Chinese Ox sign: years, character and compatibility
The Ox, second animal of the Chinese zodiac: years, element, symbolic portrait, the spring ox, the legend of the Great Race, traditional compatibility and five variants.
Key points
| Chinese character | 牛 (niú) |
|---|---|
| Rank in the cycle | 2 of 12 |
| Earthly branch | 丑 (chǒu), yin polarity |
| Element of the branch | Earth |
| Traditional hour | 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. |
| Season and direction | Winter, north-northeast |
| Recent years | 1997, 2009, 2021 |
| Traditional trio | Ox, Snake, Rooster |
The Ox in brief
The Ox holds second place in the cycle, just behind the Rat. The Chinese character 牛 in fact refers to cattle in general: ox, cow and, in the south of the country, the water buffalo, which is very common in the rice paddies. In tradition, the Ox embodies quiet strength, hard work and steadiness, linked to the farming world that long sustained China.
Its Chinese name is 牛, pronounced niú. It corresponds to the earthly branch 丑 (chǒu), which has yin polarity and which carries, in the theory of the five phases, the element Earth. Be careful not to confuse this element of the animal with the element of your year of birth, which varies: see below. In the traditional division of the day, the branch 丑 designates the hour from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. It is linked to the season of winter and to the north-northeast on the traditional compass.
The years of the Ox (1936 to 2032)
Here are the years under the sign of the Ox, with the element of each and the exact dates (Chinese New Year, according to the tables of the Hong Kong Observatory). A person born in January or early February, before the date indicated, generally belongs to the previous sign.
| Year | Sign and element | Polarity | Period (from Chinese New Year to the eve of the next one) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Fire Ox | yin | from 11 February 1937 to 30 January 1938 |
| 1949 | Earth Ox | yin | from 29 January 1949 to 16 February 1950 |
| 1961 | Metal Ox | yin | from 15 February 1961 to 4 February 1962 |
| 1973 | Water Ox | yin | from 3 February 1973 to 22 January 1974 |
| 1985 | Wood Ox | yin | from 20 February 1985 to 8 February 1986 |
| 1997 | Fire Ox | yin | from 7 February 1997 to 27 January 1998 |
| 2009 | Earth Ox | yin | from 26 January 2009 to 13 February 2010 |
| 2021 | Metal Ox | yin | from 12 February 2021 to 31 January 2022 |
To understand this calculation, see the page on calculating the Chinese sign.
Symbolic portrait of the Ox
The Ox is described as patient, reliable and enduring. It moves at its own pace, without fuss, and finishes what it starts. Tradition associates it with a sense of duty, loyalty, frankness and a marked liking for reassuring routine. In the language, the expression 老黄牛 (lǎo huángniú, “old yellow ox”) describes a person who works hard without complaint or any demand for recognition.
The symbolic downside is just as well known: stubbornness, slowness to change one’s mind, difficulty expressing emotions and a tendency to carry everything alone. Popular portraits add that the Ox does not like being hurried and reacts badly to remarks about its method. These images serve as starting points for reflection, not as a description of your character.
A modern linguistic detail: in contemporary Chinese, 牛 is also used as a casual exclamation meaning “awesome!” or “tough!”. This meaning comes from the prestige of strength, and has nothing to do with the zodiac sign.
The Ox in Chinese culture
The Great Race. In the tale of the Jade Emperor, the Ox is the hardest-working of the competitors: it crosses the river in the lead. The Rat, hidden on its back, jumps ahead of it at the finish, which explains why the Ox comes second. The tale likes to present it as too honest to cheat.
The spring ox. At the beginning of spring (lichun, around 4 February), a very ancient ceremony involved symbolically whipping an ox made of clay or paper to wake the earth and launch the ploughing. The Song text Dongjing meng hua lu by Meng Yuanlao describes this custom in Kaifeng, where officials brought the ox to the palace the day before. Today, some villages keep the ceremony alive, with an ox filled with grain that the crowd shares.
