Born in 1990: the Horse
A Yang Metal Horse 🐎
Horses are lively, independent, and quick to make friends. They bring energy to a group and chase experience over comfort. As a Metal-element year, 1990 adds a determined, disciplined and self-reliant streak to the usual Horse character.
The 1990 lunar year ran from January 27, 1990 to February 15, 1991. If you were born on or after January 27, 1990 you are a Horse; if you were born earlier in 1990, you belong to the previous year's sign, the Snake.
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 Horse year comes around only once every 60 years — the last one before 1990 was 1930, and the next is 2050. People born in it are said to combine free-spirited and energetic with the element's determined nature. Its Yin/Yang polarity is fixed as Yang for every Horse year. See the Metal element and the full Metal Horse profile.
1990 at a glance
| Animal | 🐎 Horse (马) |
|---|---|
| Element | Metal |
| Polarity | Yang |
| Best match | Goat |
| Hardest match | Rat |
| Lucky numbers | 2, 3, 7 |
| Lucky colors | yellow, green |
Horse compatibility
In the traditional chart, a 1990 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 1990 is back in their own zodiac year in 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038 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 1978 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 1990?
1990 is the year of the Horse (Metal Horse, Yang polarity). Anyone born on or after January 27, 1990 is a Horse; a birthday earlier in 1990 belongs to the previous sign, the Snake.
What element is the 1990 zodiac year?
1990 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 1990 Horse most compatible with?
Best matches are the Goat (the "secret friend"), plus the Tiger and Dog. The hardest match is the Rat.
Is 1990 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 1990 is not a Fire Horse year.