1973: the year of the Water Ox (癸丑)
In Korean saju, 1973 is the year of 癸丑 (Gye-chuk). The top character, 癸, is yin Water, and the bottom character, 丑, is the Ox. Together they make 1973 the year of the Water Ox. The saju year starts at Ipchun on February 4, 1973 at 08:04 Korea time and runs until February 4, 1974.
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1973 at a glance
- Year pair
- 癸丑 · Gye-chuk
- Element
- Water (yin)
- Animal
- Ox
- Old poetic name
- 桑柘木 · Mulberry wood
- Saju year starts
- February 4, 1973 08:04
- Ends
- February 4, 1974
- Age in 2027
- turns 54
Born in January or early February 1973?
The saju year changes at Ipchun, February 4, 1973 at 08:04 Korea time. If you were born before that moment, your year pair is 壬子: you belong to 1972, the year of the Water Rat.
Many zodiac sites switch the animal at Lunar New Year instead, which fell on February 3 in 1973. So for birthdays from February 3 until just before Ipchun, those sites already say Ox while saju still says Rat.
The two characters of 癸丑
- 癸Gye · quiet rain soaking in — water that refreshes dry ground
- 丑Chuk · Ox · frozen mud in late winter
The Water element of 1973
The top character decides the year’s element, so 1973 is a Water year. When Water energy is strong, it tends to feel like this: You feel wise, calm, and open to new ideas flowing in.
- Color
- Navy or black
- Food
- Black beans, seaweed, and fresh seafood
- Direction
- North
- Activity
- Taking a relaxing bath or journaling quietly
This is your birth-year element. In saju, your core element comes from your birth day instead (the day master), and it can be different. A free saju card shows yours.
Month pillars of the 1973 saju year
In saju, each month also has a pair, and it starts on a solar term, not on the 1st. These are the twelve months of 癸丑 with their start dates (Korea date). Your birth month’s pair is one of your four pillars.
| Month pair | Starts |
|---|---|
| 甲寅Gap-in | February 4 |
| 乙卯Eul-myo | March 6 |
| 丙辰Byeong-jin | April 5 |
| 丁巳Jeong-sa | May 6 |
| 戊午Mu-o | June 6 |
| 己未Gi-mi | July 7 |
| 庚申Gyeong-sin | August 8 |
| 辛酉Sin-yu | September 8 |
| 壬戌Im-sul | October 8 |
| 癸亥Gye-hae | November 7 |
| 甲子Gap-ja | December 7 |
| 乙丑Eul-chuk | January 6, 1974 |
The Ox in zodiac compatibility
By the branch tables, the Ox’s closest match is the Rat (six harmony). Its team of three adds the Snake and Rooster. Its opposite sign, the Goat, is a clash pair, read as different rhythms rather than bad luck.
The Ox in 2027
Fire feeds your Earth. The year tends to feel supportive: learning, help from others, time to recharge. The catch is getting too comfortable.
Ties with 丁未: Clash (沖) · Punishment (刑)
2027 outlook for the Ox →Other Ox years
The Ox comes back every 12 years, but the element on top changes each time:
- 1949己丑 · Earth Ox
- 1961辛丑 · Metal Ox
- 1985乙丑 · Wood Ox
- 1997丁丑 · Fire Ox
- 2009己丑 · Earth Ox
- 2021辛丑 · Metal Ox
The exact pair 癸丑 returns every 60 years: 1913 and 2033.
Read 癸丑 as a day pillar →How to read this
Your birth year is one pillar out of four. Your birth month, day and hour usually say more about you than the year does. Use this page for facts and fun, then check the full chart.
Born in 1973? See your whole chart
Your year is one pillar. Add your birthday for a free saju card with all four, worked out on your device.
Questions about 1973
What Chinese zodiac animal is 1973?
1973 is the year of the Ox, and more exactly the Water Ox (癸丑). In saju the year runs from Ipchun on February 4, 1973 to February 4, 1974.
What element is 1973?
Water. The top character 癸 is yin Water, and that is the year’s element. The bottom character 丑 adds Earth.
I was born in January 1973. What is my sign?
Before Ipchun (February 4, 1973, 08:04 Korea time) you belong to the year before: 壬子, the Water Rat of 1972. Check your exact time if you were born that day.
Is my birth-year element my saju element?
Not exactly. The year element describes your birth year. Saju reads your core self from your birth-day character (the day master), which needs your full birth date.