Year of the Rooster (Chicken)
鸡 Jī
The Rooster is the tenth animal of the Chinese zodiac and the sign of punctuality. In Chinese tradition, people born in a Rooster year are seen as observant, hardworking and proud, with an eye for detail and a taste for doing things properly. English-speaking readers often call it the Chicken.
- observant
- hardworking
- precise
- proud
- confident
- candid
Are You a Rooster?
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.
Rooster at a Glance
- Order
- 10th of 12
- Chinese
- 鸡 jī, branch 酉 yǒu
- Yin or Yang
- Yin
- Own element
- Metal
- Best matches
- Ox, Snake, Dragon
- Clashes with
- Rabbit
- Recent years
- 1993, 2005, 2017
- Next Rooster year
- 2029, from Feb 13, 2029
Rooster Zodiac Years
A Rooster year comes every 12 years and begins on Lunar New Year, between January 21 and February 20. Born in January or early February? Compare your birthday with the start date. If it came first, you belong to the sign before: the Monkey.
- 1909Earth RoosterJan 22, 1909 to Feb 9, 1910
- 1921Metal RoosterFeb 8, 1921 to Jan 27, 1922
- 1933Water RoosterJan 26, 1933 to Feb 13, 1934
- 1945Wood RoosterFeb 13, 1945 to Feb 1, 1946
- 1957 Chinese zodiacFire RoosterJan 31, 1957 to Feb 17, 1958
- 1969 Chinese zodiacEarth RoosterFeb 17, 1969 to Feb 5, 1970
- 1981 Chinese zodiacMetal RoosterFeb 5, 1981 to Jan 24, 1982
- 1993 Chinese zodiacWater RoosterJan 23, 1993 to Feb 9, 1994
- 2005 Chinese zodiacWood RoosterFeb 9, 2005 to Jan 28, 2006
- 2017 Chinese zodiacFire RoosterJan 28, 2017 to Feb 15, 2018
- 2029Earth RoosterFeb 13, 2029 to Feb 2, 2030Next
Rooster Zodiac Personality and Traits
In Chinese tradition the Rooster is observant, hardworking and proud. Roosters notice details, keep to a schedule and like to look their best. The same eye for detail can make them critical and hard to please.
Strengths
- Attention to detail. Notices what others overlook.
- Diligence. Up early and works steadily.
- Honesty. Says what it sees, plainly.
- Confidence. Comfortable being the center of attention.
- Organization. Likes a plan and keeps to it.
Weaknesses
- Criticism. Quick to point out what is wrong.
- Pride. Dislikes being corrected.
- Perfectionism. Hard on itself and on others.
- Bluntness. Candor can come across as harsh.
- Showiness. Can talk itself up.
The Rooster Man and the Rooster Woman
These are sketches from tradition, not rules.
The Rooster Man
The Rooster man is pictured as upright, hardworking and a little formal. He keeps his word, takes pride in his work and notices when standards slip. His lesson is to let small things go.
The Rooster Woman
The Rooster woman is described as sharp-eyed, polished and direct. She is organized, takes care over how she presents herself and tells the truth even when it is awkward. She does best with a partner who appreciates plain speaking.
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water Roosters
The last digit of your birth year sets your element, which is different from the Rooster’s own element (always Metal). Born in January or early February? If your birthday came before Lunar New Year, use the year before. The cycle repeats every 60 years.
Wood Rooster
Years ending in 4 or 51945, 2005
Wood loosens the Rooster up. Said to be more sociable and imaginative than other Roosters, and happier to try new approaches.
Fire Rooster
Years ending in 6 or 71957, 2017
Fire makes the Rooster bolder and more outspoken. Energetic and expressive, the Fire Rooster is pictured as the most dramatic of the five.
Earth Rooster
Years ending in 8 or 91909, 1969, 2029
Earth steadies the Rooster. Practical and dependable, the Earth Rooster is described as patient and as the most likely to see a long task through.
Metal Rooster
Years ending in 0 or 11921, 1981
Metal is the Rooster’s own element. The Metal Rooster is said to be the most exacting of the five: disciplined, ambitious and slow to compromise.
Water Rooster
Years ending in 2 or 31933, 1993
Water softens the Rooster. Perceptive and adaptable, the Water Rooster is described as a better listener and less rigid about the way things are done.
Rooster Compatibility: Best and Worst Matches
Tradition gives the Rooster three best matches: the Ox and Snake, its trine group, and the Dragon, its Secret Friend. The hardest are the Rabbit, directly opposite on the zodiac wheel, and the Dog, a harm pair. These come from fixed rules, not opinion.
