Year of the Monkey

The most recent years of the Monkey cover 1980, 1992, 2004, and 2016. The next year of the Monkey will be 2028. The Monkey is number nine in the Chinese zodiac animals, between the Goat and the Rooster. In China, folks believe that the Monkey is associated with astute, resilient, eloquent, and naughty. Having a sportive and resilient nature, people born in the Year of the Monkey can be gregarious and popular in the crowd.

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Chinese Zodiac Monkey Years

Am I a Monkey? When is the Year of the Monkey? If you have those questions, read the following content to confirm the answers. Monkey years include 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, and 2016. If you were born one year above, then you will be known as the Monkey. However, if born in early January, you may be a Goat.

According to Chinese traditions, the Chinese zodiac signs are not based on the Gregorian calendar but on the Chinese Lunar New Year (Spring Festival), usually starting from late January to mid-February. For instance, if you were born on January 21, 2004, then your zodiac symbol is the Goat, instead of the Monkey, because the Chinese New Year fell on January 22, 2004.

Chinese zodiac year, also called Ben Ming Nian, will appear once every twelve years. If a baby was born in 2016, a Fire Monkey year, then 2028 will be her next zodiac year. But when it comes to the next Fire Monkey year, she needs to wait until 2076 because a Chinese zodiac year with the same element will recur every 60 years.

Check out whether you are a member of the Monkey or not; the table below could be your reference.

Years & Dates for Chinese Zodiac Monkey

Zodiac Monkey Horoscope 2026 (Year of the Horse)

The Monkey’s Chinese horoscope for 2026 will be perfectly great. The 2026 year of the Horse will bring you both challenges and opportunities. Monkey people will have some romantic encounters and get into a relationship. In a career, Goats are expected to have a strong drive for undertaking. Monkey working in education and technology will face more possibilities this year. The fortune of wealth will remain stable, and you will reap a lot from investments or side work. It is likely to experience ups and downs in terms of relationships. It is generally in good physical health, but you’d better pay extra attention to deal with the pressure of overwork and your sleep issues.

Love & Relationships

2026 is a romantic year for Monkey people, when your relationship will run smoothly, and you will not lack romantic encounters. Single Monkeys tend to find it easy to find a good match through a variety of social engagements. When it comes to dating, being sincere and putting in effort and time for a relationship are the keys to reaping an ideal romance. Monkey women tend to meet someone steady and responsible. While for single Monkey men, it requires you to take the initiative.

Monkeys in the relationship may neglect their partner’s feelings due to paying more attention to their career. Bringing work stress home may strain your relationship. For married Monkeys, 2026 is a year to enjoy the family joy, when you will share a lot of lovely moments with your partners and create more precious memories. Zodiac Monkey should also focus on chores at home and communication with families, which can strengthen their bonds. Noted that Monkeys may have troubles due to an education problem in September. Monkey people tend to embrace more chances to get involved in social opportunities to meet new romance.

Career

People born in the year of the Monkey will have a strong drive in their career in this year, which is also a crucial time to strive for career and seek promotion. Workload this year will increase, and you are prone to getting appreciation from your superior, which is also a great chance to showcase your new skills. Affected by the auspicious star “Jiang Xing”, Monkeys stand out in the workplace, which is suitable for starting a business.

With the star “Yi Ma” in tour fortune, it is quite suitable to change, like changing jobs, exploring new fields, and learning new skills. Remember to avoid impulsive decisions. Industries related to Fire, one of the Five Elements, will fit the current trend more, like energy and creativity. When the “Tian Jiang” star appears in the lunar March, Monkeys in technology, education, and cross-border trade will embrace a brilliant turning point.

Wealth

When it comes to finance, it will be a fruitful year for Monkey people. Your financial situation will remain stable throughout the year. With the extra income reaching you, your efforts at work also help you earn great returns. Monkeys can also preserve and increase their wealth through investments and financial management. During this period, you can keep an eye on some potential industries and projects. As for windfalls, broadening your social circle brings you some collaborations. Also, the Monkey is advised to explore new ways to make more money, including online part-time jobs and startups.

Health

Those who were born in the year of the Monkey should focus more on body maintenance to stay energetic. You may face more health challenges as strong fire energy in 2026 tends to lead to some internal heat; therefore, it is advisable to prevent some cardiovascular and sleep issues. You may feel exhausted this year. High-intensity workload may also bring some problems in the Gastrointestinal aspects.

