Year of the Monkey
Clever, playful, inventive. Years, personality, love, work and compatibility of the Monkey.
The Monkey is the ninth sign and the zodiac's trickster. In Chinese culture the monkey stands for intelligence, curiosity and humour, and it is the hero of many classic stories.
Quick answer. You are a Monkey if you were born in 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040 or any other year in the cycle (every 12 years), from that year’s Chinese New Year to the day before the next one. The latest Monkey year began on 26 January 2028 and ended on 12 February 2029.
| Order in the zodiac | 9 of 12 |
| Earthly branch | Shen |
| Own element and polarity | Metal, yang |
| Recent years | 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040 |
| Harmonious with | Rat, Dragon, Snake |
| Challenging with | Tiger, Pig |
| Lucky numbers (traditional) | 1, 7, 8 |
| Lucky colours (traditional) | white, blue, gold |
Find your Chinese zodiac sign
Monkey years: are you a Monkey?
You are a Monkey if you were born in a Monkey year, from its Chinese New Year to the day before the next. Recent Monkey years are 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040. The table lists every Monkey year from 1900 to 2100 with its exact dates. A January or early February birthday often belongs to the previous animal: Chinese New Year in 2028 was on 26 January 2028, for instance, so anyone born earlier that January was a Goat.
| Year | Sign | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | Earth Monkey | 2 February 1908 | 21 January 1909 |
| 1920 | Metal Monkey | 20 February 1920 | 7 February 1921 |
| 1932 | Water Monkey | 6 February 1932 | 25 January 1933 |
| 1944 | Wood Monkey | 25 January 1944 | 12 February 1945 |
| 1956 | Fire Monkey | 12 February 1956 | 30 January 1957 |
| 1968 | Earth Monkey | 30 January 1968 | 16 February 1969 |
| 1980 | Metal Monkey | 16 February 1980 | 4 February 1981 |
| 1992 | Water Monkey | 4 February 1992 | 22 January 1993 |
| 2004 | Wood Monkey | 22 January 2004 | 8 February 2005 |
| 2016 | Fire Monkey | 8 February 2016 | 27 January 2017 |
| 2028 | Earth Monkey | 26 January 2028 | 12 February 2029 |
| 2040 | Metal Monkey | 12 February 2040 | 31 January 2041 |
| 2052 | Water Monkey | 1 February 2052 | 18 February 2053 |
| 2064 | Wood Monkey | 17 February 2064 | 4 February 2065 |
| 2076 | Fire Monkey | 5 February 2076 | 23 January 2077 |
| 2088 | Earth Monkey | 24 January 2088 | 9 February 2089 |
| 2100 | Metal Monkey | 9 February 2100 | 28 January 2101 |
Check a birth year
Monkey age chart for 2027
How old are people born in Monkey years in 2027? The age depends on the birthday, so each row gives two ages: the lower one if the birthday in 2027 has not yet come, and the higher one after it.
| Year | Sign | Chinese year | Age in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Wood Monkey | 25 January 1944 – 12 February 1945 | 82 or 83 |
| 1956 | Fire Monkey | 12 February 1956 – 30 January 1957 | 70 or 71 |
| 1968 | Earth Monkey | 30 January 1968 – 16 February 1969 | 58 or 59 |
| 1980 | Metal Monkey | 16 February 1980 – 4 February 1981 | 46 or 47 |
| 1992 | Water Monkey | 4 February 1992 – 22 January 1993 | 34 or 35 |
| 2004 | Wood Monkey | 22 January 2004 – 8 February 2005 | 22 or 23 |
| 2016 | Fire Monkey | 8 February 2016 – 27 January 2017 | 10 or 11 |
The legend of the Monkey
In the Great Race, the Monkey used its wits to speed across the river on a raft with the Goat and the Rooster, arriving ninth after much playful teasing along the way. The tale shows its cleverness and its love of company.
Monkey personality
Monkeys are traditionally described as curious, inventive and funny. They learn fast, enjoy puzzles and love to experiment. They are sociable and mischievous, and are also described as restless and prone to cutting corners.
