Year of the Monkey 猴

The Monkey is the ninth animal of the Chinese zodiac: clever, curious and impossible to ignore. Its most famous representative is the Monkey King, the trickster hero who fought heaven itself. The next Monkey year comes right after the Goat, in 2028.

In this guide you'll find the exact dates of every Monkey year, what the Monkey means in Chinese culture, the personality traits tradition gives it, its lucky signs and best matches, famous people born in Monkey years, and the Mandarin you need to talk about it.

Key takeaways

• The next Year of the Monkey runs from 26 January 2028 to 12 February 2029 (an Earth Monkey year).
• Monkey years: 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040. Each starts on Chinese New Year.
• The Monkey stands for intelligence, wit, playfulness and, through a pun, promotion and success.
• Tradition describes Monkeys as witty, curious and inventive, but also restless.
• Best matches: Snake, Rat and Dragon. Classic clash: Tiger.

When is the next Year of the Monkey?

The most recent Monkey year ran from 8 February 2016 to 27 January 2017. The next one starts on 26 January 2028 and ends on 12 February 2029.

The zodiac year starts on Chinese New Year, which moves between 21 January and 20 February. Born in January or early February? Check the start date below. Jennifer Aniston, born on 11 February 1969, is a Monkey even though 1969 is a Rooster year: the 1968 Monkey year lasted until 16 February 1969.

Year of the Monkey dates

Each Monkey year also carries one of the Five Elements (五行 wǔxíng), which change every two years. The Monkey's own natural element is Metal, so a Metal Monkey year like 1980 or 2040 is considered the sharpest of all.

What does the Monkey mean in Chinese culture?

猴 hóu · monkey

In the Great Race, the Monkey shared a raft with the Goat and the Rooster. It cleared the weeds out of the way while the others pushed, and the team landed together. The Monkey came ninth, probably having had the most fun.

The most famous monkey in Chinese culture is 孙悟空 Sūn Wùkōng, the Monkey King of the 16th-century novel Journey to the West. Born from a stone, he learns magic, makes himself king of the monkeys, causes chaos in heaven and is trapped under a mountain by the Buddha for 500 years. He's freed to protect the monk Xuanzang on his pilgrimage to India, and fights demons all the way with his magic staff. Clever, rebellious, loyal in the end: he's the Monkey sign's patron hero. If you've watched Dragon Ball, Goku is his Japanese descendant.

The monkey is also lucky through a pun. 猴 hóu sounds exactly like 侯 hóu, a noble rank (marquis). Traditional paintings of a monkey riding a horse are read as 马上封侯 mǎshàng fēng hóu, "be made a lord right away", a wish for fast promotion that still decorates offices today.

Personality traits of people born in the Year of the Monkey

In Chinese tradition, your zodiac animal is said to shape your character. It's cultural heritage rather than science, but curiosity and quick imitation are exactly what good language learners need.

Strengths

Witty. Monkeys are funny, quick and great company.

Curious. They want to understand how things work and try everything once.

Inventive. Monkeys find creative solutions nobody else thought of.

Sociable. They make friends easily and keep conversations lively.

Quick learners. New skills come fast to a Monkey.

Challenges

Restless. Monkeys struggle with routine and long, slow tasks.

Mischievous. Their teasing can go one joke too far.

Impatient. Chinese even has a word for it: 猴急 hóují, "as impatient as a monkey".

Overconfident. Being clever can make a Monkey skip the preparation.

Cuts corners. When something gets boring, a Monkey may look for a shortcut.

Monkey quick facts

申 shēn is worth knowing beyond the zodiac: it's in 申请 shēnqǐng (to apply), and it's the short name for Shanghai.

Lucky signs for the Monkey

These are folk beliefs, not science, and sources don't always agree. We use the list published by China Highlights for all twelve animals, so the guides stay consistent.

Monkeys are a rare case where 4, usually avoided because it sounds like 死 sǐ (death), counts as lucky.

Monkey compatibility

Traditional compatibility comes from each animal's position on the zodiac wheel: trios four years apart (三合 sānhé) and pairs of "secret friends" (六合 liùhé) get along; opposites six years apart clash (六冲 liùchōng), and six pairs "harm" each other (六害 liùhài).

Zodiac compatibility is tradition, not a rule. Treat it as a conversation starter, not relationship advice.

Famous people born in the Year of the Monkey

Useful Chinese vocabulary for the Year of the Monkey

Example sentences

1. 我弟弟属猴，特别调皮。 Wǒ dìdi shǔ hóu, tèbié tiáopí. My little brother is a Monkey, and he's really mischievous.
2. 你小时候看过孙悟空的动画片吗？ Nǐ xiǎoshíhou kànguo Sūn Wùkōng de dònghuàpiàn ma? Did you watch Monkey King cartoons as a kid?
3. 等他还钱？那要等到猴年马月了。 Děng tā huán qián? Nà yào děngdào hóu nián mǎ yuè le. Wait for him to pay back the money? That'll be never.

Taiwan note: Taiwan has its own wild monkey, the Formosan rock macaque (臺灣獼猴 Táiwān míhóu). Visit Shoushan in Kaohsiung and you'll meet troops of them. Keep a firm grip on your snacks.

Frequently asked questions

Which years are Monkey years? 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 and 2040. Each one starts on Chinese New Year.

When is the next Year of the Monkey? From 26 January 2028 to 12 February 2029, right after the Year of the Goat.

I was born on 1 February 2016. Am I a Monkey? No, you're a Goat. The Monkey year started on 8 February 2016.

What element is my Monkey year? Water (1932, 1992), Wood (1944, 2004), Fire (1956, 2016), Earth (1968, 2028) or Metal (1980, 2040).

What are the Monkey's lucky numbers? 4 and 9. 2 and 7 are seen as unlucky.

What are the Monkey's lucky colours? White, blue and gold. Red and pink are best avoided.

Who is the Monkey most compatible with? The Snake (secret friends), the Rat and the Dragon (the same trio).

Which sign clashes with the Monkey? The Tiger, its opposite on the zodiac wheel.

How do you say "I'm a Monkey" in Chinese? 我属猴 wǒ shǔ hóu.

Who is the Monkey King? Sun Wukong (孙悟空), the hero of Journey to the West: a magical monkey who rebels against heaven, then protects a monk on his journey to India.