Born in 1973: the Water Ox
If you were born in 1973, your Chinese zodiac sign is the Ox 牛, and the year's Heavenly Stem is Gui, which gives the year its element: Water. So a full 1973 reading is a Water Ox. People born in 1973 turn 53 years old in 2026 (or have already, depending on the birthday).
The one exception: January and February birthdays
The Chinese zodiac year does not start on January 1. In 1973, Lunar New Year fell on 1973-02-03. Anyone born in 1973 before that date belongs to the previous year's animal — use the homepage finder with an exact birth date and it handles the boundary for you.
Water Ox personality, briefly
Patient, honest and stubborn in the best way, the Ox gets things done by simply refusing to stop. Oxen value routine and loyalty, build slowly, and rarely say anything they do not mean. The Water stem is traditionally said to shade that character — Water adds adaptability, intuition and a reflective streak. One sentence is all a birth year can honestly carry; the rest is entertainment.
| Birth year | 1973 |
|---|---|
| Chinese zodiac | Ox 牛 |
| Heavenly stem / element | Gui · Water |
| Position in 60-year cycle | 50 of 60 |
| Lunar New Year 1973 | 1973-02-03 |
| Age turned in 2026 | 53 |
| Lucky numbers | 1, 9 |
| Lucky colours | red, blue, purple |
Read the full Year of the Ox profile, or test a pairing on the compatibility matrix.
← Born in 1972 · Born in 1974 →
Zodiac Sign Finder is for entertainment. Astrology is a tradition of stories and symbols, not a science — enjoy your reading the way you'd enjoy a fortune cookie: lightly.