Year of the Ox tattoo
The Chinese zodiac Ox is 牛 (niú). It is the second of the twelve animals, and people born in Ox years are dependable, patient and hard-working.
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The Ox · Chinese zodiac
What 牛 means.
牛 covers cattle of every kind: ox, cow or bull. In casual modern Chinese 牛 also means “awesome”.
- Character
- 牛ox, cow, cattle
- Traditional
- Written the same in simplified and traditional Chinese
- Born in
- 属牛“born in the year of the Ox”
- Year branch
- 丑the Earthly Branch of Ox years
- Fixed element
- Earth 土
Years of the Ox
- 1937Fire Ox
- 1949Earth Ox
- 1961Metal Ox
- 1973Water Ox
- 1985Wood Ox
- 1997Fire Ox
- 2009Earth Ox
- 2021Metal Ox
- 2033Water Ox
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 Ox shares a “three harmonies” group with the Snake and the Rooster, the signs that bring the Ox luck. Its opposite in the cycle is the Goat, its classic clash. A full reading compares whole charts, not just signs.
About the Ox in Chinese
What is the Chinese character for the Ox?
The zodiac Ox is 牛 (niú), meaning ox, cow, cattle. It is written the same in simplified and traditional Chinese.
Which years are Ox years?
1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 and 2033. 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 Ox” in Chinese?
属牛 (shǔ niú). 属 means “to belong to”, so 我属牛 (wǒ shǔ niú) is how a Chinese speaker says “I was born in the year of the Ox”.
Which signs go well with the Ox?
The Ox shares a “three harmonies” group with the Snake and the Rooster, the signs that bring it luck. Its opposite in the cycle is the Goat, its classic clash. A full reading compares whole charts, not just signs.
What element is the Ox?
The Ox's year branch, 丑 (chǒu), belongs to Earth. Each Ox year also has its own element from the year's last digit: 2021 was a Metal Ox. Your personal element in Chinese astrology comes from your full birth chart, which the free element calculator works out.
Is 牛 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes. 牛 is the real character Chinese speakers use for the Ox, 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.