Born in 1978: the Horse
A Yang Earth Horse 🐎
Horses are lively, independent, and quick to make friends. They bring energy to a group and chase experience over comfort. As a Earth-element year, 1978 adds a grounded, practical and patient streak to the usual Horse character.
The 1978 lunar year ran from February 7, 1978 to January 28, 1979. If you were born on or after February 7, 1978 you are a Horse; if you were born earlier in 1978, you belong to the previous year's sign, the Snake.
What the Earth element adds
Earth is the element of the harvest, stability and realism. An Earth year makes an animal steadier and more dependable, focused on security and the long game, though it can also make it slower to change course.
The full 60-year cycle pairs each of the 12 animals with each of the 5 elements, so a Earth Horse year comes around only once every 60 years — the last one before 1978 was 1918, and the next is 2038. People born in it are said to combine free-spirited and energetic with the element's grounded nature. Its Yin/Yang polarity is fixed as Yang for every Horse year. See the Earth element and the full Earth Horse profile.
1978 at a glance
| Animal | 🐎 Horse (马) |
|---|---|
| Element | Earth |
| Polarity | Yang |
| Best match | Goat |
| Hardest match | Rat |
| Lucky numbers | 2, 3, 7 |
| Lucky colors | yellow, green |
Horse compatibility
In the traditional chart, a 1978 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 1978 is back in their own zodiac year in 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 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 1942 1954 1966 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 1978?
1978 is the year of the Horse (Earth Horse, Yang polarity). Anyone born on or after February 7, 1978 is a Horse; a birthday earlier in 1978 belongs to the previous sign, the Snake.
What element is the 1978 zodiac year?
1978 is a Earth-element year. Earth is the element of the harvest, stability and realism. An Earth year makes an animal steadier and more dependable, focused on security and the long game, though it can also make it slower to change course.
Who is a 1978 Horse most compatible with?
Best matches are the Goat (the "secret friend"), plus the Tiger and Dog. The hardest match is the Rat.
Is 1978 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 1978 is not a Fire Horse year.