2003 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Water Goat

2003 is the year of the Water Goat (癸未 Guǐwèi), from 1 February 2003 to 21 January 2004. Anyone born in 2003 before 1 February 2003 belongs to the Water Horse year.

• Animal: Goat
• Element: Water (Yin)
• Cycle name: 癸未 Guǐwèi, year 20 of the 60-year cycle
• Starts: 1 February 2003
• Ends: 21 January 2004

The Water Goat

Water years are traditionally linked with adaptability, perception and communication: the element that finds a way around any obstacle. The Goat, also called the Sheep or Ram, is the artist of the zodiac. Tradition describes Goat people as gentle, creative and compassionate, calm company with a strong feel for beauty. They do their best work in a peaceful setting with people they trust.

Born in January or February 2003?

Anyone born from 1 January to 31 January 2003 belongs to the Water Horse year of 2002. From 1 February 2003 the Water Goat year begins.

Famous people born in the Water Goat year

• Olivia Rodrigo, born 20 February 2003

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.

2002: Water Horse · 2004: Wood Monkey · All Goat years · All 12 animals