1980: the year of the Metal Monkey (庚申)
In Korean saju, 1980 is the year of 庚申 (Gyeong-sin). The top character, 庚, is yang Metal, and the bottom character, 申, is the Monkey. Together they make 1980 the year of the Metal Monkey. The saju year starts at Ipchun on February 5, 1980 at 01:09 Korea time and runs until February 4, 1981.
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1980 at a glance
- Year pair
- 庚申 · Gyeong-sin
- Element
- Metal (yang)
- Animal
- Monkey
- Old poetic name
- 石榴木 · Pomegranate wood
- Saju year starts
- February 5, 1980 01:09
- Ends
- February 4, 1981
- Age in 2027
- turns 47
Born in January or early February 1980?
The saju year changes at Ipchun, February 5, 1980 at 01:09 Korea time. If you were born before that moment, your year pair is 己未: you belong to 1979, the year of the Earth Goat.
Many zodiac sites switch the animal at Lunar New Year instead, which fell on February 16 in 1980, after Ipchun. So for birthdays from Ipchun until the day before February 16, saju already says Monkey while those sites still say Goat.
The two characters of 庚申
- Gyeong · uncut raw ore — tough, sturdy metal
- Sin · Monkey · hard rock in early autumn
The Metal element of 1980
The top character decides the year’s element, so 1980 is a Metal year. When Metal energy is strong, it tends to feel like this: You feel clear-headed, decisive, and ready to finish what you started.
- Color
- White
- Food
- Pears, radish, and white rice
- Direction
- West
- Activity
- Organizing your desk or taking deep breaths in fresh air
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 1980 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 庚申 with their start dates (Korea date). Your birth month’s pair is one of your four pillars.
| Month pair | Starts |
|---|---|
| 戊寅Mu-in | February 5 |
| 己卯Gi-myo | March 5 |
| 庚辰Gyeong-jin | April 5 |
| 辛巳Sin-sa | May 5 |
| 壬午Im-o | June 5 |
| 癸未Gye-mi | July 7 |
| 甲申Gap-sin | August 7 |
| 乙酉Eul-yu | September 7 |
| 丙戌Byeong-sul | October 8 |
| 丁亥Jeong-hae | November 7 |
| 戊子Mu-ja | December 7 |
| 己丑Gi-chuk | January 5, 1981 |
The Monkey in zodiac compatibility
By the branch tables, the Monkey’s closest match is the Snake (six harmony). Its team of three adds the Rat and Dragon. Its opposite sign, the Tiger, is a clash pair, read as different rhythms rather than bad luck.
The Monkey in 2027
Fire controls your Metal. The year tends to feel like structure: rules, deadlines, other people’s expectations. Clear priorities usually help.
Ties with 丁未: No main combination or clash with 未 this year.
2027 outlook for the Monkey →Other Monkey years
The Monkey comes back every 12 years, but the element on top changes each time:
- 1944甲申 · Wood Monkey
- 1956丙申 · Fire Monkey
- 1968戊申 · Earth Monkey
- 1992壬申 · Water Monkey
- 2004甲申 · Wood Monkey
- 2016丙申 · Fire Monkey
- 2028戊申 · Earth Monkey
The exact pair 庚申 returns every 60 years: 1920 and 2040.
Read 庚申 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 1980? 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 1980
What Chinese zodiac animal is 1980?
1980 is the year of the Monkey, and more exactly the Metal Monkey (庚申). In saju the year runs from Ipchun on February 5, 1980 to February 4, 1981.
What element is 1980?
Metal. The top character 庚 is yang Metal, and that is the year’s element. The bottom character 申 adds Metal.
I was born in January 1980. What is my sign?
Before Ipchun (February 5, 1980, 01:09 Korea time) you belong to the year before: 己未, the Earth Goat of 1979. 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.