Year of the Monkey: Chinese Zodiac Meaning and Years

The mischievous monkey is the 9th animal sign of the Chinese zodiac. And, according to Chinese mythology, monkey sign people are very clever and creative! As with all 12 zodiac animals of the lunar calendar, monkeys are assigned special characteristics, lucky charms, and life guidance. So what exactly does being born in the Year of the Monkey mean? Let’s discover the fun details about what the Chinese zodiac says being a monkey sign is all about.

Zodiac Animals and The Great Race

The origin story of the Chinese zodiac starts with an emperor devising a method for tracking time.

• In Chinese mythology, the idea for the zodiac started with the Jade Emperor, who called for an epic animal race.
• The Great Race would result in the first 12 animals to cross the finish line earning a position in the zodiac.
• Those 12 winning animals became the 12 zodiac signs of the Chinese lunar calendar in the order in which they finished the race.

For example, the monkey placed 9th in the story of The Great Race, which is why this animal represents the ninth year of the Chinese zodiac.

So if the Year of the Monkey is the 9th year, what are the other animal years of the Chinese zodiac? See below for the complete list of zodiac animals in order.

1. Year of the Rat
2. Year of the Ox
3. Year of the Tiger
4. Year of the Rabbit
5. Year of the Dragon
6. Year of the Snake
7. Year of the Horse
8. Year of the Goat
9. Year of the Monkey
10. Year of the Rooster
11. Year of the Dog
12. Year of the Pig

How does the Chinese lunar calendar work?

The Chinese lunar calendar bases its 12-month cycle on the period between each month’s new moon.

• Each zodiac month begins with the start of a new moon and ends when the next new moon appears.
• The length of each month depends on the changing timing of the moon phases. For this reason, not all months in the lunar calendar are equal in length.
• Because each new month in the lunar calendar starts on a different day, each new year in the lunar calendar begins on a different day of the month as well. This timing is very different than the Gregorian calendar that many cultures use, which begins each new year on January 1st.
• In the lunar calendar, the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac repeat every 12 years.

So which years are monkey sign years? Scroll down to find out!

The Year of the Monkey Years

The most recent Year of the Monkey years, plus a few in the future, are listed below. As you’ll notice from the dates, the monkey is the dominant sign in the Chinese zodiac every 12 years of the lunar calendar.

Were you born during any of these monkey years?

Monkey Sign Personality Traits

Based on Chinese zodiac astrology, every animal sign has unique personality traits. For example, if you’re born in the Year of the Monkey, you might be brainy and playful! Other monkey characteristics include a quick wit and a curious mind.

Here’s a list of some of the key personality traits that define the monkey sign. Do any of these traits belong to monkey sign people you know?

• Smart
• Quick-witted
• Clever
• Playful
• Creative
• Mischievous
• Sociable
• Outgoing
• Adaptable
• Persuasive
• Resourceful
• Curious
• Inventive
• Energetic
• Crafty
• Restless
• Well-rounded

People born in the Year of the Monkey might be some of the smartest quick-thinkers you’ve ever met. They can also be playful tricksters who are a lot of fun to have as friends. But do monkey signs make good mates? Keep reading to find out!

Monkey Sign Relationships

When it comes to relationships, Monkey signs can be exciting and entertaining partners or friends. However, the Chinese zodiac gives certain relationship pairings with monkeys the thumbs up, while others get a solid thumbs down. This way of thinking is because some signs are much better matched with monkey personality traits than others.

So let’s explore the compatibility (and incompatibility) of monkey signs with other zodiac signs.

Monkey Sign Relationship Compatibility

The Chinese zodiac rates the following signs as the best mates and partnerships for people born in the Year of the Monkey:

• The Monkey and Rat Relationship: The monkey and rat zodiac signs make compatible mates because they’re both intelligent, witty, and curious. Plus, these signs appreciate their shared dynamic personalities without blocking each other’s spotlight. So monkeys and rats can enjoy a relationship full of excitement and intellectual stimulation without feeling competitive.
• The Monkey and Dragon Relationship: When you pair a monkey sign with a dragon sign, you can form a vibrant and magnetic connection! These signs are both smart cookies and enthusiastic people. In addition, dragons love the monkey’s cleverness, while monkeys adore the dragon’s charisma. This pairing encourages a lively and adventurous partnership between two creative signs.
• The Monkey and Dog Relationship: Dog signs could be more cautious than monkey signs, but the monkey-dog relationship works well because of their mutually passionate personalities. Plus, monkey signs appreciate a dog sign’s loyalty through thick and thin. And both signs adapt well to how their relationship might change as it grows.

Monkey Sign Relationship Incompatibility

The following signs might make for challenging relationships with Monkey signs:

• The Monkey and Tiger Relationship: These strong-willed and stubborn signs might drive each other bonkers. While the tiger has a serious and organized way of moving through the world, the monkey needs lots of fun and entertainment for a satisfying life. The clash of these different personalities could cause many misunderstandings and lots of eye rolls from the tiger side of the fence.
• The Monkey and Ox Relationship: Ox signs are down-to-earth people, while monkey signs are spirited and might bounce quickly from one pursuit to the next. So the monkey and ox pairing can frustrate both partners who want to do things their own way. Plus, ox signs crave lots of peace and quiet, while monkey signs live to play.

