Warm, generous and easy to like
In China the pig has long been a symbol of plenty and a comfortable home, and the sign shares that cozy image. Chinese astrology links the Pig with generosity, sincerity, good humor and a big appetite for the pleasures of life.
Pig people are described as kind, tolerant and honest, the friend who shares what they have and forgives easily. Tradition also notes the cost of so much trust: naivety, a weakness for indulgence and difficulty saying no.
As the last animal, the Pig is also linked with completion, the end of one 12-year round before the Rat begins the next. The Pig hour runs from 9 pm to 11 pm, the quiet close of the day.
Last to finish, and not bothered
The Pig set out for the Jade Emperor's race, but it got hungry along the way, stopped for a big meal and then took a nap.
By the time it woke up and paddled across, every other animal had finished. The Pig arrived twelfth and still earned its place in the calendar. Storytellers enjoy how unbothered it is, which fits the Pig's relaxed reputation.
The Pig's five element forms
Wood Pig (the year starting in 1995, for example): described as kind, supportive and sociable, with a talent for bringing people together.
Fire Pig (2007): the most energetic and daring Pig, linked with warmth, enthusiasm and a strong will.
Earth Pig (2019): tradition calls it the most patient and steady Pig, calm, sensible and devoted to home.
Metal Pig (1971, and next in 2031): pictured as the most determined Pig, frank and resilient, with firmer opinions than the sign usually shows.
Water Pig (1983): Water is also the Pig's fixed element, so this is read as the most intuitive and gentle Pig, sensitive and understanding.
Traditional ties for the Pig
The Pig shares a harmony group with the Rabbit and the Goat. These three are associated with kindness, peace and creativity, and folk astrology sees them as easy company.
The Tiger is the Pig's secret friend, a bold partner for a mild sign. Its clash sign is the Snake, opposite on the wheel; tradition contrasts the Pig's openness with the Snake's reserve. Compare any pair on the Chinese zodiac compatibility page, which describes tradition only.
Pig years and January birthdays
This page lists each Pig year with its exact first and last day, from the site's own Lunar New Year calculation. Because the Pig is last, its years often end in late January or early February of the following Western year.
That means a January birthday in the year after a Pig year can still be a Pig, not a Rat. The Chinese zodiac calculator sorts this out, and the water signs page covers the Western signs that share the Pig's watery, feeling-led reputation.