Each of the five Chinese elements governs a two year period in turn. The first year of the pair is associated with the Yin, or female, element of Yin-Yang, and the second year with the Yang, or male, element. Consequently, there is a ten year cycle of these combinations.
The current cycle of Chinese New Years associated with the elements started in 2004, and the next one starts in 2014. These cycles are:
- 2004: Year of the Monkey – Yin Metal
- 2005: Year of the Rooster – Yang Metal
- 2006: Year of the Dog – Yin Water
- 2007: Year of the Pig – Yang Water
- 2008: Year of the Rat – Yin Wood
- 2009: Year of the Ox – Yang Wood
- 2010: Year of the Tiger – Yin Fire
- 2011: Year of the Rabbit – Yang Fire
- 2012: Year of the Dragon – Yin Earth
- 2013: Year of the Snake – Yang Earth
- 2014: Year of the Horse – Yin Metal
- 2015: Year of the Sheep – Yang Metal
- 2016: Year of the Monkey – Yin Water
- 2017: Year of the Rooster – Yang Water
- 2018: Year of the Dog – Yin Wood
- 2019: Year of the Pig – Yang Wood
- 2020: Year of the Rat – Yin Fire
- 2021: Year of the Ox – Yang Fire
- 2022: Year of the Tiger – Yin Earth
- 2023: Year of the Rabbit – Yang Earth
Chinese Elements and the Major Planets
Each Chinese element is associated with one of the major planets:
- Metal – Venus
- Water – Mercury
- Wood – Jupiter
- Fire – Mars
- Earth – Saturn
Chinese Elements and Colors
Each Chinese element is associated with a color:
- Metal – White
- Water – Black
- Wood – Green
- Fire – Red
- Earth – Yellow
People born in a Year of the Metal Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Metal element tend to have these characteristics:
- determination to follow their dreams
- enjoyment of the luxuries of life
- self-controlled, particularly in forging their own future
- unheeding of others opinions, their own way is right
People born in a Year of the Water Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Water element tend to have these characteristics:
- serene and peaceful
- calm, with a charm that attracts admiration and makes them natural leaders
- creative
- a tendency to be misled
People born in a Year of the Wood Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Wood element tend to have these characteristics:
- becomes stronger as they grow older
- strong understanding of life, making them good advisers or counsellors
- a strong friend, always helping others build on their strengths
- good business acumen
- open minded and willing to explore new ideas
People born in a Year of the Fire Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Fire element tend to have these characterisitcs:
- enthusiastic and emotional, commanding attention from others
- takes decisive action that attracts others to their ideas
- a source of new ideas and original solutions to problems
- not easily swayed from their chosen path
People born in a Year of the Earth Element
People who are born in a Chinese Year associated with the Earth element tend to have these characteristics:
- wise, taking care about everything they undertake
- ethical, moral, and logical
- control of everything around them and the ability to see the unexpected
- a tendency to struggle to understand the unknown, and a fear of things they can not control
Compatibility between Chinese Elements
Each Chinese element has a conducive, or affinity, relationship with another element, and has a controlling, or destructive, relationship withe another element:
- Metal gives Water, and Metal controls Wood
- Water gives Wood, and Water controls Earth
- Wood gives Fire, and Wood controls Earth
- Fire gives Earth, and Fire controls Metal
- Earth gives Metal, and Earth controls Water
Year of the Rat
People born in the Year of the Rat tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: forthright, tenacious, intense, meticulous, charismatic, sensitive, intellectual, industrious, charming, eloquent, sociable, artistic, and shrewd
- Negative traits: manipulative, vindictive, self-destructive, envious, mendacious, venal, obstinate, critical, over-ambitious, ruthless, intolerant, and scheming
Year of the Ox
People born in the Year of the Ox tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: dependable, ambitious, calm, methodical, born leader, patient, hardworking, conventional, steady, modest, logical, resolute, tenacious
- Negative traits: stubborn, dogmatic, hot-tempered, narrow-minded, materialistic, rigid, demanding
Year of the Tiger
People born in the Year of the Tiger tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: unpredictable, rebellious, colorful, powerful, passionate, daring, impulsive, vigorous, stimulating, sincere, affectionate, humanitarian, generous
- Negative traits: restless, reckless, impatient, quick-tempered, obstinate, selfish, aggressive, moody
Year of the Rabbit
People born in the Year of the Rabbit tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: gracious, good friend, kind, sensitive, soft-spoken, amiable, elegant, reserved, cautious, artistic, thorough, tender, self-assured, shy, astute, compassionate, lucky, flexible
- Negative traits: moody, detached, superficial, self-indulgent, opportunistic, stubborn
Year of the Dragon
People born in the Year of the Dragon tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: magnanimous, stately, vigorous, strong, self-assured, proud, noble, direct, dignified, eccentric, intellectual, fiery, passionate, decisive, pioneering, artistic, generous, loyal
- Negative traits: tactless, arrogant, imperious, tyrannical, demanding, intolerant, dogmatic, violent, impetuous, brash
Year of the Snake
People born in the Year of the Snake tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: deep thinker, wise, mystic, graceful, soft-spoken, sensual, creative, prudent, shrewd, elegant, cautious, responsible, calm, strong, constant, purposeful
- Negative traits: loner, bad communicator, possessive, hedonistic, self-doubting, distrustful, mendacious, suffocating, cold
Year of the Horse
People born in the Year of the Horse tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: cheerful, popular, quick-witted, changeable, earthy, perceptive, talkative, agile—mentally and physically, magnetic, intelligent, astute, flexible, open-minded
- Negative traits: fickle, arrogant, childish, anxious, rude, gullible, stubborn
Year of the Sheep
People born in the Year of the Sheep tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: righteous, sincere, sympathetic, mild-mannered, shy, artistic, creative, gentle, compassionate, understanding, mothering, peaceful, generous, seeks security
- Negative traits: moody, indecisive, over-passive, worrier, pessimistic, over-sensitive, complainer, weak-willed
Year of the Monkey
People born in the Year of the Monkey tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: inventor, motivator, improviser, quick-witted, inquisitive, flexible, innovative, problem solver, self-assured, sociable, artistic, polite, dignified, competitive, objective, factual, intellectual
- Negative traits: egotistical, vain, arrogant, selfish, reckless, snobbish, deceptive, manipulative, cunning, jealous, suspicious
Year of the Rooster
People born in the Year of the Rooster tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: acute, neat, meticulous, organized, self-assured, decisive, conservative, critical, perfectionist, alert, zealous, practical, scientific, responsible
- Negative traits: over zealous and critical, puritanical, egotistical, abrasive, proud, opinionated, given to empty bravado
Year of the Dog
People born in the Year of the Dog tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: honest, intelligent, straightforward, loyal, sense of justice and fair play, attractive, amicable, unpretentious, sociable, open-minded, idealistic, moralistic, practical, affectionate, sensitive, easy-going
- Negative traits: cynical, lazy, cold, judgmental, pessimistic, worrier, stubborn, quarrelsome
Year of the Pig
People born in the Year of the Pig tend to have these character traits:
- Positive traits: honest, gallant, sturdy, sociable, peace-loving, patient, loyal, hard-working, trusting, sincere, calm, understanding, thoughtful, scrupulous, passionate, intelligent
- Negative traits: naïve, over-reliant, self-indulgent, gullible, fatalistic, materialistic
