1949 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Earth Ox
己丑 · 牛 Niú
1949 is the Year of the Earth Ox (also called the Cow). The Chinese year ran from Jan 29, 1949 to Feb 16, 1950, so anyone born in that span is an Earth Ox. Born in January or early February? Lunar New Year fell on Jan 29, 1949, and earlier births belong to the Earth Rat year.
- Ox
- Earth
- Yin
Born in 1949?
Enter your birth date to check, down to the exact Lunar New Year.
Month and day are optional. Add them if you were born in January or February. See January and February Chinese zodiac.
1949 at a Glance
- Animal
- Ox 牛 niú
- Element
- Earth
- Yin or Yang
- Yin
- Year name
- 己丑 · sound element 霹雳火
- Begins
- Saturday, Jan 29, 1949
- Ends
- Feb 16, 1950
- Age in 2026
- 76 or 77
- Next Ox year
- 1961
1949 Earth Ox and the Long Year
The 1949 Ox year began on Jan 29, 1949 and ran to Feb 16, 1950, well into 1950. If you were born in January or the first half of February 1950, you are an Earth Ox, not a Tiger.
Its year name 己丑 shares 霹雳火, “thunderbolt fire,” with 1948. The Ox and the Goat are opposite signs, so tradition reads 2027, the Fire Goat year, as one for a 1949 Ox to take slowly. It is also the year they turn 78.
Born in January or Early February 1949?
The Chinese year does not start on January 1. Lunar New Year 1949 was on Saturday, Jan 29, 1949, so births before that date belong to the year before.
| Born | Sign | Year name |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 to Jan 28, 1949 | Earth Rat | 戊子 |
| Jan 29, 1949 to Feb 16, 1950 | Earth Ox | 己丑 |
So someone born on Jan 28, 1949 is an Earth Rat, and someone born on Jan 29, 1949 is an Earth Ox. Dates are in China Standard Time.
What Is an Earth Ox?
An Earth Ox combines the Ox with the element of the birth year. 1949 ends in 9, which gives Earth. The element repeats every 60 years, so other Earth Ox years include 2009.
How Old Is a 1949 Ox, and When Is the Next Ox Year?
Someone born in 1949 turns 77 in 2026 and 78 in 2027. The last Ox year was 1937, and the next is 1961. Your own sign year, called 本命年 (běnmìngnián), comes every 12 years. These are the Ox years a 1949 Ox lives through:
- 1949Earth OxBornThis page
- 1961 Chinese zodiacMetal OxTurns 12
- 1973 Chinese zodiacWater OxTurns 24
- 1985 Chinese zodiacWood OxTurns 36
- 1997 Chinese zodiacFire OxTurns 48
- 2009 Chinese zodiacEarth OxTurns 60 · full cycle (花甲)
- 2021 Chinese zodiacMetal OxTurns 72
- 2033Water OxTurns 84
1949 Ox Compatibility: Best and Hardest Matches
Compatibility follows the animal, not the element. Tradition favors the signs in the Ox's trine group and its Secret Friend, and is cautious about the opposite sign and the harm pair.
The 1949 Ox in 2026 and 2027
How the traditional rules link the Ox to the next two years, and how old a 1949 Ox will be.
2026, the Fire Horse Year: Needs Care
Turns 77. Link to the Horse: Harm (害太岁).
2027, the Fire Goat Year: Needs Care
Turns 78. Link to the Goat: Clash (冲太岁), Punishment (刑太岁).
Nearby Years
The years just before and after 1949, and the other years of the decade.
- 1947 Chinese zodiacFire PigJan 22, 1947 to Feb 9, 1948
- 1948 Chinese zodiacEarth RatFeb 10, 1948 to Jan 28, 1949
- 1949Earth OxJan 29, 1949 to Feb 16, 1950
- 1950 Chinese zodiacMetal TigerFeb 17, 1950 to Feb 5, 1951
- 1951 Chinese zodiacMetal RabbitFeb 6, 1951 to Jan 26, 1952
Want every year on one sheet? Download the Chinese zodiac years chart PDF (A4, 1900 to 2035, with Lunar New Year dates).
1946 Chinese zodiac1947 Chinese zodiac1948 Chinese zodiac1949All Chinese zodiac years
1949 Chinese Zodiac FAQ
What Chinese zodiac is 1949?
1949 is the Year of the Earth Ox (also called the Cow). The Chinese year ran from Jan 29, 1949 to Feb 16, 1950.
What element is the 1949 Chinese zodiac?
Earth. A year's element follows its last digit: 9 gives Earth. The Ox's own fixed element is Earth, which is a different thing.
What Chinese zodiac is January 1949?
Lunar New Year 1949 fell on Saturday, Jan 29, 1949. Born from January 1 to Jan 28, 1949, you are an Earth Rat. From Jan 29, 1949, you are an Earth Ox.
How old is someone born in 1949?
In 2026 they turn 77, or are 76 before their birthday. In 2027 they turn 78. Chinese tradition often counts age differently, adding one year at birth.
When is the next Ox year after 1949?
1961, the Year of the Metal Ox, begins on Feb 15, 1961.