Born in 1988: the Dragon
A Yang Earth Dragon 🐉
Dragons think big, inspire others, and carry natural authority. They are confident, lucky in opportunity, and unafraid of a hard goal. As a Earth-element year, 1988 adds a grounded, practical and patient streak to the usual Dragon character.
The 1988 lunar year ran from February 17, 1988 to February 6, 1989. If you were born on or after February 17, 1988 you are a Dragon; if you were born earlier in 1988, you belong to the previous year's sign, the Rabbit.
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 Dragon year comes around only once every 60 years — the last one before 1988 was 1928, and the next is 2048. People born in it are said to combine ambitious and energetic with the element's grounded nature. Its Yin/Yang polarity is fixed as Yang for every Dragon year. See the Earth element and the full Earth Dragon profile.
1988 at a glance
| Animal | 🐉 Dragon (龙) |
|---|---|
| Element | Earth |
| 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 1988 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 1988 is back in their own zodiac year in 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036 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
1940 1952 1964 1976 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 1988?
1988 is the year of the Dragon (Earth Dragon, Yang polarity). Anyone born on or after February 17, 1988 is a Dragon; a birthday earlier in 1988 belongs to the previous sign, the Rabbit.
What element is the 1988 zodiac year?
1988 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 1988 Dragon most compatible with?
Best matches are the Rooster (the "secret friend"), plus the Rat and Monkey. The hardest match is the Dog.
Is 1988 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 1988 is not a Fire Horse year.