Ox (zodiac)

The Ox is the second of the 12-year animal cycle that appears in the Chinese zodiac in relation to the Chinese Calendar. The 'Year of the Ox' is denoted by the Earthly Branch symbol 丑. The name is also translated into English as 'cow'. This is because 牛 / 丑 also refers to Cow in general, both men and women.

Ox
"Ox" in regular Chinese characters
Chinese	牛
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin niú Wade–Giles niu2 IPA [njǒu] Hakka Romanization ngiù Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization ngàuh IPA [ŋɐ̏u] Jyutping ngau4 Southern Min Hokkien POJ gû Middle Chinese Middle Chinese ngiu Old Chinese Baxter (1992) *ŋʷjɨ Baxter–Sagart (2014) *ŋʷə

In the Vietnamese zodiac, the water buffalo takes the position of the Ox. In the Guru zodiac, the cow is also replaced by the Cow.

Year and the Five Elements

Sexagenary cycle years

People born within these dates can be said to be born in the "Year of the Cow", while carrying the following elemental sign.

Start date	End date	Heavenly branch
31 January 1805	17 February 1806	Wood Ox
17 January 1817	4 February 1818	Fire Ox
4 February 1829	24 January 1830	Earth Ox
23 January 1841	9 February 1842	Metal Ox
8 February 1853	28 January 1854	Water Ox
27 January 1865	14 February 1866	Wood Ox
13 February 1877	1 February 1878	Fire Ox
31 January 1889	20 January 1890	Earth Ox
19 February 1901	7 February 1902	Metal Ox
6 February 1913	25 January 1914	Water Ox
24 January 1925	12 February 1926	Wood Ox
11 February 1937	30 January 1938	Fire Ox
29 January 1949	16 February 1950	Earth Ox
15 February 1961	4 February 1962	Metal Ox
3 February 1973	22 January 1974	Water Ox
20 February 1985	8 February 1986	Wood Ox
7 February 1997	27 January 1998	Fire Ox
26 January 2009	13 February 2010	Earth Ox
12 February 2021	31 January 2022	Metal Ox
31 January 2033	18 February 2034	Water Ox
17 February 2045	05 February 2046	Wood Ox
4 February 2057	23 January 2058	Fire Ox
23 January 2069	10 February 2070	Earth Ox
9 February 2081	28 January 2082	Metal Ox
27 January 2093	14 February 2094	Water Ox

Chinese Zodiac Cat Compatibility Grid

Sign	Best match	Average Match	No match
Maybe	Cattle, Snake, Chicken and Rat	Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Pig	Goat or Dog

Basic astrological elements

Earthly Branches Of Birth Year:	丑 Chǒu
The Five Elements:	Wood
Yin Yang:	Yin
Lucky Month:	Twelfth
Lucky Number:	8, 9, 3; Avoid: 6
Lucky Flower:	tulip, evergreen, peach blossom, rose
Lucky Color:	blue, red, purple; Avoid: white, green
Season:	Winter
Closest Western Zodiac:	Capricorn