Strengths
- Quick, inventive thinking
- Humour and playfulness
- Curiosity and a love of learning
- Sociability
- Resourcefulness
Weaknesses
- Restlessness
- Impulsiveness
- A tendency to cut corners
- Pride in being the cleverest
Monkey at home and in the family
At home the Monkey is described as the playful, inventive one who keeps the household entertained. Monkey parents are thought to be fun and encouraging, and to be good at teaching through games.
Monkey as a friend
As a friend the Monkey is witty, curious and lively company. Tradition says Monkeys have many acquaintances, love a joke and can tease too far or lose touch when something new appears.
Monkey in love and relationships
In love, the Monkey is described as playful, witty and attentive. It wants fun, stimulation and a partner it can talk to. The usual friction is boredom, since a Monkey needs variety. Tradition suggests partners who are curious and who can match its humour.
Monkey career and work style
Traditional descriptions place the Monkey in careers that reward cleverness and variety: technology, trade, science, teaching, marketing, entertainment and entrepreneurship. Monkeys are said to be good at spotting a profitable idea.
In a team the Monkey is described as the inventor who finds clever solutions and learns quickly. It works best with variety and can cut corners or lose focus on routine work.
Monkey and money
Monkeys are traditionally seen as quick to spot an opportunity and good at making money, with a risk of overconfidence. A long-term plan is the usual suggestion.
Monkey under stress
Under stress a Monkey is said to become restless, scattered or sarcastic, or to try to joke its way out. Focus, rest and honest conversation are the traditional remedies.
Advice for the Monkey
The traditional advice for a Monkey is to finish things, to be sincere and to remember that being clever is not enough.
Monkey compatibility
In the traditional system the Monkey is harmonious with Rat, Dragon (its trine) and with Snake, its secret friend. Its opposite sign, which tradition calls a clash, is the Tiger, and the Pig forms a harm pair with it. Every other pairing has no special relationship. These are conversation starters and not predictions.
| Sign | With the Monkey | What tradition says |
|---|---|---|
| 🐀 Rat | Trine: the same group of three | Natural allies in the same trine. The Monkey’s clever goes well with the Rat’s quick-witted, and the two tend to share an outlook. |
| 🐂 Ox | No special relationship | No classical link. The Monkey’s clever and the Ox’s diligent meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐅 Tiger | Clash: opposite sign | Opposite signs. The Monkey’s clever meets the Tiger’s brave, which attracts and irritates in equal measure. |
| 🐇 Rabbit | No special relationship | No classical link. The Monkey’s clever and the Rabbit’s gentle meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐉 Dragon | Trine: the same group of three | Natural allies in the same trine. The Monkey’s clever goes well with the Dragon’s ambitious, and the two tend to share an outlook. |
| 🐍 Snake | Secret friend | Secret friends. The Monkey’s clever is balanced by the Snake’s wise, a bond described as close and complementary. |
| 🐎 Horse | No special relationship | No classical link. The Monkey’s clever and the Horse’s energetic meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐐 Goat | No special relationship | No classical link. The Monkey’s clever and the Goat’s gentle meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐒 Monkey | Same sign | Two Monkeys share the same strengths and the same blind spots, so they understand each other quickly and can also repeat each other’s habits. |
| 🐓 Rooster | No special relationship | No classical link. The Monkey’s clever and the Rooster’s observant meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐕 Dog | No special relationship | No classical link. The Monkey’s clever and the Dog’s loyal meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐖 Pig | Harm pair | A harm pair. The Monkey’s clever and the Pig’s generous can misread each other, so honesty and patience matter. |
Compare two Chinese zodiac signs
The five kinds of Monkey
The element of the year adds a second layer to the animal. Wood is described as growth and creativity, Fire as passion and leadership, Earth as stability, Metal as discipline and Water as adaptability. Here are the Monkey years of each element, with how tradition describes each kind. Read more in our guide to the Chinese zodiac elements.
