The Chinese zodiac animal associated with the Earth element in 2009 was the Ox.
The year 2009 was the Ji-chou year in the traditional sexagenary cycle. Chou is the earthly-branch designation for the Ox, while Ji is linked with the Earth element, producing the commonly used description Earth Ox.
Chinese zodiac years combine an animal with one of five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. The animal repeats every 12 years, but the same animal-element pairing returns only after 60 years.
The 2009 zodiac year began on January 26, 2009, the date of Lunar New Year, and ended on February 13, 2010. Births before that date belong to the preceding Rat year in the usual lunar-year system.