1953 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Water Snake
癸巳 · 蛇 Shé
1953 is the Year of the Water Snake. The Chinese year ran from Feb 14, 1953 to Feb 2, 1954, so anyone born in that span is a Water Snake. Born in January or early February? Lunar New Year fell on Feb 14, 1953, and earlier births belong to the Water Dragon year.
- Snake
- Water
- Yin
Born in 1953?
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.
1953 at a Glance
- Animal
- Snake 蛇 shé
- Element
- Water
- Yin or Yang
- Yin
- Year name
- 癸巳 · sound element 长流水
- Begins
- Saturday, Feb 14, 1953
- Ends
- Feb 2, 1954
- Age in 2026
- 72 or 73
- Next Snake year
- 1965
1953 Water Snake: A Valentine’s Day New Year
Lunar New Year 1953 fell on Feb 14, 1953, Valentine’s Day. Anyone born in January or the first half of February 1953 is a Water Dragon, so a Feb 13, 1953 birthday is a Dragon and a Feb 14, 1953 birthday is a Snake.
The year name 癸巳 shares 长流水, “long-flowing water,” with 1952, and like every Snake year it is Yin. 1953 Snakes turn 73 in 2026 and 74 in 2027.
Born in January or Early February 1953?
The Chinese year does not start on January 1. Lunar New Year 1953 was on Saturday, Feb 14, 1953, so births before that date belong to the year before.
| Born | Sign | Year name |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 to Feb 13, 1953 | Water Dragon | 壬辰 |
| Feb 14, 1953 to Feb 2, 1954 | Water Snake | 癸巳 |
So someone born on Feb 13, 1953 is a Water Dragon, and someone born on Feb 14, 1953 is a Water Snake. Dates are in China Standard Time.
What Is a Water Snake?
A Water Snake combines the Snake with the element of the birth year. 1953 ends in 3, which gives Water. The element repeats every 60 years, so other Water Snake years include 2013.
How Old Is a 1953 Snake, and When Is the Next Snake Year?
Someone born in 1953 turns 73 in 2026 and 74 in 2027. The last Snake year was 1941, and the next is 1965. Your own sign year, called 本命年 (běnmìngnián), comes every 12 years. These are the Snake years a 1953 Snake lives through:
- 1953Water SnakeBornThis page
- 1965 Chinese zodiacWood SnakeTurns 12
- 1977 Chinese zodiacFire SnakeTurns 24
- 1989 Chinese zodiacEarth SnakeTurns 36
- 2001 Chinese zodiacMetal SnakeTurns 48
- 2013 Chinese zodiacWater SnakeTurns 60 · full cycle (花甲)
- 2025 Chinese zodiacWood SnakeTurns 72
1953 Snake Compatibility: Best and Hardest Matches
Compatibility follows the animal, not the element. Tradition favors the signs in the Snake's trine group and its Secret Friend, and is cautious about the opposite sign and the harm pair.
The 1953 Snake in 2026 and 2027
How the traditional rules link the Snake to the next two years, and how old a 1953 Snake will be.
2026, the Fire Horse Year: Steady
Turns 73. No formal link to the Horse in the traditional rules.
2027, the Fire Goat Year: Steady
Turns 74. No formal link to the Goat in the traditional rules.
Nearby Years
The years just before and after 1953, and the other years of the decade.
- 1951 Chinese zodiacMetal RabbitFeb 6, 1951 to Jan 26, 1952
- 1952 Chinese zodiacWater DragonJan 27, 1952 to Feb 13, 1953
- 1953Water SnakeFeb 14, 1953 to Feb 2, 1954
- 1954 Chinese zodiacWood HorseFeb 3, 1954 to Jan 23, 1955
- 1955 Chinese zodiacWood GoatJan 24, 1955 to Feb 11, 1956
Want every year on one sheet? Download the Chinese zodiac years chart PDF (A4, 1900 to 2035, with Lunar New Year dates).
1950 Chinese zodiac1951 Chinese zodiac1952 Chinese zodiac19531954 Chinese zodiac1955 Chinese zodiac1956 Chinese zodiac1957 Chinese zodiac1958 Chinese zodiac1959 Chinese zodiacAll Chinese zodiac years
1953 Chinese Zodiac FAQ
What Chinese zodiac is 1953?
1953 is the Year of the Water Snake. The Chinese year ran from Feb 14, 1953 to Feb 2, 1954.
What element is the 1953 Chinese zodiac?
Water. A year's element follows its last digit: 3 gives Water. The Snake's own fixed element is Fire, which is a different thing.
What Chinese zodiac is January 1953?
Lunar New Year 1953 fell on Saturday, Feb 14, 1953. Born from January 1 to Feb 13, 1953, you are a Water Dragon. From Feb 14, 1953, you are a Water Snake.
How old is someone born in 1953?
In 2026 they turn 73, or are 72 before their birthday. In 2027 they turn 74. Chinese tradition often counts age differently, adding one year at birth.
When is the next Snake year after 1953?
1965, the Year of the Wood Snake, begins on Feb 2, 1965.