| Sign | Years (1900–2100) | Described as |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Monkey | 1944, 2004, 2064 | The Wood Monkey is described as the most cooperative and generous Monkey, creative and sociable, with a talent for teaching. |
| Fire Monkey | 1956, 2016, 2076 | The Fire Monkey is described as the boldest Monkey, energetic, competitive and quick to act, with a tendency to overreach. |
| Earth Monkey | 1908, 1968, 2028, 2088 | The Earth Monkey is described as steadier and more reliable, a Monkey who thinks things through before playing. |
| Metal Monkey | 1920, 1980, 2040, 2100 | The Metal Monkey is described as determined and ambitious, a sharp-minded Monkey with strong independence. |
| Water Monkey | 1932, 1992, 2052 | The Water Monkey is described as adaptable and perceptive, diplomatic and quick to read people. |
Famous people born in Monkey years
Based on publicly reported dates of birth, and using the exact Chinese New Year of each birth year, these well-known people belong to the Monkey: Will Smith (25 September 1968); Kim Kardashian (21 October 1980); Tom Hanks (9 July 1956); Selena Gomez (22 July 1992). Whether the sign says anything about them is a matter of interpretation.
The Monkey in 2027, the Year of the Fire Goat
The Monkey has no special classical relationship with the Goat. Tradition describes a neutral year for the Monkey, one that depends more on your own choices than on the pairing of the signs. This is folklore, not a forecast. See the Chinese New Year 2027 page for every sign.
Lucky numbers and colours
One commonly quoted list gives the lucky numbers 1, 7, 8 and the lucky colours white, blue, gold for the Monkey. Such lists differ between sources and belong to popular folklore, not to any fixed rule.
The neighbouring signs
The Goat comes before the Monkey and the Rooster comes after it. See all twelve in our guide to the Chinese zodiac.
Frequently asked questions
What years are the Monkey years?
Recent Monkey years are 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040. Each one runs from that year’s Chinese New Year to the day before the next. For example, the 2028 Monkey year runs from 26 January 2028 to 12 February 2029. See the years chart for every date.
Am I a Monkey if I was born in January or February?
Only if your birthday is on or after that year’s Chinese New Year. For example, Chinese New Year in 2028 was on 26 January 2028, so a person born on 10 January 2028 belongs to the previous animal, the Goat, and not to the Monkey.
What is the personality of the Monkey?
Clever, playful, inventive. Monkeys are traditionally described as curious, inventive and funny. They learn fast, enjoy puzzles and love to experiment. They are sociable and mischievous, and are also described as restless and prone to cutting corners.
What are the Monkey’s strengths?
Quick, inventive thinking; Humour and playfulness; Curiosity and a love of learning; Sociability; Resourcefulness.
What are the Monkey’s weaknesses?
Restlessness; Impulsiveness; A tendency to cut corners; Pride in being the cleverest. Every sign has both strengths and weaknesses in this tradition.
What are the best careers for the Monkey?
Traditional descriptions place the Monkey in careers that reward cleverness and variety: technology, trade, science, teaching, marketing, entertainment and entrepreneurship. Monkeys are said to be good at spotting a profitable idea.
How does the Monkey behave in love?
In love, the Monkey is described as playful, witty and attentive. It wants fun, stimulation and a partner it can talk to. The usual friction is boredom, since a Monkey needs variety. Tradition suggests partners who are curious and who can match its humour.
Which signs are compatible with the Monkey?
Traditionally the Monkey is harmonious with Rat, Dragon and Snake, and challenging with Tiger and Pig. See the full compatibility chart.
What is the Monkey’s element?
The Monkey is a Metal animal and a yang sign. Each year also has its own element, so Monkey years can be Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water. The table on this page lists them all.
How old is a Monkey in 2027?
People born in 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980 turn 11, 23, 35, 47 in 2027, and are one year younger until their birthday. The table on this page gives the ages for every Monkey year since 1940.
Which animal comes before and after the Monkey?
The Goat comes before the Monkey and the Rooster comes after it.
What are the Monkey’s lucky numbers and colours?
One commonly quoted list gives the numbers 1, 7, 8 and the colours white, blue, gold. Such lists differ between sources and belong to folklore.
Other signs
For culture and entertainment. The Chinese zodiac is a traditional system of folklore and symbolism. It cannot predict events, and it is not medical, financial, legal or relationship advice. See the full disclaimer.