Chinese zodiac Pig
The twelfth sign and the most generous: every Pig year, five kinds of Pig, and who it pairs with.
Pig
01 · THE SIGN
Why the Pig closes the wheel
The Pig is the twelfth and last sign. In the story of the great race it arrived last, and in Chinese culture the pig is a symbol of abundance and of a full household. The sign carries those associations: warm, generous, and comfortable with the good things in life. The Pig is also the one that rounds off the cycle, which is why the tradition reads it as a sign of completion.
The Pig's branch, Hai, covers 9 to 11 pm, the end of the day. Its element is Water, the element of depth and flow. The Pig is read as the most open of the twelve: sincere, easy-going, and slow to suspect other people of bad faith.
The Pig on the wheel
- Triple harmony: Rabbit and Goat
- Secret friend: Tiger
- Clash: Snake
- Place
- 12 of 12
- Branch
- Hai
- Hours
- 9 to 11 pm
- Polarity
- Yin
- Own element
- Water
- Month
- early November to early December
02 · YEARS
Every Pig year
You are a Pig if you were born in one of these Chinese years. Each starts at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. Born in January or February? Check the start date for your year. The other eleven animals are on the Chinese zodiac overview.
03 · ELEMENTS
The five kinds of Pig
Every Pig carries two elements. The sign itself is Water, fixed, because the Pig's earthly branch (Hai) belongs to Water. The year then adds a second element, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water. That second element is what makes a 1995 Pig different from a 2007 Pig, even though both are the same animal.
Wood Pig
1995 · 1935
The Wood Pig is the most giving. Wood adds growth and creativity, so this Pig is generous, imaginative, and the heart of a group.
Fire Pig
2007 · 1947
The Fire Pig is the most outgoing. Fire adds heat and appetite, so this Pig is passionate, adventurous, and enjoys life at full volume.
Earth Pig
2019 · 1959
The Earth Pig is the most steady. Earth adds practical sense, so this Pig builds a settled home and sticks with it. It is patient and dependable.
Metal Pig
1971
The Metal Pig is the most determined. Metal adds discipline and focus, so this Pig sets a goal and pursues it with a firmness that surprises people.
Water Pig
1983
The Water Pig is the most intuitive. Water on Water deepens the Pig's empathy and imagination. It is the most sensitive of the five, and the easiest to hurt.
04 · TRAITS
What the tradition says about the Pig
Strengths
- Generous with time, resources, and attention.
- Sincere. A Pig means what it says.
- Easy-going, and good company on any occasion.
- Tolerant, and slow to hold a grudge.
- Hard-working once committed, and a strong finisher.
Blind spots
- Trusting to a fault, and slow to spot bad faith.
- Indulgent. Finds it hard to say no to a good thing.
- Avoids conflict, and can be talked into things.
- Gives more than it receives, and notices late.
- Can drift when there is no clear plan.
05 · COMPATIBILITY
Pig compatibility
The Pig's best matches are Rabbit and Goat (triple harmony) and Tiger (secret friend). Snake sits opposite on the wheel and is the traditional clash. Every tie below comes from where the two animals sit on the zodiac wheel.
- Triple harmonyRabbit and Goat
- The strongest traditional match. You want the same things and move at the same speed.
- Secret friendTiger
- A balancing pair. Each one fills in what the other lacks.
- ClashSnake
- Opposite on the wheel. Strong pull and plenty of friction.
- HarmMonkey
- Small misreadings that add up. Say things out loud.
- No special tieRat, Ox, Dragon, Horse, Rooster and Dog
- No special tie in either direction. The two people matter more than the signs.
06 · 2026 AND 2027
The Pig in 2026 and 2027
2026 is a Fire Horse year and 2027 a Fire Goat year. Both carry Fire, so the animal sets the tone and the element sets the pace.
2026
Fire Horse year
Pig and Horse have no special tie, but the Pig's Water meets the Horse's Fire head on. Tradition reads a year of tension between caution and pace: the world moves faster than the Pig likes. The Pig that keeps its own tempo and protects its rest finds the year easier than it looks.
