Ox (zodiac)


The zodiacal Ox is the second of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar, and related calendar systems. The Chinese term translated here as ox is in Chinese niú , a word generally referring to cows and other types of the bovine family, such as common cattle or water buffalo; and which can be construed as male, female, neuter, and either singular or plural. The Year of the Ox is denoted by the Earthly Branch symbol chǒu. The term "" ultimately derives from an Ancient Greek term referring to a "circle of little animals". There are also a yearly month of the rat and a daily hour of the rat. Years of the oxen are cyclically differentiated by correlation to the Heavenly Stems cycle, resulting in a repeating cycle of five years of the ox/cow, each ox/cow year also being associated with one of the Chinese wǔxíng, also known as the "five elements", or "phases": the "Five Phases" being Fire, Water, Wood, Metal, and Earth.

2021-2022

The Year of the Ox begins on 12 February 2021 and ends 31 January 2022. It is a year of the Metal Ox.

Years and the Five Elements

People born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the "Year of the Ox", while bearing the following elemental sign:
Start dateEnd dateHeavenly branch
19 February 19017 February 1902Metal Ox
6 February 191325 January 1914Water Ox
24 January 192512 February 1926Wood Ox
11 February 193730 January 1938Fire Ox
29 January 194916 February 1950Earth Ox
15 February 19614 February 1962Metal Ox
3 February 197322 January 1974Water Ox
20 February 19858 February 1986Wood Ox
7 February 199727 January 1998Fire Ox
26 January 200913 February 2010Earth Ox
12 February 202131 January 2022Metal Ox
31 January 203318 February 2034Water Ox
17 February 204505 February 2046Wood Ox
4 February 205723 January 2058Fire Ox
23 January 206910 February 2070Earth Ox
9 February 208128 January 2083Metal Ox
27 January 209314 February 2094Water Ox

Compatibility

Cycle: Ox needs Snake, Snake needs Rooster, Rooster needs Ox; but her rival opposes the Goat.

Basic astrology elements

Around the world

In the Vietnamese zodiac, the water buffalo occupies the position of the Ox. In Nepal, the Tamu/Gurung people celebrate the year of the cow.