1973 Chinese Zodiac: Water Ox
People born in 1973 are Yin Water Oxs, with one important exception: the first weeks of the year.
Quick answer
The 1973 zodiac year ran from February 3, 1973 to January 22, 1974. If you were born on or after February 3, 1973, your sign is the Water Ox. If you were born earlier in 1973, you belong to the Water Rat of 1972.
Water Ox personality
Steady, hard-working and dependable.
The Ox is the second animal of the zodiac and a symbol of agriculture, patience and honest labor. Oxen are reliable, methodical and grounded, the people who carry a project to the end without making a fuss.
Water years add intuition, adaptability and empathy. Water people tend to be thoughtful, diplomatic and perceptive.
Strengths: Dependable and honest, Hard-working and patient, Strong sense of duty, Calm under pressure, Practical. Watch for: Stubborn, Resistant to change, Reserved, Workaholic, Slow to forgive.
Read the full Ox guide for love, career and compatibility.
Born early in 1973?
The Chinese zodiac follows the lunisolar calendar, so a January or February birth often belongs to the previous animal. In 1973, Chinese New Year fell on February 3, 1973. Anyone born before that date is a Water Rat instead. See the Rat guide.
1973 zodiac year facts
- Chinese New Year 1973 fell on a Saturday, February 3, 1973.
- The Ox year lasted 354 days, slightly shorter than a calendar year.
- Anyone born in the first 33 days of 1973 (January 1 to February 3, 1973) belongs to the previous sign.
- People born in 1973 turn 53 or 52 during 2026, depending on their birthday.
Other Ox years: 1949, 1961, 1985, 1997. Each has a different element, which colors the animal's traits.
Ox compatibility
The Ox is traditionally most harmonious with Snake and Rooster, and tends to clash with the Goat.
Near 1973, the Ox's harmonious partners were born in: Snake: 1977; Rooster: 1969.
The Chinese zodiac is a cultural tradition offered for reflection and entertainment.