The Pig is the twelfth and last animal of the Chinese zodiac. It came last in the Great Race after stopping for a meal and a nap, and still made it in. In Chinese culture, that relaxed attitude goes with generosity, comfort and wealth.
In this guide you'll find the exact dates of every Pig year, what the Pig means in Chinese culture, the personality traits tradition gives it, its lucky signs and best matches, famous people born in Pig years, and the Mandarin you need to talk about it.
Key takeaways
- The next Year of the Pig runs from 23 January 2031 to 10 February 2032 (a Metal Pig year).
- Pig years: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043. Each starts on Chinese New Year.
- The Pig stands for wealth, abundance, generosity and good fortune.
- Tradition describes Pigs as generous, sincere and easygoing, but also a little naive.
- Best matches: Tiger, Rabbit and Goat. Classic clash: Snake.
When is the next Year of the Pig?
The most recent Pig year ran from 5 February 2019 to 24 January 2020. The next one starts on 23 January 2031 and ends on 10 February 2032.
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. Someone born on 20 January 2020 is still a Pig: the Rat year only began on 25 January 2020. But a baby born on 1 February 2019 is a Dog, because the Pig year started on 5 February.
Year of the Pig dates
Year | Starts | Ends | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
1935 | 4 Feb 1935 | 23 Jan 1936 | Wood Pig |
1947 | 22 Jan 1947 | 9 Feb 1948 | Fire Pig |
1959 | 8 Feb 1959 | 27 Jan 1960 | Earth Pig |
1971 | 27 Jan 1971 | 14 Feb 1972 | Metal Pig |
1983 | 13 Feb 1983 | 1 Feb 1984 | Water Pig |
1995 | 31 Jan 1995 | 18 Feb 1996 | Wood Pig |
2007 | 18 Feb 2007 | 6 Feb 2008 | Fire Pig |
2019 | 5 Feb 2019 | 24 Jan 2020 | Earth Pig |
2031 | 23 Jan 2031 | 10 Feb 2032 | Metal Pig |
2043 | 10 Feb 2043 | 29 Jan 2044 | Water Pig |
Each Pig year also carries one of the Five Elements (五行 wǔxíng), which change every two years. The Pig's own natural element is Water, so a Water Pig year like 1983 or 2043 is considered the most typical Pig.
What does the Pig mean in Chinese culture?
猪 zhū · pig (traditional: 豬)
In the Great Race, the Pig got hungry halfway, stopped for a big meal, then took a nap. It woke up, finished the race and arrived last, but it arrived. The Jade Emperor gave it twelfth place, completing the cycle.
In a farming society, a pig was a family's savings account. It ate scraps, grew fat and fed everyone at festival time. That's why the pig is linked to wealth, abundance and comfort, and why piggy banks and golden pig figures are popular gifts at New Year.
The pig is even written into the word for home. 家 jiā, "home" or "family", is a roof 宀 over 豕 shǐ, an old character for pig. A house with a pig inside was a home with enough to eat. The same 豕 is the part that makes the traditional form 豬.
The most famous pig in Chinese literature is 猪八戒 Zhū Bājiè, "Pigsy", one of the Monkey King's companions in Journey to the West. Greedy, lazy and always chasing pretty women, he's also funny, kind-hearted and loyal in the end. Chinese audiences love him.
Personality traits of people born in the Year of the Pig
In Chinese tradition, your zodiac animal is said to shape your character. It's cultural heritage rather than science, and a flattering portrait for the animal that came last.
Strengths
Generous. Pigs share what they have and love treating friends.
Sincere. What you see is what you get with a Pig.
Easygoing. Pigs are relaxed, tolerant and hard to offend.
Warm-hearted. They're the friend who shows up with food when you're sick.
Optimistic. Pigs believe things will work out, and often they do.
Challenges
Naive. Their trust in people can be taken advantage of.
Indulgent. Good food, comfort and treats are hard for a Pig to resist.
Can't say no. Pigs agree to too much because they hate disappointing anyone.
Lazy when comfortable. Once life is pleasant, the motivation to push can fade.
Easily hurt. Behind the cheerful attitude, Pigs take betrayal hard.
Pig quick facts
Position | 12th of 12 |
Earthly branch | 亥 hài |
Hours of the Pig | 9 pm to 11 pm |
Fixed element | Water |
Yin or yang | Yin |
Zodiac trio (三合 sānhé) | Pig, Rabbit, Goat |
Lucky signs for the Pig
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.
