In the Chinese zodiac table, the Rooster’s fixed element is Metal.
This classification comes from the twelve Earthly Branches, the traditional cycle paired with the zodiac animals. Rooster is linked with the branch 酉 (yǒu), is traditionally yin, belongs to the second trine, and is associated with the west and autumn. Metal is the fixed element shared by the Rooster and Monkey.
A common mix-up is confusing a sign’s fixed element with the element assigned to a particular birth year. Chinese astrology combines the twelve animals with the five elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—in a 60-year cycle. As a result, individual Rooster years can be Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, or Metal Rooster years, even though the Rooster’s table designation remains Metal.
For example, 2017 was a Fire Rooster year, while 1981 and 2041 are Metal Rooster years. The fixed-element table describes the animal sign itself, not every calendar year bearing that animal.