Born in 1940: the Dragon
A Yang Metal Dragon 🐉
Dragons think big, inspire others, and carry natural authority. They are confident, lucky in opportunity, and unafraid of a hard goal. As a Metal-element year, 1940 adds a determined, disciplined and self-reliant streak to the usual Dragon character.
The 1940 lunar year ran from February 8, 1940 to January 27, 1941. If you were born on or after February 8, 1940 you are a Dragon; if you were born earlier in 1940, you belong to the previous year's sign, the Rabbit.
What the Metal element adds
Metal is the element of autumn, structure and resolve. A Metal year sharpens focus and independence: a Metal animal knows what it wants and pursues it directly, sometimes at the cost of flexibility.
The full 60-year cycle pairs each of the 12 animals with each of the 5 elements, so a Metal Dragon year comes around only once every 60 years — the last one before 1940 was 1880, and the next is 2000. People born in it are said to combine ambitious and energetic with the element's determined nature. Its Yin/Yang polarity is fixed as Yang for every Dragon year. See the Metal element and the full Metal Dragon profile.
1940 at a glance
| Animal | 🐉 Dragon (龙) |
|---|---|
| Element | Metal |
| Polarity | Yang |
| Best match | Rooster |
| Hardest match | Dog |
| Lucky numbers | 1, 6, 7 |
| Lucky colors | gold, silver, gray |
Dragon compatibility
In the traditional chart, a 1940 Dragon gets on best with the Rooster (the "secret friend" pairing), and also with Rat and Monkey. The hardest pairing is the Dog, six years apart in the cycle. See the full Dragon compatibility table.
Your zodiac years
The Dragon returns every 12 years, so someone born in 1940 is back in their own zodiac year in 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988 and so on. Tradition calls this your běnmìngnián — despite being "your" year, it is thought to clash with Tài Suì (the God of Age) and to carry a higher chance of setbacks, so many people wear red through it for protection.
Other Dragon years
1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012 2024 2036
Full Dragon personality profile → Dragon compatibility with every sign →
Know your exact birth date? Use the calculator for your full combination →
Frequently asked questions
What Chinese zodiac sign is 1940?
1940 is the year of the Dragon (Metal Dragon, Yang polarity). Anyone born on or after February 8, 1940 is a Dragon; a birthday earlier in 1940 belongs to the previous sign, the Rabbit.
What element is the 1940 zodiac year?
1940 is a Metal-element year. Metal is the element of autumn, structure and resolve. A Metal year sharpens focus and independence: a Metal animal knows what it wants and pursues it directly, sometimes at the cost of flexibility.
Who is a 1940 Dragon most compatible with?
Best matches are the Rooster (the "secret friend"), plus the Rat and Monkey. The hardest match is the Dog.
Is 1940 a lucky year to be born in?
Chinese tradition does not rank whole years as lucky or unlucky to be born in — every animal has strengths and weaknesses. The one combination widely treated with caution is the Fire Horse, and 1940 is not a Fire Horse year.