On which date did the Chinese zodiac’s Year of the Ox begin in 2021?
Answer
February 12, 2021
The Chinese zodiac’s Year of the Ox began on February 12, 2021.
That date was Lunar New Year in 2021, marking the transition from the Metal Rat year to the Metal Ox year. The Ox year continued until January 31, 2022, when the Water Tiger year began.
Chinese zodiac years do not start on a fixed Gregorian-calendar date. Lunar New Year falls between January 21 and February 20, because its date is determined by a lunisolar calendar. This is why a person born in early February may need to check the exact New Year date before identifying their zodiac animal.
The 2021 designation was Metal Ox, combining the Ox animal with one of the five traditional elements. The animal cycle repeats every 12 years, while the animal-element pairing repeats every 60 years.