Year of the Pig: Years, Traits and What the Pig Year Brings

Maybe you were born in a Pig year, or someone you love was, and you want to know what it really means. Let's look at the Pig on its own terms, the way Chinese tradition understands it. If you're new to the system, our guide to Chinese astrology explains how the animals, elements and calendar fit together.

Who Is the Pig in Chinese Astrology?

The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac are called the Shēngxiào (生肖). Each one is paired with one of the twelve Earthly Branches, or Dìzhī (地支), an old system for counting years, months, directions and the hours of the day. The Pig belongs to the twelfth branch, Hài (亥), which also marks the double hour from 9 to 11 at night, the quiet end of the day when the house settles down.

That sense of home runs deep. The character for home, 家 (jiā), is written with a roof (宀) over a pig (豕). One common explanation is that for a farming household, a well kept pig meant food on the table and something to share, so the Pig came to stand for comfort and plenty.

According to legend, the order of the animals was set by a Great Race called by the Jade Emperor, Yùhuáng Dàdì (玉皇大帝). Versions differ, but in many of them the Pig arrives last because it stopped to eat and rest along the way. People tell it with affection: the Pig took its time and still finished.

The real history is older and more practical. The stems and branches system is attested on Shang dynasty oracle bones. Animals tied to the branches appear in Qin dynasty bamboo texts excavated at Shuìhǔdì (睡虎地) from the 3rd century BCE, and fuller standard lists appear by the Eastern Han, in Wang Chong's Lùnhéng (论衡) in the 1st century CE.

Pig Years From 1924 to 2031

The Pig year begins at Chūnjié (春节), the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, not on January 1. That date moves each year, landing between January 21 and February 20.

Born in January or early February? Check your exact birth date against the table. If you were born on January 20, 1984, for example, the 1983 Pig year was still running, so you're a Water Pig, not a Rat. One more detail: practitioners of Bāzì (八字), the Four Pillars of Destiny, use Lìchūn (立春), the Start of Spring around February 4, as the year boundary instead of Lunar New Year. For birthdays in between, a full Bāzì chart settles it.

Pig Personality: Traditional Traits

These are traditional associations, not a fixed fate. Think of them as tendencies that your own choices and full chart will shape.

Strengths

Pigs are known for generosity, sincerity and an easy kindness. They give people the benefit of the doubt, and they enjoy good food, good company and a comfortable home, especially when they can share them. People trust the Pig's honesty quickly.

Challenges

That trust can be stretched. A Pig may give too much, lend too easily or stay loyal to someone who hasn't earned it. Disliking conflict, she can let small problems grow. Learning to say no kindly is often the Pig's real work.

In Love

In love, the Pig is affectionate and devoted. She shows care through small comforts: a meal, a thoughtful gift, a home that feels good to come back to. She wants an honest, steady partner, and what hurts most is having her openness taken for granted.

At Work

At work, Pigs are dependable and patient. They do well where care and hospitality matter, and they often become the person everyone goes to. They may need to speak up for their own ideas, since they'd rather keep the peace.

As a Friend

As a friend, the Pig shows up when you're moving and always has room at the table. She doesn't keep score, and her friends tend to stay for decades.

A short note for men: a Pig man's warmth reads as social intelligence. People relax around him, and that trust makes him a natural at solving practical problems between others.

The Pig's Fixed Element and Yin Nature

Chinese astrology rests on the Wǔxíng (五行), the five elements or five phases: Wood (木), Fire (火), Earth (土), Metal (金) and Water (水). Every animal has a fixed, or native, element that never changes. The Pig's fixed element is Water, which gives it depth, feeling, intuition and an easy flow with people.

Each year also has its own year element, and that one changes. It comes from the Heavenly Stems, the Tiāngān (天干). There are ten stems and twelve branches, and pairing them in order creates a 60 year cycle known together as Tiāngān Dìzhī (天干地支). The stem sets the year element. So a 1971 Pig and a 2031 Pig share the same stem and branch, 辛亥, and are both Metal Pigs, sixty years apart.

Then there's yin and yang (阴阳). The stems alternate yang and yin, and so do the branches. The Pig's branch, Hài, is yin, and it only ever pairs with yin stems. That's why every Pig year is a yin year. Yin doesn't mean weak. It describes receptive, steady energy that builds and holds. Our guide to the Chinese zodiac elements goes deeper.

The Five Element Pigs

The elements relate in two cycles. In the generating cycle, xiāngshēng (相生), Wood feeds Fire, Fire makes Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal carries Water and Water nourishes Wood. In the controlling cycle, xiāngkè (相克), each element checks another. Here's how each year element meets the Pig's Water.

Wood Pig (1935, 1995)

Water nourishes Wood, so the Wood Pig's natural warmth flows outward into growth. She tends to be hopeful, sociable and quick to help others find their footing. Her lesson is to keep some of that care for herself.

