What Chinese zodiac is 1973?
Year of the Water Ox癸丑 · Gui Chou · Mulberry Wood
1973 is the Year of the Water Ox — 癸丑 (Gui Chou) in the Chinese calendar. The heavenly stem 癸 belongs to Water, and the year's nayin ("sound") element is Mulberry Wood.
Animal sign · Stem-branch
- Animal sign
- Ox
- Stem-branch
- 癸丑 (Gui Chou)
- Element (heavenly stem)
- 癸 · Water
- Nayin element
- Mulberry Wood · Wood
Chinese New Year · Start of Spring (Lichun)
- Chinese New Year
- Feb 3, 1973
- Start of Spring (Lichun)
- Feb 4, 1973
- This Ox year
- Feb 3, 1973 – Jan 22, 1974
Born in January or February 1973?
| Born | By Chinese New Year (common use) | By Start of Spring (BaZi) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 – Feb 2 | Rat | Rat |
| Feb 3 – Feb 3 | Ox | Rat |
| Feb 4 – Dec 31 | Ox | Ox |
Most people switch animals at Chinese New Year; BaZi (Four Pillars) uses Start of Spring as the year boundary, so early-year birthdays can have two answers. Not sure? A free BaZi chart shows your exact year pillar.
How old is someone born in 1973?
- In 2026
- 53 after their birthday (52 before)
- East Asian age (xusui)
- 54 after Chinese New Year
Ox return years (benmingnian)
- 2009 (age 36)
- 2021 (age 48)
- 2033 (age 60)
- 2045 (age 72)
A benmingnian is a year that shares your birth animal; it comes round every 12 years. Wearing red is a folk custom for it — tradition, not something to worry about.
Which signs get along with the Ox?
- Trine (san he)
- Secret friend (liu he)
- Clash (chong)
These are traditional branch relations, shared as culture — they don't decide whether two people get along. Tap one for the full match.
Water Ox personality
The Water element gives this Ox its own flavor. Water is about flow: traditionally a Water year adds adaptability, insight and a perceptive mind.
Before dawn, in the last of the hour of Chou, the ox is already in the field. People born in the Year of the Ox don't say much, but they are the ones you can count on: what they promise, they do, and the road they choose, they finish. Slow is fine; you know where you're going.
- Strengths
- Hard-working, reliable, enduring
- Watch for
- Stubborn at times, slow to ask for help, carrying the load alone
- In love
- Not one for grand words, you show love through years of steady presence.
- At work
- You are made for long-term commitments. Where others give up halfway, you are often the one who finishes.
The Ox in 2027, Year of the Fire Goat
Find stability in change
Traditionally, the Ox's branch Chou clashes with the Goat's Wei, so Ox people are said to be 'clashing with Tai Sui' in a Goat year. A clash means movement: your surroundings, routines or plans may shift. Your great strength is steadiness. You don't need to push against the change. Take it one step at a time and the shift can become a fresh start.
You may see changes in your role, projects or team. Watch first, then decide. Finish what's in front of you well; your reputation is your best footing. It's also a good year to learn a new skill for the next stage.
Traditional views shared as culture and for fun — not a prediction or advice.
FAQ
What Chinese zodiac is 1973?
1973 is the Year of the Ox (癸丑, Gui Chou). This Ox year runs from Feb 3, 1973 (Chinese New Year) to Jan 22, 1974.
What is my sign if I was born in January 1973?
Born before Feb 3, 1973? By the usual Chinese New Year rule you belong to 1972, the Year of the Rat. BaZi switches at Start of Spring (Feb 4), so a birthday before that also gets the 壬子 year pillar.
What element is a 1973 Ox?
By the heavenly stem 癸, 1973 is a Water Ox year. By the older nayin system, 癸丑 is "Mulberry Wood". Neither is good or bad — your personal elements come from the full BaZi chart.
How old is someone born in 1973 in 2026?
53 after their birthday in 2026; by East Asian reckoning (xusui) they are 54 after Chinese New Year.
When is the next Year of the Ox?
The next Year of the Ox is 2033.
Make it about you
Your Chinese zodiac only looks at your birth year. Enter your date and hour of birth for a free BaZi chart and see your own chart and yearly cycles.
Other Ox years
Nearby years
Animal signs, stem-branches and nayin follow the traditional Chinese calendar; Chinese New Year and Start of Spring dates are Beijing time, computed with lunar-javascript. Traditional culture, for reference only.