Born in 2021: the Ox
A Yin Metal Ox 🐂
The Ox is the steady worker of the zodiac: disciplined, calm under pressure, and trusted to finish what it starts. Loyalty runs deep. As a Metal-element year, 2021 adds a determined, disciplined and self-reliant streak to the usual Ox character.
The 2021 lunar year ran from February 12, 2021 to February 1, 2022. If you were born on or after February 12, 2021 you are a Ox; if you were born earlier in 2021, you belong to the previous year's sign, the Rat.
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 Ox year comes around only once every 60 years — the last one before 2021 was 1961, and the next is 2081. People born in it are said to combine dependable and patient with the element's determined nature. Its Yin/Yang polarity is fixed as Yin for every Ox year. See the Metal element and the full Metal Ox profile.
2021 at a glance
| Animal | 🐂 Ox (牛) |
|---|---|
| Element | Metal |
| Polarity | Yin |
| Best match | Rat |
| Hardest match | Goat |
| Lucky numbers | 1, 4 |
| Lucky colors | white, yellow, green |
Ox compatibility
In the traditional chart, a 2021 Ox gets on best with the Rat (the "secret friend" pairing), and also with Snake and Rooster. The hardest pairing is the Goat, six years apart in the cycle. See the full Ox compatibility table.
Your zodiac years
The Ox returns every 12 years, so someone born in 2021 is back in their own zodiac year in 2033, 2045, 2057, 2069 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 Ox years
1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009 2033
Full Ox personality profile → Ox compatibility with every sign →
Know your exact birth date? Use the calculator for your full combination →
Frequently asked questions
What Chinese zodiac sign is 2021?
2021 is the year of the Ox (Metal Ox, Yin polarity). Anyone born on or after February 12, 2021 is a Ox; a birthday earlier in 2021 belongs to the previous sign, the Rat.
What element is the 2021 zodiac year?
2021 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 2021 Ox most compatible with?
Best matches are the Rat (the "secret friend"), plus the Snake and Rooster. The hardest match is the Goat.
Is 2021 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 2021 is not a Fire Horse year.