癸巳

2013: the year of the Water Snake (癸巳)

In Korean saju, 2013 is the year of 癸巳 (Gye-sa). The top character, 癸, is yin Water, and the bottom character, 巳, is the Snake. Together they make 2013 the year of the Water Snake. The saju year starts at Ipchun on February 4, 2013 at 01:13 Korea time and runs until February 4, 2014.

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2013 at a glance

Year pair: 癸巳 · Gye-sa
Element: Water (yin)
Animal: Snake
Old poetic name: 長流水 · Long river
Saju year starts: February 4, 2013 01:13
Ends: February 4, 2014
Age in 2027: turns 14

Born in January or early February 2013?

The saju year changes at Ipchun, February 4, 2013 at 01:13 Korea time. If you were born before that moment, your year pair is 壬辰: you belong to 2012, the year of the Water Dragon.

Many zodiac sites switch the animal at Lunar New Year instead, which fell on February 10 in 2013, after Ipchun. So for birthdays from Ipchun until the day before February 10, saju already says Snake while those sites still say Dragon.

The two characters of 癸巳

癸Gye · quiet rain soaking in — water that refreshes dry ground
巳Sa · Snake · fire kindling in early summer

The Water element of 2013

The top character decides the year’s element, so 2013 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 2013 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 癸巳 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 5
丙辰Byeong-jin	April 5
丁巳Jeong-sa	May 5
戊午Mu-o	June 5
己未Gi-mi	July 7
庚申Gyeong-sin	August 7
辛酉Sin-yu	September 7
壬戌Im-sul	October 8
癸亥Gye-hae	November 7
甲子Gap-ja	December 7
乙丑Eul-chuk	January 5, 2014

The Snake in zodiac compatibility

By the branch tables, the Snake’s closest match is the Monkey (six harmony). Its team of three adds the Rooster and Ox. Its opposite sign, the Pig, is a clash pair, read as different rhythms rather than bad luck.

The Snake in 2027

Same element. Same-element years tend to bring more company and more comparison, so allies and rivals both show up.

Ties with 丁未: No main combination or clash with 未 this year.

2027 outlook for the Snake →

Other Snake years

The Snake comes back every 12 years, but the element on top changes each time:

The exact pair 癸巳 returns every 60 years: 1953 and 2073.

Read 癸巳 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 2013? 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.

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Questions about 2013

What Chinese zodiac animal is 2013?

2013 is the year of the Snake, and more exactly the Water Snake (癸巳). In saju the year runs from Ipchun on February 4, 2013 to February 4, 2014.

What element is 2013?

Water. The top character 癸 is yin Water, and that is the year’s element. The bottom character 巳 adds Fire.

I was born in January 2013. What is my sign?

Before Ipchun (February 4, 2013, 01:13 Korea time) you belong to the year before: 壬辰, the Water Dragon of 2012. 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.