The Water Element
One of the five elements of the Chinese zodiac, keyed to the last digit of your birth year.
Water is the element of winter, depth and adaptability. A Water year makes an animal more intuitive and persuasive, better at reading people and bending around obstacles rather than confronting them head-on.
People described as adaptable, perceptive and persuasive carry the Water influence. It deepens and adds subtlety to whichever animal it lands on, producing the most perceptive and adaptable version of that sign. A Water year comes every 10 years but a Water-plus-a-given-animal combination only once every 60.
Water years (1930–2044)
1932 1933 1942 1943 1952 1953 1962 1963 1972 1973 1982 1983 1992 1993 2002 2003 2012 2013 2022 2023 2032 2033 2042 2043
The Water element with each animal
- Water Rat — 1972, 2032
- Water Ox — 1973, 2033
- Water Tiger — 1962, 2022
- Water Rabbit — 1963, 2023
- Water Dragon — 1952, 2012
- Water Snake — 1953, 2013
- Water Horse — 1942, 2002
- Water Goat — 1943, 2003
- Water Monkey — 1932, 1992
- Water Rooster — 1933, 1993
- Water Dog — 1982, 2042
- Water Pig — 1983, 2043
Frequently asked questions
What years are Water years in the Chinese zodiac?
Water years are those ending in 2 or 3. In the modern range that means 1932, 1933, 1942, 1943, 1952, 1953, 1962, 1963, 1972, 1973 and so on.
What does the Water element mean?
Water is the element of winter, depth and adaptability. A Water year makes an animal more intuitive and persuasive, better at reading people and bending around obstacles rather than confronting them head-on.
Is Water a lucky element?
No element is luckier than another. Each shapes an animal differently — Water makes a sign the most perceptive and adaptable version of itself.