The inventor and the joker
In Chinese astrology the Monkey is the problem solver of the zodiac. Tradition links it with intelligence, humor, curiosity and a gift for finding a clever way around any obstacle.
Monkey people are described as lively, inventive and fun to be around, quick to learn and quick to get bored. The same cleverness has a tricky side in folk lore: restlessness, mischief, vanity and a habit of bending the rules when it suits them.
The Monkey King of Chinese literature, a brilliant and unruly hero, adds to the sign's playful fame. The Monkey hour runs from 3 pm to 5 pm.
The raft crew's middle member
In the race story the Monkey crossed the river with the Goat and the Rooster on a shared raft. It helped clear the tangled weeds that blocked the way and paddled across with the others.
The trio finished together, and the Monkey took ninth place. The legend shows a quick-witted animal that knows when cooperation beats going alone, which is not the side of the Monkey people usually expect.
Monkeys in the five elements
Wood Monkey (the year starting in 2004, for example): described as curious, imaginative and eager to learn, with a steadier attention span than most Monkeys.
Fire Monkey (2016): the most energetic and competitive Monkey, linked with confidence, drive and a magnetic personality.
Earth Monkey (1968, and next in 2028): tradition calls it the most reliable Monkey, thoughtful and caring, with less need for constant excitement.
Metal Monkey (1980): Metal is also the Monkey's fixed element, so this one is read as the sharpest and most independent, very skilled and very self-assured.
Water Monkey (1992): the most flexible version, described as perceptive, tactful and good at reading others.
The Monkey's friends and rival
The Monkey shares a harmony group with the Rat and the Dragon, a trine linked with intelligence, initiative and quick action. Tradition sees the three as energizing one another.
Its secret friend is the Snake, and its clash sign is the Tiger, directly across the wheel. Folk astrology sets the Monkey's cunning against the Tiger's raw force. The Chinese zodiac compatibility tool lays out these traditional links for any pair, and makes no verdict about real people.
Which Monkey year is yours
Each Monkey year listed on this page has an exact first and last day, taken from the site's Lunar New Year calculation. The 2028 Monkey year begins on January 26, 2028, so anyone born from January 1 to January 25, 2028 is still a Goat.
For any other date close to the turn of the year, use the Chinese zodiac calculator. If you like mixing systems, the Mercury sign calculator shows the Western point astrologers tie to wit and communication, two things the Monkey is famous for.