Born in 2042: the Dog
A Yang Water Dog 🐕
Dogs have a strong sense of right and wrong and will stand up for a friend or a principle. They are sincere, reliable, and modest. As a Water-element year, 2042 adds a adaptable, perceptive and persuasive streak to the usual Dog character.
The 2042 lunar year ran from January 22, 2042 to February 10, 2043. If you were born on or after January 22, 2042 you are a Dog; if you were born earlier in 2042, you belong to the previous year's sign, the Rooster.
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 Dog year comes around only once every 60 years — the last one before 2042 was 1982, and the next is 2102. People born in it are said to combine loyal and honest with the element's adaptable nature. Its Yin/Yang polarity is fixed as Yang for every Dog year. See the Water element and the full Water Dog profile.
2042 at a glance
| Animal | 🐕 Dog (狗) |
|---|---|
| Element | Water |
| Polarity | Yang |
| Best match | Rabbit |
| Hardest match | Dragon |
| Lucky numbers | 3, 4, 9 |
| Lucky colors | green, red, purple |
Dog compatibility
In the traditional chart, a 2042 Dog gets on best with the Rabbit (the "secret friend" pairing), and also with Tiger and Horse. The hardest pairing is the Dragon, six years apart in the cycle. See the full Dog compatibility table.
Your zodiac years
The Dog returns every 12 years, so someone born in 2042 is back in their own zodiac year in 2054, 2066, 2078, 2090 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 Dog years
1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018 2030
Full Dog personality profile → Dog compatibility with every sign →
Know your exact birth date? Use the calculator for your full combination →
Frequently asked questions
What Chinese zodiac sign is 2042?
2042 is the year of the Dog (Water Dog, Yang polarity). Anyone born on or after January 22, 2042 is a Dog; a birthday earlier in 2042 belongs to the previous sign, the Rooster.
What element is the 2042 zodiac year?
2042 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 2042 Dog most compatible with?
Best matches are the Rabbit (the "secret friend"), plus the Tiger and Horse. The hardest match is the Dragon.
Is 2042 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 2042 is not a Fire Horse year.