Lucky Things for Monkey Zodiac

Lucky Things

Lucky Number: 6, 7, 8
Lucky Colors: white, blue, gold
Lucky Flowers: chrysanthemum, crape myrtle
Lucky Directions: north, west, northwest
Lucky Months: the 3rd, 6th, 7th, 8th Chinese lunar months

Unlucky Things

Unlucky Numbers: 2, 5, 9
Unlucky Colors: red, pink, black
Unlucky Directions: south, southeast
Unlucky Months: the 4th, 5th Chinese lunar months

Chinese Zodiac Monkey Personality Traits

Strengths of Monkeys

Chinese zodiac sign Monkey is astute, reacting swiftly. They can accept and understand new things quickly and find the essence of problems to fix. They tend to do excellent jobs in their careers. For example, Monkey people will find the solution quicker than others in complex math problems and logical reasoning.

Chinese zodiac Monkey personality is energetic and involved in all kinds of activities, bringing a positive vibe to the people surrounding them. Whether at parties or outdoor activities, they have the means to create interesting moments. Most people born in the year of the Monkey are social butterflies, possessing communicative and social skills. Besides, they tend to be good listeners and know how to get along with different kinds of people; therefore, they have many friends.

The most prominent feature of the zodiac Monkey is resilience. They can rapidly adapt to an unfamiliar environment to start a new job or life. No matter whether in a new position or a new city, they can be a part of them relatively quickly.

Weaknesses of Monkeys

Firstly, the Monkey tends to be a giver, easily losing interest and lacking persistence. In the beginning, they are full of interest, but their enthusiasm will be diminished over time. Monkeys’ minds are active and easily attracted by the surrounding things. In the process of working, it will be hard for them to focus on one thing, affecting efficiency.

Besides, the Chinese Monkey zodiac is prone to being conceited. Overestimating makes them believe that their ways and thoughts are right, refusing to take others’ advice. At last, one section of Monkeys uses their talents to get smart with people. The Chinese zodiac lacks reliability, trying to take shortcuts to achieve goals. This kind of behavior is not good for making progress in the long run.

Monkey Man Personality

Advantages: Male Monkeys are flexible and astute, and prefer to compete for the best. They are adapting to change and are sociable, making them make friends easily. Monkey men usually leave people with the impression that they are bold and smart. It is hard for them to remain convinced. Versatility puts them in a decisive position. Due to strong curiosity, they will try everything they are interested in. Therefore, it seems that they have a fulfilling life.

Disadvantages: Men born in the year of the Monkey accept outside ideas on its face, but still tend to stick to their minds, which shows their arrogance. They love to play and be smart, but not for longer than five minutes. Monkey men are not grounded enough and are overconfident, which is why they are typically opportunists. Although they have talents, it is still not convincing enough.

Monkey Woman Personality

Advantages: Female Monkeys are better at managing relationships. They are talkative enough to enliven the atmosphere, therefore, being popular with people. Assertiveness makes them think about problems from their own perspective, focusing on more personal interests.

Women born in the year of the Monkey tend to be calculating and have exhibitionism, which is suited to work in the acting field. Shrewd quality gives Monkey women the potential to be strong women, facing various situations with calmness. No matter what kind of situation, they can fix it calmly.

Female Monkeys are charming in love, and they often take the initiative to pursue someone they love, not being fond of passiveness and unpredictability.

Disadvantages: Monkey women's personalities are impulsive sometimes, doing whatever they want at that moment without hesitation. Like the constellation Aries in the West, they tend to make decisions by intuition. Therefore, it is advisable to look before you leap.

Female Monkeys are a capricious type, which is an obvious disadvantage for them. They seemed like a weather forecast. It is said to be rainy, but the next moment it will be sunny. Diverse feelings would show up in them.

Chinese Zodiac Monkey Traits Based on Five Elements

According to the Five Elements Theory, a part of Chinese traditional culture, different elements accord with different characteristics. Chinese zodiac sign is also associated with five elements, including Wood, Fire, Earth, Gold, and Water. And their elements depend on their birth years, which means there are five types of Monkeys.

Elements of Monkey Personalities Recent Years Wood Monkey Smart, empathetic, resilient, creative but capricious and inferior 1944, 2004 Fire Monkey Sincere, dauntless, confident, enthusiastic, and adventurous 1956, 2016 Earth Monkey Down-to-earth, reliable, persistent, and reliable 1968, 2028 Gold Monkey Eloquent, astute, assertive, decisive, but conceited and edgy 1980, 2040 Water Monkey Intelligent, flexible, insightful, and with strong leadership, but self-centered 1932, 1992

Chinese Zodiac Monkey Compatibility

For every Chinese zodiac sign, compatibility varies in different respects, like love compatibility and working compatibility. In traditional Chinese culture, a theory exists for the twelve zodiac signs.

San He (Zodiac Triple Harmony) refers to a harmonious relation among every three zodiac signs, among which they tend to inspire each other. It is easy for them to build a deep friendship or partnership. Besides, another relation called Liu He (Zodiac Six-Harmony) exists between every two zodiac animals. Zodiac signs, in this more intimate relationship, will attract and bring good fortune to each other in love, wealth, and career.

