tenjin shrine, dedicated to the god of learning, where stroking the ox statue is said to bring wisdom. Earthy colors suit you.