2027
Fire Goat year
Pig and Goat form a triple harmony with the Rabbit, one of the best ties on the wheel. Tradition reads 2027 as the Pig's year of ease: generosity is returned, relationships warm, and work finds a rhythm. It is a good year to build something for the long term.
How a Fire year meets each kind of Pig
- Wood Pig
- Wood feeds Fire, so the Wood Pig gives generously and tires. Receive as well.
- Fire Pig
- Fire meets Fire. The Fire Pig enjoys life at full volume. Keep the indulgence to a pace you can keep.
- Earth Pig
- Fire feeds Earth, so the Earth Pig is supported. A settled home and plan hold up.
- Metal Pig
- Fire melts Metal, so the Metal Pig's firm goal meets heat. Stay steady, avoid fighting every push.
- Water Pig
- Water meets Fire head on. The Water Pig is the most sensitive of the five. Protect your rest.
Your sign is where it starts
Your Annual Report
A Pig year is shared by a lot of people, and no two of them live it the same way. Your Annual Report reads your Five Elements and Western chart together, then draws your year as one curve. You can see the months that carry you forward, the ones that ask you to slow down, and how the year builds from January to December.
07 · FAMOUS
Famous Pigs
Counted with the same Chinese New Year table as this page, so early-year birthdays land in the right sign.
- Timothée Chalamet · Wood Pig, December 27, 1995
- Doja Cat · Wood Pig, October 21, 1995
- Elon Musk · Metal Pig, June 28, 1971
- Dua Lipa · Wood Pig, August 22, 1995
- Megan Thee Stallion · Wood Pig, February 15, 1995
- Kendall Jenner · Wood Pig, November 3, 1995
- Tupac · Metal Pig, June 16, 1971
- Amy Winehouse · Water Pig, September 14, 1983
- Kehlani · Wood Pig, April 24, 1995
- Selena Quintanilla · Metal Pig, April 16, 1971
- Denise Richards · Metal Pig, February 17, 1971
- Lamine Yamal · Fire Pig, July 13, 2007
08 · FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What years are Pig years?
2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935. Each Pig year starts at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January, so a January or February birthday may belong to the animal before.
What element is the Pig?
Every Pig carries two elements. The sign itself is Water, fixed, because the Pig's earthly branch (Hai) belongs to Water. The year then adds a second element, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water. That second element is what makes a 1995 Pig different from a 2007 Pig, even though both are the same animal.
Who is the Pig compatible with?
Rabbit and Goat are in the same triple harmony, the strongest traditional match. Tiger is the secret friend. Snake is the traditional clash. Each tie comes from where the two animals sit on the zodiac wheel.
Is the Pig a lucky sign?
No sign is luckier than another. The Pig is associated with abundance and a generous household in Chinese culture, which is where its reputation for good fortune comes from. Each of the twelve has its strong years and its hard ones.
Is the Pig the same as the Boar?
Yes. The Chinese word zhu means pig, and English writers sometimes call this sign the Boar. It is the same position on the wheel, the twelfth, with the same Hai branch.
How do I know if I am a Pig?
Use your Chinese year, not your calendar year. If you were born in January or February, check the date of Chinese New Year in your birth year: before it, you belong to the animal of the year before. The Chinese zodiac calculator on this site does the check for you.
Where does the Chinese zodiac come from?
It is one of the oldest ways people have kept time. The ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches were already counting days on Shang dynasty oracle bones more than 3,000 years ago. The earliest written pairings of the twelve branches with animals appear on bamboo slips from the Qin dynasty, over 2,200 years old. Stems and branches together make a 60-year cycle, and the twelve-animal wheel travelled across East Asia, where Vietnam swaps the Rabbit for a Cat. Legend gives it a story: the Jade Emperor called a great race, and the Rat won by riding on the Ox's back, which is why the Rat opens the wheel. It is a living tradition, read here as a mirror for reflection.
Updated November 2026
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