Tales and legends. The story of the Cowherd and the Weaving Maid (Niulang and Zhinü), lovers separated by the Milky Way who meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, gives the ox the role of guide. It is the origin of the Qixi festival. Finally, tradition says that the philosopher Laozi left China riding on an ox: these are legendary accounts, not historical facts.
The five Oxen by element
In the sixty-year cycle, each animal successively receives each of the five elements. The portraits below are traditional symbolic nuances: they do not describe real personalities and are not universal.
| Variant | Years (1924 to 2043) | Symbolic nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Ox | 1925, 1985 | Generous, open to new ideas; can wear itself out by trying to help everyone. |
| Fire Ox | 1937, 1997 | More ardent and direct, sometimes impatient; the Ox’s frankness, turned up a notch. |
| Earth Ox | 1949, 2009 | Very stable, reliable, attached to its habits; slow to change course. |
| Metal Ox | 1961, 2021 | Rigorous, demanding and enduring; risks harshness towards oneself. |
| Water Ox | 1973, 2033 | Calm, thoughtful, sensitive; can keep its feelings to itself for too long. |
Take the example of a Wood Ox year: the element of the year is Wood, while the element of the animal itself is Earth. Some schools look at how the two respond to each other (production, control, harmony). These are frameworks for reading, not verdicts.
Traditional compatibility of the Ox
Tradition compares the animals of two people by looking at their places on the circle of the twelve branches. For the Ox, here are the classic relationships.
| Traditional relationship | Animals concerned | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Trio of affinities (sanhe) | Ox, Snake and Rooster | Three animals spaced four ranks apart, often presented as sharing the same momentum |
| Union (liuhe, “six harmonies”) | Ox and Rat | A pair of animals linked by tradition, seen as complementary |
| Opposition (liuchong) | Ox and Goat | Two animals six ranks apart, facing each other on the circle: contrast, friction |
| Harm (liuhai) | Ox and Horse | A link described as “troublesome”: possible misunderstandings, according to tradition |
These rules come from the theory of the branches and do not measure the value of a relationship: two people with “opposed” animals can get along very well, and two “united” animals can quarrel. Some sources add other relationships (“punishments”, “destructions”), which shows that these grids vary between schools. Keep them as a set of mirrors, never as a verdict on a couple, a friendship or a hiring decision.
To go further: questions for reflection
If you were born under this sign, or simply want to understand the image it carries, here are some questions to ask yourself, without expecting a right answer.
- In which area has my steadiness truly paid off, and in which has it become stubbornness?
- To whom can I entrust a task that I have been carrying alone for a long time?
- What do I not say enough, out of modesty or habit?
- Which routine does me good, and which one have I simply kept because it is there?
Like all Chinese astrology, the portrait of the Ox is a symbolic tradition: with no scientific proof, it predicts neither your character nor your future. For an overview, read the introduction to Chinese astrology.
Frequently asked questions
Which years are Ox years?
1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 and 2033. The Metal Ox year of 2021 began on 12 February 2021; the year of 1985 (Wood Ox) began on 20 February 1985.
Ox, buffalo or cow: which animal does the Chinese zodiac refer to?
The character 牛 covers cattle in general. Translations vary: “ox” in English, “bœuf” or “buffle” in French. In Vietnam, it is explicitly the water buffalo.
What is the element of the Ox?
The element proper to the Ox is Earth (branch 丑). The element of your year of birth varies: for example Wood in 1985, Fire in 1997, Earth in 2009, Metal in 2021.
Which signs does the Ox traditionally get along with?
With the Snake and the Rooster in the trio of affinities, and with the Rat in the traditional union. Its traditional opposite is the Goat, and the Horse is its “troublesome” sign. These are only symbolic reference points.
What is the spring ox ceremony?
An ancient custom at the beginning of spring, around 4 February: a clay ox was symbolically whipped to invite the earth to wake and to mark the start of farm work. It is still practised in some places.
Also read
The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Chinese astrology.