Fire Pig (1947, 2007)

Here Water and Fire meet in the controlling cycle, where Water checks Fire. The Fire Pig carries more drive and passion than other Pigs, balanced by the Pig's calm. She's brave and enthusiastic, and she does best when she pauses before acting on strong feelings.

Earth Pig (1959, 2019)

Earth controls Water, giving it banks to run between. The Earth Pig is practical, patient and steady, with a strong pull toward home and security. She's the Pig most likely to build something lasting slowly.

Metal Pig (1971, 2031)

Metal carries Water, so this pairing supports the Pig's nature. The Metal Pig is more determined and principled, warm but with a firm backbone. She knows her values and keeps her word.

Water Pig (1983)

Here the year element and the fixed element are the same, so the Pig's Water nature is doubled. The Water Pig is deeply intuitive, empathetic and diplomatic. She reads a room well. Her care point is protecting her own energy when others lean on her.

What a Pig Year Feels Like for Everyone

When the Pig rules the year, the energy turns toward home, generosity and enjoyment. As the last of the twelve, the Pig year is often seen as a time to finish what the cycle started and make room for the next round, which begins with the Rat.

Many people find Pig years good for gatherings, saving and sharing, and mending relationships that matter. The softer pace can also invite overdoing it. A grounded Pig year is one where you enjoy what you have and still keep your boundaries.

In Chinese tradition, the Pig shares a natural harmony with the Rabbit and the Goat. Together they form one of the four trines, sānhé (三合). The Pig also has a close bond, called liùhé (六合), with the Tiger, while its opposite branch, a clash called chōng (冲), is the Snake, a pairing that tends to ask for more patience. Compatibility guides are coming soon. Meanwhile, see all twelve animals in our Chinese zodiac signs guide.

An animal sign is only one layer. Your birth hour, month and day, and what's happening in your life, matter too. A reading can look at your own chart and your own situation, rather than a general description. Our readers work privately, one on one, by phone, and we've been a completely independent psychic service since 1991.

Your Own Pig Year: Běnmìngnián

When your own animal returns, every twelve years, that year is your Běnmìngnián (本命年). For a Pig, 2019 was one and 2031 is the next.

Traditionally, it's seen as a year to move carefully, because you are said to offend Tài Suì (太岁), the deity associated with the year, when the year's animal is your own. So many people wear red during their own animal year. It's often red underwear, red socks or a red string, usually given by a parent, grandparent or partner. It's a custom many families keep, and receiving the red is part of being cared for.

We'd put it this way: your own animal year is a season to be thoughtful and grounded. Check in with yourself, look after your relationships, think before big leaps and build steadily. It isn't something to fear. For a Pig, it can be a year to practice the boundaries that let your generosity last.

When Is the Next Year of the Pig?

The most recent Pig year was the Earth Pig, 己亥 (jǐhài), from February 5, 2019 to January 24, 2020. The next is the Metal Pig, 辛亥 (xīnhài), which begins January 23, 2031 and runs to February 10, 2032. Metal carries the Pig's Water, a supportive pairing.

Right now we're in the Fire Horse year, which runs to February 5, 2027, and the Fire Goat year begins February 6, 2027. For what that year holds for the Pig and every other animal, read our Chinese New Year 2027 forecast. You'll find more seasonal and timing content in our astrology articles. If you also follow Western astrology, our Chinese zodiac and Western astrology guide explains how the two systems can sit side by side, each on its own terms.

Year of the Pig FAQ

What years are the Year of the Pig?
Pig years from 1924 to 2031 are 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2031. Each starts at Lunar New Year, not January 1, so the exact dates move. If your birthday falls in January or early February, check the table above to be sure which animal you are.

Is the Pig a lucky sign in Chinese astrology?
In Chinese tradition the Pig is linked with abundance, comfort and generosity, which is why many people see it as a fortunate sign. The character for home, 家, even shows a pig under a roof. Still, no sign is lucky or unlucky by itself. Your full chart and your own choices shape your path.

What element is a Pig born in 1983?
A Pig born between February 13, 1983 and February 1, 1984 is a Water Pig, 癸亥. Since the Pig's fixed element is also Water, the Water Pig's nature is doubled. Tradition describes this Pig as especially intuitive, empathetic and diplomatic, with a need to protect her own energy.

Why do people wear red in their own animal year?
Your own animal year is called Běnmìngnián. By tradition, you are said to offend Tài Suì that year, so many people wear red, often red underwear, socks or a red string, usually given by someone who loves them. It's a protective custom of care, and a reminder to move through the year thoughtfully.

When is the next Year of the Pig?
The next Pig year is the Metal Pig, 辛亥, from January 23, 2031 to February 10, 2032. The most recent was the Earth Pig of 2019. For the year ahead right now, the 2027 Fire Goat year, see our Chinese New Year 2027 forecast for every animal.

Which animals get along best with the Pig?
Traditionally, the Pig forms a harmonious trine with the Rabbit and the Goat, and shares a close bond with the Tiger. Its opposite branch is the Snake, which tends to need more patience and understanding. These are tendencies only. Real relationships depend on two whole people, not two animals.