1997: the year of the Fire Ox (丁丑)
In Korean saju, 1997 is the year of 丁丑 (Jeong-chuk). The top character, 丁, is yin Fire, and the bottom character, 丑, is the Ox. Together they make 1997 the year of the Fire Ox. The saju year starts at Ipchun on February 4, 1997 at 04:01 Korea time and runs until February 4, 1998.
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1997 at a glance
- Year pair
- 丁丑 · Jeong-chuk
- Element
- Fire (yin)
- Animal
- Ox
- Old poetic name
- 澗下水 · Mountain stream
- Saju year starts
- February 4, 1997 04:01
- Ends
- February 4, 1998
- Age in 2027
- turns 30
Born in January or early February 1997?
The saju year changes at Ipchun, February 4, 1997 at 04:01 Korea time. If you were born before that moment, your year pair is 丙子: you belong to 1996, the year of the Fire Rat.
Many zodiac sites switch the animal at Lunar New Year instead, which fell on February 7 in 1997, after Ipchun. So for birthdays from Ipchun until the day before February 7, saju already says Ox while those sites still say Rat.
The two characters of 丁丑
- 丁Jeong · a lamp in the dark — fire that warms what is close
- 丑Chuk · Ox · frozen mud in late winter
The Fire element of 1997
The top character decides the year’s element, so 1997 is a Fire year. When Fire energy is strong, it tends to feel like this: You feel bright, expressive, and ready to share your passion with others.
- Color
- Red
- Food
- Tomatoes, red berries, and warm spices
- Direction
- South
- Activity
- Getting some sunlight or dancing to your favorite song
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 1997 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 丁丑 with their start dates (Korea date). Your birth month’s pair is one of your four pillars.
| Month pair | Starts |
|---|---|
| 壬寅Im-in | February 4 |
| 癸卯Gye-myo | March 5 |
| 甲辰Gap-jin | April 5 |
| 乙巳Eul-sa | May 5 |
| 丙午Byeong-o | June 6 |
| 丁未Jeong-mi | July 7 |
| 戊申Mu-sin | August 7 |
| 己酉Gi-yu | September 7 |
| 庚戌Gyeong-sul | October 8 |
| 辛亥Sin-hae | November 7 |
| 壬子Im-ja | December 7 |
| 癸丑Gye-chuk | January 5, 1998 |
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
- 1973癸丑 · Water Ox
- 1985乙丑 · Wood Ox
- 2009己丑 · Earth Ox
- 2021辛丑 · Metal Ox
The exact pair 丁丑 returns every 60 years: 1937 and 2057.
Read 丁丑 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 1997? 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 1997
What Chinese zodiac animal is 1997?
1997 is the year of the Ox, and more exactly the Fire Ox (丁丑). In saju the year runs from Ipchun on February 4, 1997 to February 4, 1998.
What element is 1997?
Fire. The top character 丁 is yin Fire, and that is the year’s element. The bottom character 丑 adds Earth.
I was born in January 1997. What is my sign?
Before Ipchun (February 4, 1997, 04:01 Korea time) you belong to the year before: 丙子, the Fire Rat of 1996. 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.