1997 Chinese Zodiac: Fire Ox
People born in 1997 are Yin Fire Oxs, with one important exception: the first weeks of the year.
Quick answer
The 1997 zodiac year ran from February 7, 1997 to January 27, 1998. If you were born on or after February 7, 1997, your sign is the Fire Ox. If you were born earlier in 1997, you belong to the Fire Rat of 1996.
Fire 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.
Fire years add passion, enthusiasm and boldness. Fire people tend to be dynamic, expressive and quick to act.
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 1997?
The Chinese zodiac follows the lunisolar calendar, so a January or February birth often belongs to the previous animal. In 1997, Chinese New Year fell on February 7, 1997. Anyone born before that date is a Fire Rat instead. See the Rat guide.
1997 zodiac year facts
- Chinese New Year 1997 fell on a Friday, February 7, 1997.
- The Ox year lasted 355 days, slightly shorter than a calendar year.
- Anyone born in the first 37 days of 1997 (January 1 to February 7, 1997) belongs to the previous sign.
- People born in 1997 turn 29 or 28 during 2026, depending on their birthday.
Other Ox years: 1973, 1985, 2009, 2021. 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 1997, the Ox's harmonious partners were born in: Snake: 2001; Rooster: 1993.
The Chinese zodiac is a cultural tradition offered for reflection and entertainment.