Ox Chinese Zodiac Sign
牛 (Niu) · #2 / 12 · Yin · CHOU Branch
Ox Personality Traits
People born in the Year of the Ox are often described as diligent, dependable, strong, and determined. The Ox ranks #2 in the zodiac cycle and carries the fixed Earth element, which adds stable, practical, and reliable qualities to the reading. As a yin sign, it is usually read as more inward and receptive.
The Ox's hour is 1 AM - 3 AM. In traditional reading, that time is linked with the ox's natural rhythm. It also connects with the CHOU branch, the North-Northeast direction, and the Winter season.
Strengths
- ✓Incredibly hardworking and persistent
- ✓Honest and trustworthy
- ✓Patient and methodical approach
- ✓Strong sense of duty and responsibility
- ✓Calm and steady under pressure
Weaknesses
- ✗Can be stubborn and inflexible
- ✗Difficulty expressing emotions
- ✗May be overly conservative
- ✗Tendency to hold grudges
- ✗Resistant to change
Ox by Element
Each 12-year cycle pairs the Ox branch with a different yearly phase. The animal stays the same, but the tone of the reading shifts.
Years: 1925, 1985
Wood Ox is usually read as a Ox expressed in a more expansive, ideal-driven, and developmental register.
Years: 1937, 1997
Fire Ox is usually read as a Ox expressed in a more visible, urgent, and expressive register.
Years: 1949, 2009
Earth Ox is usually read as a Ox expressed in a more grounded, measured, and durable register.
Years: 1961, 2021
Metal Ox is usually read as a Ox expressed in a more disciplined, exacting, and self-controlled register.
Years: 1973
Water Ox is usually read as a Ox expressed in a more perceptive, adaptive, and inwardly strategic register.
Method note: This site uses Lunar New Year as the year boundary for general zodiac-sign pages. Some BaZi schools instead mark the year at Li Chun, so advanced chart interpretations may differ.
Ox Compatibility
Best Matches
Challenging Matches
Years of the Ox
Lucky & Unlucky Things for Ox
Lucky Things
Numbers: 1, 4
Colors: White, Yellow, Green
Flowers: Tulip, Evergreen
Directions: North, South
Unlucky Things
Numbers: 5, 6
Colors: Blue
Famous People Born in the Year of the Ox
Barack Obama
Born 1961 · 44th President of the United States
Walt Disney
Born 1901 · Pioneer of American animation and theme parks
Margaret Thatcher
Born 1925 · First female Prime Minister of the UK
Vincent van Gogh
Born 1853 · Influential Dutch post-impressionist painter
Bruno Mars
Born 1985 · Multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and producer
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