Lucky | Unlucky | |
|---|---|---|
Numbers | 2, 5, 8 (and numbers containing them, like 25 and 58) | 1, 7 (and numbers containing them, like 17 and 71) |
Colours | Yellow, grey, brown, gold | Red, blue, green |
Flowers | Hydrangea, daisy | |
Directions | East, southwest | Southeast |
Pig 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).
Sign | Why | |
|---|---|---|
Best match | Tiger 虎 | Secret friends (六合). The Tiger protects the trusting Pig, and the Pig calms the Tiger down. |
Best match | Rabbit 兔 | Same trio (三合). Two gentle signs who value comfort and peace. |
Best match | Goat 羊 | Same trio (三合). Kind, creative and generous with each other. |
Challenging | Snake 蛇 | Direct clash (六冲). The open Pig and the secretive Snake struggle to trust each other. |
Challenging | Monkey 猴 | Harm pair (六害). The clever Monkey's tricks can leave the honest Pig feeling used. |
Zodiac compatibility is tradition, not a rule. Treat it as dinner-table conversation, not relationship advice.
Famous people born in the Year of the Pig
Name | Known for | Born |
|---|---|---|
Elton John | Musician | 1947 |
Arnold Schwarzenegger | Actor | 1947 |
Ewan McGregor | Actor | 1971 |
Mark Wahlberg | Actor | 1971 |
Chris Hemsworth | Actor | 1983 |
Amy Winehouse | Singer | 1983 |
Useful Chinese vocabulary for the Year of the Pig
Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
猪 (豬) | zhū | pig |
猪年 (豬年) | zhūnián | Year of the Pig |
属猪 (屬豬) | shǔ zhū | to be born in a Pig year |
猪肉 (豬肉) | zhūròu | pork |
小猪 (小豬) | xiǎozhū | piglet |
家 | jiā | home, family (a pig under a roof) |
猪八戒 (豬八戒) | Zhū Bājiè | Pigsy, from Journey to the West |
猪头 (豬頭) | zhūtóu | "pig head": dummy (affectionate teasing) |
猪队友 (豬隊友) | zhū duìyǒu | "pig teammate": a teammate who makes things worse (slang) |
死猪不怕开水烫 (死豬不怕開水燙) | sǐ zhū bú pà kāishuǐ tàng | a dead pig isn't afraid of boiling water: someone with nothing left to lose |
Example sentences
- 我属猪，最喜欢吃东西了。 Wǒ shǔ zhū, zuì xǐhuan chī dōngxi le. I'm a Pig, eating is my favourite thing.
- 你这个猪头，又忘带钥匙了！ Nǐ zhège zhūtóu, yòu wàng dài yàoshi le! You dummy, you forgot your keys again!
- 我们输了，都是因为那个猪队友。 Wǒmen shū le, dōu shì yīnwèi nàge zhū duìyǒu. We lost, all because of that useless teammate.
猪头 is a word you'll hear between friends and couples. It's teasing, not an insult, unless the tone says otherwise.
Taiwan note: 豬腳麵線 zhūjiǎo miànxiàn, pork knuckle with thin wheat noodles, is a Taiwanese tradition for birthdays and for shaking off bad luck after a rough patch. The long noodles stand for a long life.
Frequently asked questions
Which years are Pig years? 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 and 2043. Each one starts on Chinese New Year.
When is the next Year of the Pig? From 23 January 2031 to 10 February 2032.
I was born on 1 February 2019. Am I a Pig? No, you're a Dog. The Pig year started on 5 February 2019.
What element is my Pig year? Wood (1935, 1995), Fire (1947, 2007), Earth (1959, 2019), Metal (1971, 2031) or Water (1983, 2043).
What are the Pig's lucky numbers? 2, 5 and 8, and numbers containing them. 1 and 7 are seen as unlucky.
What are the Pig's lucky colours? Yellow, grey, brown and gold. Red, blue and green are best avoided.
Who is the Pig most compatible with? The Tiger (secret friends), the Rabbit and the Goat (the same trio).
Which sign clashes with the Pig? The Snake, its opposite on the zodiac wheel.
How do you say "I'm a Pig" in Chinese? 我属猪 wǒ shǔ zhū. No one will find it rude: it's just your sign.
Why is the Pig last in the Chinese zodiac? In the legend of the Great Race, the Pig stopped to eat and nap on the way, and arrived after all the other animals.