Which Years Are Ox Years?
People born in 1997, 2009 and 2021 are Oxen. Earlier Ox years are 1949, 1961, 1973 and 1985. The Ox comes around every 12 years.
An Ox year begins at the Start of Spring (Lichun), around February 4. It is usually a different day from Chinese New Year.
BaZi writes your birth year, month, day and hour as two characters each. The two for the year are your year pillar.
Enter your birth date and hour in the free BaZi calculator. If the second character of your year pillar is 丑 (Chou), you are an Ox. Born before the Start of Spring, your pillar still ends in the previous year's Zi, so you are a Rat.
| Year | Stem-branch | Na Yin | Born between |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Xin Chou | Earth on the Wall | Feb 3 – Feb 3 next year |
| 2009 | Ji Chou | Thunderbolt Fire | Feb 4 – Feb 3 next year |
| 1997 | Ding Chou | Water Below the Valley | Feb 4 – Feb 3 next year |
| 1985 | Yi Chou | Gold in the Sea | Feb 4 – Feb 3 next year |
| 1973 | Gui Chou | Mulberry Wood | Feb 4 – Feb 3 next year |
| 1961 | Xin Chou | Earth on the Wall | Feb 4 – Feb 3 next year |
| 1949 | Ji Chou | Thunderbolt Fire | Feb 4 – Feb 3 next year |
Calculate your BaZi chart
Enter your birth details to discover your Day Master, elemental balance, and how these concepts apply to your Four Pillars.
Who Are the Ox's Allies? Snake, Rooster and Rat
The Ox gets on well with the Snake, Rooster and Rat. The Snake and Rooster form a trine with the Ox, and the Rat forms a six harmony.
- TrineThree earthly branches form a group. For the Ox, the other two are the Snake and the Rooster. Tradition sees them as sharing one goal and getting things done together.
- Six HarmonyTwo branches form a pair. The Ox pairs with the Rat. Tradition sees it as two people looking out for each other.
Which Animals Clash with the Ox?
The Goat is the Ox's worst match. Friction with the Dog, Horse and Dragon is lighter. Clash, punishment, harm and break all make a poor match; what sets them apart is how much they weigh.
- ClashSet the twelve animals in a circle, and the two directly opposite collide.
- PunishmentFriction, each holding the other back.
- HarmCalm on the surface, but each quietly gets in the other's way.
- BreakA minor loss.
| Animal | Branch | Relation | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goat | Wei | Clash and punishment | Heavier |
| Dragon | Chen | Break | Lighter |
| Horse | Wu | Harm | Lighter |
| Dog | Xu | Punishment | Lighter |
Two Oxen together are not a bad match.
What Does the Ox Face This Year? Clash and Punishment Years
What you face this year depends on whether the year's animal gets on with the Ox. Tai Sui is the animal in charge of the current year. In an Ox year, for example, Tai Sui is the Ox.
For an Ox, the twelve-year cycle runs like this:
- OxYour own year
- GoatClash and punishment
- DogPunishment
- HorseHarm
- DragonBreak
- Rat, Snake and RoosterHarmony
An Ox year is your own year (Ben Ming Nian). A Goat year both clashes with and punishes the Ox, so tradition weighs it as heavily as your own year. Punishment, harm and break are lighter, and harmony is seen as a help.
Offending Tai Sui compares two animals only. It is not a full forecast for your year. For each animal's Tai Sui outlook and tips for the year, see the CNY BaZi Fortune Guide.
Five Oxen: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth
The five kinds of Ox are sorted by the first character of the year pillar, called the heavenly stem. Every Ox year's pillar ends in Chou. Only the first character changes, and each stem belongs to one element.
For example, 1985 is Yi Chou. Its stem is Wood, so 1985 is a Wood Ox.
| Type | Year pillar | Birth years |
|---|---|---|
| Metal Ox | Xin Chou | 1961, 2021 |
| Wood Ox | Yi Chou | 1985 |
| Water Ox | Gui Chou | 1973 |
| Fire Ox | Ding Chou | 1997 |
| Earth Ox | Ji Chou | 1949, 2009 |
Some sites sort the Ox by Na Yin instead. Na Yin is a second set of element names, one for each stem and branch pair.
For 2009, the Na Yin is Thunderbolt Fire, so those sites call it a Fire Ox. By its stem, it is an Earth Ox.
Ox Personality: Steady, Slow to Warm Up
Oxen tend to be steady, hardworking and true to their word. These traits come from the element of Chou. Chou is damp earth in deep winter, mostly earth with a little water and metal stored inside.
Earth is solid, so you tend to work steadily and finish what you promise. You may not be the first to speak, but you are often the last one still at the task.
The other side is stubbornness and a slow start, and changing your mind takes time. When you feel wronged, you are more likely to keep it to yourself. All of this applies to men and women alike.
In a stable place with clear roles, these traits tend to show as reliability. When rushed or under pressure, you may dig in even harder.
Your Animal Is One Character. What About the Other Seven?
The other seven characters are what make people born in the same year different. Everyone born that year shares the animal, but the month, day and hour pillars differ.
The character that stands for you is the Day Master, the stem of the day you were born. Your temperament and way of working are read from it, together with the strength of the Five Elements.
Whether a year helps or strains you depends on how that year's annual fortune meets your whole chart, not on your animal alone.
