1973 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Water Ox

1973 is the year of the Water Ox (癸丑 Guǐchǒu), from 3 February 1973 to 22 January 1974. Anyone born in 1973 before 3 February 1973 belongs to the Water Rat year.

• Animal: Ox
• Element: Water (Yin)
• Cycle name: 癸丑 Guǐchǒu, year 50 of the 60-year cycle
• Starts: 3 February 1973
• Ends: 22 January 1974

The Water Ox

Water years are traditionally linked with adaptability, perception and communication: the element that finds a way around any obstacle. The Ox is the patient worker of the zodiac. Tradition describes Ox people as dependable, methodical and quietly strong: slow to start, very hard to stop. They prefer proof to promises and build things meant to last, from a savings account to a family routine.

Born in January or February 1973?

Anyone born from 1 January to 2 February 1973 belongs to the Water Rat year of 1972. From 3 February 1973 the Water Ox year begins.

Famous people born in the Water Ox year

• Pharrell Williams, born 5 April 1973
• Tyra Banks, born 4 December 1973
• Kate Moss, born 16 January 1974

How the dates are worked out

Each Chinese New Year here is worked out from the sky, not copied from a list. A lunar month starts on the day of a New Moon in China Standard Time (UTC+8, or Beijing local time before 1929). The month holding the December solstice is the 11th month. When 13 New Moons fall between two of those months, the first month with no principal solar term (the Sun reaching a multiple of 30 degrees) is a leap month. New Year is the first day of the 1st month, which is why it moves between 21 January and 20 February. New Moons and solar terms follow Jean Meeus's Astronomical Algorithms. The rules follow the Chinese calendar.

1972: Water Rat · 1974: Wood Tiger · All Ox years · All 12 animals