雞 Year of the Rooster
The only bird in the cycle, and the sharpest eye in it.
Rooster years
- 1945 wood
- 1957 fire
- 1969 earth
- 1981 metal
- 1993 water
- 2005 wood
- 2017 fire
- 2029 earth
Each year begins at Chinese New Year, not 1 January — so a birthday in January or early February usually belongs to the previous animal. Check your exact date.
Rooster personality
Rooster found the raft that carried three animals across the river, then came ashore tenth, behind the two it had ferried. Being the cycle's only bird matters: Han-dynasty writing credits the rooster with five virtues, among them courage and the reliability of crowing on time. Yin metal makes the mind fine rather than heavy — this is discrimination, the ability to see the flaw at fifty paces and name it before anyone asks. Roosters run on standards. They plan in detail, dress deliberately, arrive early and are genuinely puzzled that others do not. The confidence is real but rarely settled; underneath sits a running audit of their own performance, which is why criticism from a Rooster is often gentler than what they say to themselves.
The Rooster in love
A Rooster in love is candid to the point of bruising and completely dependable about it. They notice the unwashed cup and the changed tone of voice with the same attention, and they say so. Dragon is the Liu He partner and the classic answer here — flamboyance that Rooster admires and quietly organises. Ox and Snake, the metal trine, share the taste for competence over romance. Rabbit is the clash and the pairing where Rooster's honesty reads as attack. Praise, offered specifically, does more for a Rooster than any grand gesture.
The Rooster at work
Work suits Roosters better than most signs, because standards are rewarded there. They are drawn to fields where accuracy is measurable — accountancy, surgery, editing, law, restaurant kitchens, military and security work, anything with a checklist and consequences. Presentation matters to them, so public-facing roles fit too. The weakness is delegation: a Rooster would rather redo the task than accept 80 per cent, which caps how large a team they can lead comfortably. Given clear metrics, they will outwork nearly everyone.
Strengths
- observant
- punctual
- courageous
- meticulous
Challenges
- blunt
- perfectionist
- image-conscious
The Rooster in the classical relations
Rooster compatibility
Rooster & Dragon95%
The emblem and the herald: Chen and You in six harmony
Rooster & Ox88%
Chou and You in one trine: the bird calls the hour, the Ox works it
Rooster & Snake88%
Si begins the metal, You brings it to full strength
Rooster & Rooster70%
Two Roosters understand each other exactly, and the cycle offers nothing else
Rooster & Rat64%
Zi and You are introduced by other people, not by the cycle
Rooster & Tiger64%
Yin and You: unlinked branches, opposite instincts under pressure
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Rooster most compatible with?
Dragon holds the Liu He bond with Rooster, and it is the pairing tradition rates highest — Dragon supplies scale, Rooster supplies execution. Ox and Snake complete the San He metal trine and make steady, unromantic, durable partners. Rabbit is the Chong clash, six positions away, and the match that needs the most deliberate work. Dog sits in a Hai harm with Rooster, a quieter friction built on mutual criticism.
What years are Rooster years?
Rooster years include 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 and 2029. The stem changes the flavour: 1981 is a Metal Rooster, 2017 a Fire Rooster, 1993 a Water Rooster. As with every sign, the year turns at the lunar new year rather than 1 January, so late-January birthdays need checking against the actual date.
Is the Rooster a lucky sign?
Rooster is counted as an auspicious household sign — its crowing marks the boundary between night and day, and the image has long been used to drive off bad influences. Five, seven and eight are its usual numbers, with gold, brown and yellow the associated colours. That said, a Rooster's own year is ben ming nian, traditionally the year to be careful rather than bold, and 2029 is the next one.