Best Matches
- OxSame trine group 三合
- SnakeSame trine group 三合Snake and Rooster compatibility
- DragonSecret Friend 六合Dragon and Rooster compatibility
Hardest Matches
- RabbitOpposite sign (clash) 六冲
- DogHarm pair 六害Rooster and Dog compatibility
Ox and Snake
Same trine group. The Ox’s steadiness and the Snake’s insight suit the Rooster’s careful, exacting way of working.
Dragon
The Rooster’s Secret Friend, a traditional natural ally. The Dragon’s big ideas and the Rooster’s attention to detail make a strong team.
Rabbit
Opposite the Rooster on the wheel, a clash. The Rabbit avoids conflict and the Rooster speaks plainly, so a blunt remark can land hard.
Dog
A harm pair. The Rooster’s criticism and the Dog’s sense of justice can set off long arguments, and each can feel judged by the other.
The Rooster in 2026 and 2027
For the full forecast, see the Rooster horoscope for 2027 and the 2027 Year of the Goat.
2026, the Fire Horse Year
The Horse has no formal link to the Rooster in the traditional rules, so tradition reads 2026 as neutral. Careful work pays off more than quick wins.
2027, the Fire Goat Year
The Goat has no special link to the Rooster either. Tradition reads 2027 as a steady year, good for organizing and finishing what is already underway.
The Rooster in Chinese Culture: Meaning and Symbols
The Rooster took tenth place in the Great Race, the legend that set the order of the 12 animals. In a popular version the Goat, Monkey and Rooster found a raft and worked together to cross the river, with the Rooster spotting it.
The Call at Dawn
The rooster’s crow marks the start of the day, and folk belief held that it drives away evil spirits. Rooster images were hung up in the home for protection.
A Word That Sounds Like Luck
The Chinese word for chicken, 鸡 (jī), sounds close to 吉 (jí), meaning lucky. That is one reason rooster images are popular as good-luck gifts, especially around New Year.
Rise at the Rooster’s Crow
The idiom 闻鸡起舞 (wén jī qǐ wǔ) means to rise at the rooster’s crow and practice. It is used to praise people who work hard and start early.
Evening and the Eighth Month
The Rooster’s earthly branch, 酉 (yǒu), marks the eighth month of the traditional solar calendar, which starts around September 8, and the hours from 5 to 7 in the evening.
Rooster Career, Money and Health
Traditional advice for the Rooster is the same in every area: keep the high standards, and be kinder about other people’s.
Career
Roosters do best in work that rewards precision and presentation: accounting, editing, design, teaching, medicine and the hospitality trades. Chaotic workplaces with no clear standards are harder.
Money
Tradition credits the Rooster with careful budgeting and a good eye for value. A useful habit is to leave room in the plan for the unexpected, since not everything can be scheduled.
Health
Roosters are described as disciplined but prone to tension and perfectionism. Tradition links the Rooster’s Metal element with the lungs and with holding things in. That is cultural symbolism, not medical advice. Fresh air and some unscheduled time help most.
Rooster Zodiac FAQ
What years are the Year of the Rooster?
Rooster years include 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 and 2029. The next one starts on Feb 13, 2029. Each Rooster year begins on Lunar New Year, so check the exact dates if you were born in January or February.
I was born in January 2017. Am I a Rooster?
Probably not. Lunar New Year 2017 fell on January 28, so births from January 1 to 27 belong to the Monkey year that began in 2016. From January 28, 2017 on, you are a Rooster.
Is the Rooster the same as the Chicken?
Yes. The Chinese character 鸡 (jī) means chicken, and the zodiac animal is the rooster. English sites use Rooster and Chicken for the same sign, so Chinese chicken zodiac and Chinese rooster zodiac mean the same thing.
What is the Rooster's enemy sign?
The Rabbit. It sits opposite the Rooster on the zodiac wheel, a pairing tradition calls a clash. The Dog is the other hard match, a harm pair. Both point to friction in style, not a ban on friendship or marriage.
Who should a Rooster marry?
Tradition favors the Dragon, Ox and Snake. The Ox and Snake share the Rooster's trine group, and the Dragon is its Secret Friend. The Rabbit and Dog are harder. Real couples depend more on the two people than on their signs.
Is 2026 a good year for the Rooster?
It is usually read as a neutral year. The Horse has no formal link to the Rooster in the traditional rules, so 2026 is neither helped nor hindered. It rewards careful work over quick wins.