Year of the Rooster: Chinese Zodiac Meaning and Years

The tenth sign of the Chinese zodiac is the brave and observant Rooster. According to Chinese astrology, people born in the Year of the Rooster are daring, attentive, loyal, and hardworking. And since there are 12 signs (all animals) in the Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Rooster comes around again every 12 years.

Scroll on to discover more about the Year of the Rooster Chinese zodiac meaning and years. We’ll look at the Rooster year calendar, more Rooster personality traits, and fun facts about Chinese astrology.

What is the Chinese zodiac?

The Chinese zodiac represents a repeating 12-year calendar cycle. It also changes to a new zodiac symbol every year, starting with the Chinese New Year celebration.

According to Chinese mythology, the Jade Emperor (though some say it was Buddha) created the zodiac by challenging animals to a race. The first 12 of them to finish the race would become the symbols for the zodiac. The Rooster came in 10th in this race, which is why the Year of the Rooster is the 10th year in the zodiac’s 12-year series.

The 12 signs or animals of the Chinese zodiac in order are the following:

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

It’s also important to note that the Chinese calendar is a lunar or lunisolar calendar. This calendar measures a month in lunations, the four weeks between one new moon and the next. So a new Chinese zodiac year doesn’t begin on January 1st as it does in the Gregorian calendar used by many people worldwide.

Chinese Zodiac Rooster Years

Every sign in the Chinese zodiac repeats every 12th lunar year. See the table below for recent Rooster years and their dates.

According to an article from the University of Washington, nobody knows for certain when the first year of the Chinese zodiac began. However, there are documents about the Chinese zodiac from the Han Dynasty between 206 B.C. and 9 A.D. Then Chinese astrology rose in popularity during the North Zhou Dynasty between 557-581 A.D.

If you’ve discovered that you or a loved one is a Rooster and want to know what that means, scroll ahead and find out! Do your personality traits match any of the ones we list below?

Year of the Rooster Meaning and Traits

What does it mean to be born in the Year of the Rooster? Based on the Chinese zodiac, it means you have unique qualities and traits symbolized by this fine-feathered animal. A Chinese zodiac sign also provides guidance about healthy relationships and attracting good luck and abundance.

Year of Rooster Personality Traits

For instance, people born in the Year of the Rooster are said to be reliable, confident, and outgoing. Additional personality traits for this sign include:

• Assertive
• Determined
• Truthful
• Trustworthy
• Social
• Smart
• Funny
• Kind
• Born Leaders
• Independent and independent thinkers

Our personalities also influence our relationship compatibility with other signs in the Chinese zodiac. Can you guess which zodiac animals are best suited for Roosters? Or which signs might make poor mates? Keep reading to find out!

Year of Rooster Relationships

In relationships, people born in the Year of the Rooster are team players. And the Chinese zodiac defines Roosters as loyal people passionately devoted to their family, friends, and mates. They are also generous with others and very helpful in times of need.

Year of the Rooster Compatibility

The best relationship matches for Roosters are people born in the sign of the Ox or Snake. Some Chinese astrology experts say male Roosters are also compatible with Tiger signs. At the same time, female roosters are also compatible with Dragon signs.

Year of the Rooster Enemy

Which Chinese horoscope signs don’t get along? According to Chinese astrology, it might be harder for Roosters and Rabbits to form a successful relationship. And Roosters might not pair well with Year of the Dog signs either.

Additionally, people born in the Year of the Rooster might not be compatible with the same zodiac sign. Due to their strong personalities and opinionated ways, these pairings might promote more arguments than affection.

How Rooster Signs Attract Good Luck

In Chinese astrology, Roosters can attract good luck with certain actions and having lucky things. For example, most Chinese zodiac signs can drive bad luck away by wearing jade jewelry and red clothing. However, the Chinese horoscope also claims red is an unlucky color for Roosters!

You could grow Chinese money plants in your home and display lucky crystals to attract financial abundance. There are many ways Chinese astrology recommends attracting good luck and fortune.

So let’s dive deeper into what makes this zodiac sign lucky or unlucky in any lunar year.

Year of the Rooster Good Luck Things

Here is a list of good luck charms and one lucky action for people born in the Year of the Rooster.

