Year of the Rooster: personality, birth years and matches
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Quick answer: If you were born in a Rooster year, your year branch is You (酉), a yin Metal branch. Tradition describes Rooster people as hardworking and orderly, attentive to detail and appearance. The Rooster pairs well with the Dragon (six combination) and with the Snake and Ox (three combination), and clashes with the Rabbit. The zodiac uses only your birth year, though; your full chart says much more.
What You means
The twelve zodiac animals match the twelve Earthly Branches. Being a Rooster means your birth year's branch is You (酉). You stands for mid-autumn in the year and the 17:00–19:00 double hour in the day.
Personality traits
- Strengths: Hardworking and orderly, attentive to detail and appearance.
- Watch for: Critical and blunt; can rub people the wrong way.
These are long-standing traditional associations. People born in the same year differ a lot, so take them lightly.
Birth years
Rooster years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029. The sign changes at the Start of Spring (around February 4), not at Chinese New Year. If your birthday is in January or early February, check whether the Start of Spring had already passed. If not, you belong to the previous year's sign.
Matches and clashes
- Six combination: You with Chen, the Rooster and the Dragon.
- Three combination: Si, You and Chou form a Metal group: the Rooster, the Snake and the Ox.
- Clash: You with Mao, the Rooster and the Rabbit.
- Harm: You with Xu, the Rooster and the Dog.
A clash or harm does not mean two people can't get along. It only means their rhythms and habits differ and need more give and take.
Zodiac sign vs. BaZi chart
A BaZi chart has four pillars (year, month, day, hour) and eight characters. Your zodiac sign is just the branch of the year pillar. For personality and relationships, the day pillar (especially the Day Master) and the overall balance of elements matter more. For a closer look, make a BaZi chart or compare two people with a compatibility reading.
The Rooster in 2027
2027 is a Ding Wei (Fire Goat) year. For the Rooster: No direct clash or combination—go by your own chart. See the 2027 forecast for more.
FAQ
I was born in January 2017. Am I a Rooster?
Not necessarily. In January 2017 the Start of Spring had not yet arrived, so by tradition you belong to the previous sign, the Monkey. If you were born around February 4, check the exact time of that year's Start of Spring.
Can a Rooster and a Rabbit be together?
Yes. A clash only means your rhythms differ a lot, and handled well that can be complementary. What really matters is both full charts and what each person needs.
What should a Rooster watch for in their own zodiac year?
Your own zodiac year is when the year branch matches your sign. It is not a bad-luck year. Treat it as a time to look back, tidy up and reset direction.
Keep reading
- Year of the Rat: personality, birth years and matches
- Year of the Ox: personality, birth years and matches
- Year of the Tiger: personality, birth years and matches
- Year of the Rabbit: personality, birth years and matches
- Year of the Dragon: personality, birth years and matches
- Year of the Snake: personality, birth years and matches
- Year of the Horse: personality, birth years and matches
- Year of the Goat: personality, birth years and matches
- Year of the Monkey: personality, birth years and matches
- Year of the Dog: personality, birth years and matches
- Year of the Pig: personality, birth years and matches