Today is Nov 1, 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse

Chinese Year Animals
火

Fire Element in the Chinese Zodiac

火 huǒ · Passion, energy and charisma

Fire stands for summer, warmth and energy. People of the Fire element are described as passionate, sociable and drawn to the spotlight, and they are said to burn out when they take on too much or when things move slowly. A year carries the Fire element when it ends in 6 or 7, so the latest Fire years were 2017, 2026 and 2027.

  • Fire
  • Summer
  • South

Fire at a Glance

Chinese
火 huǒ
Years end in
6 or 7
Color
Red
Direction
South
Season
Summer
Heavenly stems
丙 Bǐng, 丁 Dīng
Feeds
Earth
Controls
Metal

The Twelve Fire Signs

Each of the 12 animals has a Fire year. Pick one for its personality, years and Lunar New Year dates.

Fire Years, 1900 to 2035

Every year ending in 6 or 7, with its animal. The Chinese year begins on Lunar New Year, so the year runs from the date shown into the next calendar year.

  1. 1906Fire HorseFrom Jan 25, 1906
  2. 1907Fire GoatFrom Feb 13, 1907
  3. 1916Fire DragonFrom Feb 3, 1916
  4. 1917Fire SnakeFrom Jan 23, 1917
  5. 1926Fire TigerFrom Feb 13, 1926
  6. 1927Fire RabbitFrom Feb 2, 1927
  7. 1936Fire RatFrom Jan 24, 1936
  8. 1937Fire OxFrom Feb 11, 1937
  9. 1946 Chinese zodiacFire DogFrom Feb 2, 1946
  10. 1947 Chinese zodiacFire PigFrom Jan 22, 1947
  11. 1956 Chinese zodiacFire MonkeyFrom Feb 12, 1956
  12. 1957 Chinese zodiacFire RoosterFrom Jan 31, 1957
  13. 1966 Chinese zodiacFire HorseFrom Jan 21, 1966
  14. 1967 Chinese zodiacFire GoatFrom Feb 9, 1967
  15. 1976 Chinese zodiacFire DragonFrom Jan 31, 1976
  16. 1977 Chinese zodiacFire SnakeFrom Feb 18, 1977
  17. 1986 Chinese zodiacFire TigerFrom Feb 9, 1986
  18. 1987 Chinese zodiacFire RabbitFrom Jan 29, 1987
  19. 1996 Chinese zodiacFire RatFrom Feb 19, 1996
  20. 1997 Chinese zodiacFire OxFrom Feb 7, 1997
  21. 2006 Chinese zodiacFire DogFrom Jan 29, 2006
  22. 2007 Chinese zodiacFire PigFrom Feb 18, 2007
  23. 2016 Chinese zodiacFire MonkeyFrom Feb 8, 2016
  24. 2017 Chinese zodiacFire RoosterFrom Jan 28, 2017
  25. 2026 Chinese zodiacFire HorseFrom Feb 17, 2026
  26. 2027 Chinese zodiacFire GoatFrom Feb 6, 2027

Every Chinese zodiac year with its dates

Fire Years and Fire Animals Are Not the Same

Two different things share the name. The year element follows the last digit of the birth year, so any animal can be a Fire animal: a Fire Tiger, a Fire Dragon, a Fire Pig. The animal's own element never changes. the Snake and the Horse are always Fire, whatever year they are born.

When the two match, as in the Fire Snake and the Fire Horse, tradition says the Fire nature is doubled.

Traits of the Fire Element

Strengths

  • Enthusiastic
  • Warm
  • Inspiring
  • Quick to act

Challenges

  • Restless
  • Impatient
  • Prone to burnout

These are traditional descriptions of the element, and every sign adds its own character.

How Fire Relates to the Other Elements

  • Wood feeds FireIn the generating cycle, Wood supports Fire.
  • Fire feeds EarthFire in turn supports Earth.
  • Fire controls MetalIn the controlling cycle, Fire holds Metal in check.
  • Water controls FireWater is the element that keeps Fire in balance.

The Five Elements

Fire Element FAQ

What years are Fire years in the Chinese zodiac?

Years that end in 6 or 7. Recent Fire years include 2016, 2017, 2026 and 2027. Each Chinese year begins on Lunar New Year, so a birth in January or early February may belong to the year before.

What animals are Fire signs?

Every animal has Fire years. They are the Fire Rat, Fire Ox, Fire Tiger and so on through the Fire Pig, and each comes round every 60 years. The animals whose own, fixed element is Fire are the Snake and Horse.

What is the difference between a Fire year and a Fire animal?

The element of a year follows its last digit, so any animal can be a Fire animal in the right year. The animal's own element never changes: the Snake and the Horse are always Fire. They are two separate things.

What does Fire mean in Chinese astrology?

Fire stands for summer, warmth and energy. Its color is red, its direction is south and its season is summer.

What element feeds and controls Fire?

Wood feeds Fire, and Fire feeds Earth. Water controls Fire, and Fire controls Metal.