• Rooster Lucky Flowers: chrysanthemum, cockscomb, gardenia, and gladiola
• Rooster Lucky Gemstones: amethyst, citrine, rose quartz
• Rooster Lucky Numbers: 5, 7, 8, and any numbers containing these numerals, like 58 or 75
• Rooster Lucky Colors: Brown, Gold, Yellow
• Rooster Lucky Days: the 4th and 26th of any lunar month
• Rooster Lucky Months: the 2nd, 5th, and 11th of any lunar month
• Rooster Lucky Directions: Roosters can attract good luck by facing away from Tai Sui, which are deities in Chinese astrology represented by the stars placed opposite Jupiter. How Roosters face away from Tai Sui is by facing south or southeast. However, these directions could change based on the position of the night sky in each new lunar year.

Year of the Rooster Bad Luck Things

Heads-up, Roosters! The Chinese zodiac states that the unluckiest year for any zodiac sign is its own year. So that means that 2029 and every additional Year of the Rooster could be unlucky for Roosters unless they bring on the good luck charms.

For this reason, Roosters might want to wear plenty of lucky brown or gold clothing with jade jewelry. Plus, avoid the following unlucky Rooster things every year if you follow the Chinese zodiac guidelines.

Based on the Chinese horoscope, these are some unlucky things for this sign:

• Rooster Unlucky Numbers: 1, 3, and 9
• Rooster Unlucky Colors: red
• Rooster Unlucky Months: 3rd, 9th, and 12th months in the lunar calendar
• Rooster Unlucky Directions: east

You might also attract good luck to your life by connecting with your Rooster year element, as explained below.

Five Elements of the Chinese Zodiac

The Year of the Rooster also comes with its own primary element based on your birth year. For example, the primary element for Roosters born in 1981 is gold or metal. Roosters born in 1969, however, are earth Roosters.

Each element assigned to a specific year includes special traits that make you unique.

Here’s an example of some of the traits assigned to Roosters based on their birth year:

• Earth Rooster Traits (1909, 1969, upcoming 2029): Dynamic, curious, steadfast, insightful
• Gold or Metal Rooster Traits (1921, 1981): Faithful, realistic, prompt, steady
• Water Rooster Traits (1933, 1993): Dual personality of peaceful and charismatic, expressive, opinionated
• Wood Rooster Traits (1945, 2005): Easygoing, trustworthy, ambitious, energetic
• Fire Rooster Traits (1957, 2017): Intimate, independent, outspoken, courageous

Year of the Rooster Jobs and Careers

Chinese astrology predicts each sign’s best job and career fit based on their personality traits. So because Rooster people tend to be outspoken, confident, intelligent, creative, and born leaders, the following jobs might suit them well:

• Scientist
• Politician
• Lawyer
• Entrepreneur
• Professor
• Public Speaker
• Journalist
• Police Officer
• Firefighter
• Hairdresser
• Designer
• Gallerist
• Environmentalist
• Travel Agent
• Tour Guide
• Salesperson

Of course, a successful career also requires great health! Check out what Chinese astrology says helps Roosters stay healthy no matter the lunar year.

Year of the Rooster Health

According to the Chinese zodiac, people born in the Year of the Rooster are outspoken and hardworking born leaders. Unfortunately, these personality traits could result in lives full of stress and the health conditions that come with it. Therefore, Roosters might pay special attention to their stress levels and focus more on stress-relieving self-care.

Roosters should also be mindful of unintentional carelessness that could lead to poor health. For example, Roosters that are very focused on scaling up their business might need to be more careful about their eating habits. After all, excellent nutrition goes hand in hand with having the stamina for excellent business growth and other career success.

Because of high stress and a poor diet, people born in the Year of the Rooster might develop digestive issues. So Roosters could benefit from gut-healthy probiotic fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, and sauerkraut. Plus, prebiotics like onion and garlic help the body absorb probiotics better.

Always consult with your doctor or a nutritionist for advice on the best meals and nutrition plan for you in case you have allergies or sensitivities to certain foods.

Year of the Rooster people are influential and magnetic!

Based on the Chinese zodiac, being a Rooster means being a person with influence, a magnetic personality, and many other beneficial traits. So if you’re born in the Year of the Rooster, celebrate your magnetism! And if you love Chinese astrology, enjoy bringing some fun good luck charms and good health practices into your life every year. Plus, here’s to healthy relationships with everyone you adore.

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