Chinese zodiac · 午 · wǔ
Year of the Horse
Quick answer
Recent Horse years: 2002, 2014, and 2026; the next begins in 2038. Each one starts at Lunar New Year, between January 21 and February 20, so a birthday early in the year may belong to the year before. In the classical tables the best matches for the Horse are Goat (six harmony) and Tiger and Dog (three harmony), and its clash is Rat.
Earthly branch
午 · wǔ
Fixed element
Fire
Yin or yang
Yang
Double hour (時辰)
11:00–13:00
Personality
The Horse is freedom in motion. Tradition pictures Horse people as energetic, warm and independent: lively company, quick to act and happiest with open space ahead.
午 is noon and midsummer, fire at its peak. Horses tend to be sociable and expressive, love travel and movement, and do their best work when they can follow their own enthusiasm.
Strengths
- Energetic and upbeat
- Independent
- Warm and sociable
- Quick to act
Growing edges
Restlessness can leave things half finished. Horses grow by choosing a few things to stay with.
Love and friendship
Horses fall in love with enthusiasm and need room to breathe. They tend to thrive with partners who share the ride rather than hold the reins.
Compatibility
Chinese astrology pairs the twelve branches in a few classical ways. They describe tendencies between birth years, never a verdict on two real people: a full chart, and the people themselves, say much more.
Six harmony (六合)
Branches that combine as a pair. Traditionally the easiest, most complementary bond.
Animals four years apart that together form a frame of fire. Traditionally read as kindred spirits and natural allies.
Clash (六沖)
The animal six years away, opposite on the circle. Traditionally read as different rhythms: friction for some pairs, a useful balance for others.
Harm (六害)
A subtler mismatch in the classical tables, often read as small misunderstandings that ask for patience.
Horse years, 1900–2099
Each year runs from Lunar New Year to the eve of the next. Its element comes from the year’s heavenly stem, so the same element and animal return every sixty years.
| Year | Dates | Stem and branch |
|---|---|---|
| 1906 | Jan 25, 1906 – Feb 12, 1907Fire · Yang | 丙午bǐng wǔ |
| 1918 | Feb 11, 1918 – Jan 31, 1919Earth · Yang | 戊午wù wǔ |
| 1930 | Jan 30, 1930 – Feb 16, 1931Metal · Yang | 庚午gēng wǔ |
| 1942 | Feb 15, 1942 – Feb 4, 1943Water · Yang | 壬午rén wǔ |
| 1954 | Feb 3, 1954 – Jan 23, 1955Wood · Yang | 甲午jiǎ wǔ |
| 1966 | Jan 21, 1966 – Feb 8, 1967Fire · Yang | 丙午bǐng wǔ |
| 1978 | Feb 7, 1978 – Jan 27, 1979Earth · Yang | 戊午wù wǔ |
| 1990 | Jan 27, 1990 – Feb 14, 1991Metal · Yang | 庚午gēng wǔ |
| 2002 | Feb 12, 2002 – Jan 31, 2003Water · Yang | 壬午rén wǔ |
| 2014 | Jan 31, 2014 – Feb 18, 2015Wood · Yang | 甲午jiǎ wǔ |
| 2026now | Feb 17, 2026 – Feb 5, 2027Fire · Yang | 丙午bǐng wǔ |
| 2038 | Feb 4, 2038 – Jan 23, 2039Earth · Yang | 戊午wù wǔ |
| 2050 | Jan 23, 2050 – Feb 10, 2051Metal · Yang | 庚午gēng wǔ |
| 2062 | Feb 9, 2062 – Jan 28, 2063Water · Yang | 壬午rén wǔ |
| 2074 | Jan 27, 2074 – Feb 14, 2075Wood · Yang | 甲午jiǎ wǔ |
| 2086 | Feb 14, 2086 – Feb 2, 2087Fire · Yang | 丙午bǐng wǔ |
| 2098 | Feb 1, 2098 – Jan 20, 2099Earth · Yang | 戊午wù wǔ |
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