Five characters, five elements.
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water are each one simple character, and each feeds the next in an endless cycle. Pick yours to see what it stands for, which colours and years bring its luck, and how it looks in seven brush styles.
Which element are you?
The quick answer goes by the last digit of your birth year:
- 木Wood4 or 5
- 火Fire6 or 7
- 土Earth8 or 9
- 金Metal0 or 1
- 水Water2 or 3
Chinese astrology goes further: your own element is your Day Master, from the day you were born. Find yours free →
The five elements
In the order of the generating cycle. Open one for its meaning, colours, zodiac signs and all seven brush styles.
- 木木 mùspring · Tiger, RabbitGrowth, renewal and reaching upward, like a tree in spring.
- 火火 huǒsummer · Snake, HorseWarmth, light and expression, like the summer sun.
- 土土 tǔthe turn between seasons · Ox, Dragon, Goat, DogStability, nourishment and trust, like fertile ground.
- 金金 jīnautumn · Monkey, RoosterClarity, structure and refinement, like a polished blade.
- 水水 shuǐwinter · Rat, PigWisdom, depth and flow, like a river finding its way.
- Wood:
- Fire:
- Earth:
- Metal:
- Water:
Three ways to wear the elements
Tap any of them to try ink, paper and brush style in the generator.
About five elements tattoos
What are the five elements in Chinese?
Wood 木 (mù), Fire 火 (huǒ), Earth 土 (tǔ), Metal 金 (jīn), Water 水 (shuǐ). Together they are called 五行 (wǔ xíng), the five phases, and run through Chinese medicine, astrology and naming.
Which element am I?
Many people go by the last digit of their birth year: 4 and 5 are Wood, 6 and 7 Fire, 8 and 9 Earth, 0 and 1 Metal, 2 and 3 Water. In Chinese astrology your own element is your day master, the element of the day you were born, which the free element calculator works out from your birth date.
Can I get all five elements as one tattoo?
Yes. 木火土金水 is the usual order, following the generating cycle in which each element feeds the next. Written in one line or one column, it reads as the five elements to any Chinese reader.
Are the element characters different in traditional Chinese?
No. 木, 火, 土, 金 and 水 are written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese.