1985 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Wood Ox

1985 is the year of the Wood Ox (乙丑 Yǐchǒu), from 20 February 1985 to 8 February 1986. Anyone born in 1985 before 20 February 1985 belongs to the Wood Rat year.

• Animal: Ox
• Element: Wood (Yin)
• Cycle name: 乙丑 Yǐchǒu, year 2 of the 60-year cycle
• Starts: 20 February 1985
• Ends: 8 February 1986

The Wood Ox

Wood years are traditionally linked with growth, generosity and cooperation: the element of things that grow towards the light and make room for others. 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 1985?

Anyone born from 1 January to 19 February 1985 belongs to the Wood Rat year of 1984. From 20 February 1985 the Wood Ox year begins.

Famous people born in the Wood Ox year

• Keira Knightley, born 26 March 1985
• Gal Gadot, born 30 April 1985
• Lana Del Rey, born 21 June 1985
• Bruno Mars, born 8 October 1985

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.

1984: Wood Rat · 1986: Fire Tiger · All Ox years · All 12 animals