2016 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Fire Monkey
丙申 · 猴 Hóu
2016 is the Year of the Fire Monkey. The Chinese year ran from Feb 8, 2016 to Jan 27, 2017, so anyone born in that span is a Fire Monkey. Born in January or early February? Lunar New Year fell on Feb 8, 2016, and earlier births belong to the Wood Goat year.
- Monkey
- Fire
- Yang
Born in 2016?
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.
2016 at a Glance
- Animal
- Monkey 猴 hóu
- Element
- Fire
- Yin or Yang
- Yang
- Year name
- 丙申 · sound element 山下火
- Begins
- Monday, Feb 8, 2016
- Ends
- Jan 27, 2017
- Age in 2026
- 9 or 10
- Next Monkey year
- 2028
The 2016 Fire Monkey
The Monkey is the sign of the Monkey King (孙悟空), the hero of the Chinese novel Journey to the West, and tradition gives the sign his quick wit. A 2016 Monkey turns 10 in 2026.
The 2016 year began on Feb 8, 2016, so January and early February births are Wood Goats, and it ended on Jan 27, 2017.
Born in January or Early February 2016?
The Chinese year does not start on January 1. Lunar New Year 2016 was on Monday, Feb 8, 2016, so births before that date belong to the year before.
| Born | Sign | Year name |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 to Feb 7, 2016 | Wood Goat | 乙未 |
| Feb 8, 2016 to Jan 27, 2017 | Fire Monkey | 丙申 |
So someone born on Feb 7, 2016 is a Wood Goat, and someone born on Feb 8, 2016 is a Fire Monkey. Dates are in China Standard Time.
What Is a Fire Monkey?
A Fire Monkey combines the Monkey with the element of the birth year. 2016 ends in 6, which gives Fire. The element repeats every 60 years, so other Fire Monkey years include 1956.
How Old Is a 2016 Monkey, and When Is the Next Monkey Year?
Someone born in 2016 turns 10 in 2026 and 11 in 2027. The last Monkey year was 2004, and the next is 2028. Your own sign year, called 本命年 (běnmìngnián), comes every 12 years. These are the Monkey years a 2016 Monkey lives through:
- 2016Fire MonkeyBornThis page
- 2028 Chinese zodiacEarth MonkeyTurns 12
2016 Monkey Compatibility: Best and Hardest Matches
Compatibility follows the animal, not the element. Tradition favors the signs in the Monkey's trine group and its Secret Friend, and is cautious about the opposite sign and the harm pair.
The 2016 Monkey in 2026 and 2027
How the traditional rules link the Monkey to the next two years, and how old a 2016 Monkey will be.
2026, the Fire Horse Year: Steady
Turns 10. No formal link to the Horse in the traditional rules.
2027, the Fire Goat Year: Steady
Turns 11. No formal link to the Goat in the traditional rules.
Nearby Years
The years just before and after 2016, and the other years of the decade.
- 2014 Chinese zodiacWood HorseJan 31, 2014 to Feb 18, 2015
- 2015 Chinese zodiacWood GoatFeb 19, 2015 to Feb 7, 2016
- 2016Fire MonkeyFeb 8, 2016 to Jan 27, 2017
- 2017 Chinese zodiacFire RoosterJan 28, 2017 to Feb 15, 2018
- 2018 Chinese zodiacEarth DogFeb 16, 2018 to Feb 4, 2019
Want every year on one sheet? Download the Chinese zodiac years chart PDF (A4, 1900 to 2035, with Lunar New Year dates).
2010 Chinese zodiac2011 Chinese zodiac2012 Chinese zodiac2013 Chinese zodiac2014 Chinese zodiac2015 Chinese zodiac20162017 Chinese zodiac2018 Chinese zodiac2019 Chinese zodiacAll Chinese zodiac years
2016 Chinese Zodiac FAQ
What Chinese zodiac is 2016?
2016 is the Year of the Fire Monkey. The Chinese year ran from Feb 8, 2016 to Jan 27, 2017.
What element is the 2016 Chinese zodiac?
Fire. A year's element follows its last digit: 6 gives Fire. The Monkey's own fixed element is Metal, which is a different thing.
What Chinese zodiac is January 2016?
Lunar New Year 2016 fell on Monday, Feb 8, 2016. Born from January 1 to Feb 7, 2016, you are a Wood Goat. From Feb 8, 2016, you are a Fire Monkey.
How old is someone born in 2016?
In 2026 they turn 10, or are 9 before their birthday. In 2027 they turn 11. Chinese tradition often counts age differently, adding one year at birth.
When is the next Monkey year after 2016?
2028, the Year of the Earth Monkey, begins on Jan 26, 2028.