Born in 1942: the Horse
A Yang Water Horse 🐎
Horses are lively, independent, and quick to make friends. They bring energy to a group and chase experience over comfort. As a Water-element year, 1942 adds a adaptable, perceptive and persuasive streak to the usual Horse character.
The 1942 lunar year ran from February 15, 1942 to February 5, 1943. If you were born on or after February 15, 1942 you are a Horse; if you were born earlier in 1942, you belong to the previous year's sign, the Snake.
What the Water element adds
Water is the element of winter, depth and adaptability. A Water year makes an animal more intuitive and persuasive, better at reading people and bending around obstacles rather than confronting them head-on.
The full 60-year cycle pairs each of the 12 animals with each of the 5 elements, so a Water Horse year comes around only once every 60 years — the last one before 1942 was 1882, and the next is 2002. People born in it are said to combine free-spirited and energetic with the element's adaptable nature. Its Yin/Yang polarity is fixed as Yang for every Horse year. See the Water element and the full Water Horse profile.
1942 at a glance
| Animal | 🐎 Horse (马) |
|---|---|
| Element | Water |
| Polarity | Yang |
| Best match | Goat |
| Hardest match | Rat |
| Lucky numbers | 2, 3, 7 |
| Lucky colors | yellow, green |
Horse compatibility
In the traditional chart, a 1942 Horse gets on best with the Goat (the "secret friend" pairing), and also with Tiger and Dog. The hardest pairing is the Rat, six years apart in the cycle. See the full Horse compatibility table.
Your zodiac years
The Horse returns every 12 years, so someone born in 1942 is back in their own zodiac year in 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990 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 Horse years
1930 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014 2026 2038
Full Horse personality profile → Horse compatibility with every sign →
Know your exact birth date? Use the calculator for your full combination →
Frequently asked questions
What Chinese zodiac sign is 1942?
1942 is the year of the Horse (Water Horse, Yang polarity). Anyone born on or after February 15, 1942 is a Horse; a birthday earlier in 1942 belongs to the previous sign, the Snake.
What element is the 1942 zodiac year?
1942 is a Water-element year. Water is the element of winter, depth and adaptability. A Water year makes an animal more intuitive and persuasive, better at reading people and bending around obstacles rather than confronting them head-on.
Who is a 1942 Horse most compatible with?
Best matches are the Goat (the "secret friend"), plus the Tiger and Dog. The hardest match is the Rat.
Is 1942 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 1942 is not a Fire Horse year.