Year of the Monkey tattoo
The Chinese zodiac Monkey is 猴 (hóu). It is the ninth of the twelve animals, and people born in Monkey years are clever, playful and inventive.
hóu
The Monkey · Chinese zodiac
What 猴 means.
猴 is the monkey. The best-known monkey in Chinese culture is the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, of Journey to the West.
- Character
- 猴monkey
- Traditional
- Written the same in simplified and traditional Chinese
- Born in
- 属猴“born in the year of the Monkey”
- Year branch
- 申the Earthly Branch of Monkey years
- Fixed element
- Metal 金
Years of the Monkey
- 1944Wood Monkey
- 1956Fire Monkey
- 1968Earth Monkey
- 1980Metal Monkey
- 1992Water Monkey
- 2004Wood Monkey
- 2016Fire Monkey
- 2028Earth Monkey
- 2040Metal Monkey
In everyday use the animal changes at Chinese New Year, between 21 January and 20 February; Chinese astrology changes it at the start of spring, around 4 February. If you were born in January or early February, your sign may be the previous year's animal; the Chinese element calculator works it out from your exact birth date.
Lucky matches and clashes
The Monkey shares a “three harmonies” group with the Rat and the Dragon, the signs that bring the Monkey luck. Its opposite in the cycle is the Tiger, its classic clash. A full reading compares whole charts, not just signs.
About the Monkey in Chinese
What is the Chinese character for the Monkey?
The zodiac Monkey is 猴 (hóu), meaning monkey. It is written the same in simplified and traditional Chinese.
Which years are Monkey years?
1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 and 2040. In everyday use each year begins at Chinese New Year (between 21 January and 20 February), and in Chinese astrology at the start of spring (around 4 February), so a birthday in January or early February may belong to the previous sign.
How do you say “born in the year of the Monkey” in Chinese?
属猴 (shǔ hóu). 属 means “to belong to”, so 我属猴 (wǒ shǔ hóu) is how a Chinese speaker says “I was born in the year of the Monkey”.
Which signs go well with the Monkey?
The Monkey shares a “three harmonies” group with the Rat and the Dragon, the signs that bring it luck. Its opposite in the cycle is the Tiger, its classic clash. A full reading compares whole charts, not just signs.
What element is the Monkey?
The Monkey's year branch, 申 (shēn), belongs to Metal. Each Monkey year also has its own element from the year's last digit: 2016 was a Fire Monkey. Your personal element in Chinese astrology comes from your full birth chart, which the free element calculator works out.
Is 猴 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes. 猴 is the real character Chinese speakers use for the Monkey, and as a single character it works even at small sizes. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.