Year of the Rooster: Personality, Years, and Compatibility

沉浸 TeamAugust 17, 20264 min read

The Year of the Rooster is the tenth year in the Chinese zodiac's 12-year cycle. Recent Rooster years are 2029, 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, and the next one starts in 2029. In Chinese the rooster is 鸡 (jī), and someone born in a Rooster year says 我属鸡 (wǒ shǔ jī), "I'm a Rooster."

Roosters are sharp-eyed perfectionists: observant, hardworking, and proud of it. They keep receipts, keep schedules, and keep their word. They also tell you exactly what they think, which is a gift or a bruise depending on the day.

Year of the Rooster years and dates

Each zodiac year starts at Chinese New Year, not January 1, so the exact dates matter for January and February birthdays:

1969: Earth Rooster (February 17, 1969 to February 5, 1970)
1981: Metal Rooster (February 5, 1981 to January 24, 1982)
1993: Water Rooster (January 23, 1993 to February 9, 1994)
2005: Wood Rooster (February 9, 2005 to January 28, 2006)
2017: Fire Rooster (January 28, 2017 to February 15, 2018)
2029: Earth Rooster (February 13, 2029 to February 2, 2030)

Click your birth year above for that year's full profile. Born in early January or February? You may belong to the previous animal, the Year of the Monkey; check the start date of your year.

The Rooster personality

Strengths:

Observant, misses nothing
Hardworking and punctual
Confident and well-groomed
Honest to the letter

Weaknesses:

Blunt and critical
Perfectionist streak
Enjoys an audience a bit too much

Roosters shine in accounting, medicine, broadcasting, quality-driven crafts, and public-facing roles.

Not every Rooster is the same: the five elements

The zodiac runs on a 60-year cycle: 12 animals times five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water). Each Rooster year carries a different element, which shades the core personality:

Earth Rooster (1969, 2029): adds patience, reliability, and a practical, grounded streak.
Metal Rooster (1981): adds discipline, high standards, and real persistence.
Water Rooster (1993): adds adaptability, intuition, and quiet persuasion.
Wood Rooster (2005): adds curiosity, generosity, and a builder's patience.
Fire Rooster (2017): adds charisma, boldness, and a taste for the spotlight.

Rooster compatibility

Traditional matchmaking groups the animals into trines (three signs with a shared temperament) and gives each sign a secret friend and a clash:

Best matches: the Ox and Snake, the Rooster's trine partners, plus its secret friend the Dragon.
Most challenging: the Rabbit, directly opposite the Rooster on the zodiac wheel.

It's folk wisdom, not destiny, but it still shapes wedding dates, business partnerships, and a lot of good-natured family teasing across the Chinese-speaking world.

Lucky numbers and colors

Lucky numbers: 5, 7, 8
Lucky colors: gold, brown, yellow

In a Rooster person's own zodiac year (本命年 běnmìngnián), tradition calls for wearing red, especially red given to you by someone else, to ward off bad luck.

The Rooster in the Great Race

The order of the 12 animals comes from the legend of the Great Race, in which the Jade Emperor invited all the animals to cross a river. The Rooster finished tenth. It spotted the raft, organized the crossing with the Goat and Monkey, and crowed about it after.

How to say it in Chinese

鸡 (jī): rooster
鸡年 (jī nián): Year of the Rooster
生肖 (shēngxiào): Chinese zodiac sign
我属鸡 (wǒ shǔ jī): "I'm a Rooster"

Want to go beyond the zodiac? Create a free Chenjin account to hear words like 鸡 and 生肖 pronounced by native-quality audio, save them as flashcards, and start reading real Chinese stories at your level.

Year of the Rooster FAQ

When is the next Year of the Rooster?

The next Rooster year is 2029, starting on February 13, 2029 and running to February 2, 2030.

What years are Year of the Rooster?

1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029. Remember that each zodiac year starts at Chinese New Year, in late January or early-to-mid February.

Who should a Rooster marry?

By tradition, the Ox, Snake, or Dragon. The Rabbit is the classic "difficult" pairing. Real compatibility, of course, is written by people rather than calendars.