How Monkey Signs Attract Good Luck

As with every sign, monkey signs are assigned specific colors, stones, numbers, and more that bring them luck. Check out our lists below of some of the lucky and unlucky things for monkey signs based on Chinese astrology.

Year of the Monkey Lucky Things

In Chinese zodiac astrology, these are some of the lucky things monkey signs use to attract good luck:

• Lucky Colors: Gold, blue, and white
• Lucky Stones: Turquoise, aquamarine,
• Lucky Flowers: Chrysanthemum and crape myrtle
• Lucky Numbers: 1, 7, 8, and numbers that include these numerals like 17 and 78
• Lucky Days: 14th, 28th of the Chinese lunar month
• Lucky Months: 8th, 12th of the Chinese lunar year
• Lucky Direction: North, West, Northwest

Year of the Monkey Unlucky Things

If a monkey sign wants to avoid attracting bad luck, they should consider avoiding these unlucky things:

• Unlucky Colors: Red, pink, and purple
• Unlucky Numbers: 2, 7
• Unlucky Months: 7th, 11th of the Chinese lunar year
• Unlucky Direction: South, East, Southeast

Despite the unlucky things assigned to the Year of the Monkey, any sign can boost their luck and good fortune. For example, wearing red clothes and jade jewelry are standard practices in Chinese culture to attract good luck, even in unlucky years of the zodiac.

Year of the Monkey Elements

Year of the Monkey Elements

Every time the Year of the Monkey comes up again, a new dominant element influences this sign’s personality traits. For example, earth was the dominant element during the Year of the Monkey in 1968.

Just as the 12 zodiac signs repeat every 12 years, the five elements also repeat as a sign’s prominent elemental energy every year.

Monkey Sign Element Traits

Here are some personality traits that may be stronger than others for monkey signs, depending on which of the five Chinese zodiac elements is dominant:

• Wood Monkey (2004, 1944): Compassionate, confident, and stubborn
• Fire Monkey (2016, 1956): Adventurous, moody, and energetic
• Earth Monkey (1968, 2028): Bold, positive, and blunt
• Gold Monkey (1980, 2040): Independent, witty, and stubborn
• Water Monkey (1992, 1932): Entertaining, detached, and crafty

Best Jobs and Careers for Monkey Signs

Leading with their unique personality traits could help people born in the Year of the Monkey find satisfying career paths. For example, the monkey’s fun and persuasive personality might be suitable for a career in sales or marketing.

Their strongest characteristics could also help playful monkey signs decide which non-satisfying jobs to avoid.

Best Jobs for Monkey Signs

Here’s a brief list of job ideas for monkey signs based on their dominant Chinese zodiac traits:

• Sales and marketing
• Writer or journalist
• Reporter
• Artist
• Dance, theater, and other performance arts
• Public relations
• Stockbroker
• Teaching and training
• Diplomat
• Entrepreneur
• Athlete or sports commentator

Worst Jobs for Monkey Signs

Whether a job is ideal depends on each individual, no matter their sign. But, based on their Chinese zodiac traits, monkey signs might not be as suited for the following career choices:

• Accounting
• Data entry
• Research fields
• Security guard
• Administrative roles
• Waste collector
• Computer programmer
• Healthcare management

Though monkey signs have great intelligence for any role they want to pursue, their ideal work environments likely have flexible hours, promote fun, and reward innovation.

Monkey Sign Health and Self-Care

All that energetic output can be depleting for Year of the Monkey people. So taking care of their physical and mental well-being is essential for people of this sign to stay vibrant.

Based on the needs of their personalities, the following self-care practices might help monkey signs find balance and stay healthy for years to come.

• Mental stimulation: Monkey signs can keep their minds strong and sharp by enjoying puzzles, games, quizzes, and maybe some quality time spent with a Rubik’s Cube.
• Regular exercise: The monkey’s boundless energy channels easily into fun physical activities and sports like flag football and volleyball.
• Practicing Mindfulness: Though it may be tough to focus for long during meditation or yoga, monkey sign people benefit from the soothing stress relief of these activities.
• Healthy Diet: A balanced and nutrient-rich diet could help balance a monkey sign’s hormonal highs and lows.
• Restorative Rest: The sociable monkey sign should prioritize great sleep habits to keep from burning out.

Year of the Monkey people are creative, clever, and fun!

When a monkey sign joins the party, it’s sure to be a great time for all. And people born during the monkey years of the Chinese zodiac have impressive wit and intelligence to go along with their outgoing personalities. So this zodiac sign has many exciting career options and plenty of opportunities to build amazing relationships. Long live the Year of the Monkey people!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © asharkyu/Shutterstock.com