Born in 1978: the Earth Horse
If you were born in 1978, your Chinese zodiac sign is the Horse 马, and the year's Heavenly Stem is Wu, which gives the year its element: Earth. So a full 1978 reading is a Earth Horse. People born in 1978 turn 48 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 1978, Lunar New Year fell on 1978-02-07. Anyone born in 1978 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.
Earth Horse personality, briefly
Independent, warm-hearted and always halfway out the door, the Horse runs on freedom and momentum. Horses are quick, funny and decisive, and they wilt under micromanagement or a too-quiet calendar. The Earth stem is traditionally said to shade that character — Earth adds steadiness, appetite and a practical streak. One sentence is all a birth year can honestly carry; the rest is entertainment.
| Birth year | 1978 |
|---|---|
| Chinese zodiac | Horse 马 |
| Heavenly stem / element | Wu · Earth |
| Position in 60-year cycle | 55 of 60 |
| Lunar New Year 1978 | 1978-02-07 |
| Age turned in 2026 | 48 |
| Lucky numbers | 2, 3, 7 |
| Lucky colours | yellow, green |
Read the full Year of the Horse profile, or test a pairing on the compatibility matrix.
← Born in 1977 · Born in 1979 →
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.