Scroll and learn which zodiac symbol is the most compatible for you.

Best Matches: Rat, Dragon, Snake, Horse

Monkey and Rat Compatibility: Monkey Chinese zodiac and the Rat are one of the San He group. The Rat is prudent and the Monkey is creative, which will bring the best in them. In careers, they could support each other and make progress. Both sides can understand and take care of each other in family life.

Monkey and Dragon Compatibility: The Chinese zodiac Monkey and the Dragon belong to the San He as well. Both of them have ambition, setting goals and supervising each other to work for the future. The Monkey has a good mind. And the Dragon would be persistent in adversity. Two sides can strengthen their bonds on the path forward.

Monkey and Snake Compatibility: People born in the year of the Monkey and Snake form Liu He, which means they are complementary in traits and have similar thinking patterns. Both sides are better at thinking. They have a strong curiosity and thirst for knowledge, pushing them to develop together.

Monkey and Horse Compatibility: The Monkey and the Horse compatibility is good. Horse people usually prefer Monkeys’ openness and liveliness. And the Horse will be attracted by the Monkeys’ humor and romance. Both of them attract each other, and their relationships tend to last longer. However, it is important for the two to pace themselves to stay consistent with each other.

Worst Matches: Tiger, Pig

Monkey and Tiger Compatibility: Both the Monkey and the Tiger have a strong nature, doing things extremely well. Tigers are ambitious and domineering, unwilling to listen to others’ opinions. Being persistent once they are determined. Monkeys are intelligent and confident. They do not like restrictions. Disputes will frequently appear when they are together. No matter in love or career, it is hard for them to get along well with each other.

Monkey and Pig Compatibility: Monkey's Chinese zodiac personality tends to be unconstrained, craving for freedom. They have their own thoughts in their fields, not preferring others’ thoughts. Pig people look gracious and kind, but they are strong inside, being used to preaching and controlling. The ways they treat people and things are totally different, which easily leads to friction.

Career Guide for Monkey People

Advertisement and Marketing: Monkey natives are astute and creative, excelling at offering unique marketing strategies. It is their thing to capture market dynamics and customers’ needs, making promotional packages accordingly to boost the brand.

Artistic Creation: The Monkey can fully express their feelings and imagination in fields of drawing, music, dancing, etc. They own a natural artistic brain, communicating with audiences and fans through their works.

Entrepreneurship and Business Administration: The Monkey has an adventurous spirit and creativity. Therefore, it suits them to run their own businesses, adapting to market changes and finding commercial opportunities. In business administration, they have a strong organization and leadership, managing the team effectively and pushing corporate improvement.

Digital Analysis and Big Data: Monkey people are good at analyzing problems and processing data. In the field of big data, they can fully utilize their analytical skills to dig into information and the value behind it, offering evidence for corporations.

Monkey in Chinese Culture

1. Image of Journey to the West
Sun Wukong is the most representative monkey character in Journey to the West, whose image often appears in numerous animations, like Uproar in Heaven and the Monkey King. He was born from a stone. As he led a group of monkeys into Water Curtain Cave, he was called the King of the Monkeys.

Later, after traveling through many lands, he seeks instruction from Patriarch Bodhi (known as Sun Wukong’s teacher) and master prowess. The Monkey King is resourceful and bold. He subdued demons and eliminated monsters on the journey to the West.

2. Symbol of Intelligence
Monkeys are astute and resilient. In Chinese culture, it often symbolizes wisdom. In many folktales, the Monkey can flexibly deal with complex situations. For example, Sun Wukong can come up with many ideas to fix when facing monsters’ tricks and traps, which embodies their intelligence.

3. Symbol of Status
Chinese character 猴(hóu), which means monkeys, shares the same pronunciation as 候(hóu), marquis. In ancient China, 候 (marquis) stands for status and honor. Therefore, Monkey in China stands for becoming a marquis. People often use the image of a monkey to express aspiration for fame and status. Many paintings will use monkeys to express their wishes to get official positions or promotions.

4. Symbol of Naughty
Chinese zodiac Monkey is constantly associated with the symbol of naughtiness. These traits are also embodied in folklore. In some legends, Monkeys will secretly pick up fruits from trees and tease other animals, which reflects people’s observation and comprehension of Monkeys’ nature and behaviors.

Famous People Born in the Year of the Monkey

Name Date Element of Monkey Anthony Perkins April 4, 1932 Water Monkey Debbie Reynolds April 1, 1932 Water Monkey Lucy Alexis Liu December 2, 1968 Earth Monkey Quentin Blake December 16, 1932 Water Monkey Selena Marie Gomez July 22, 1992 Water Monkey Taylor Daniel Lautner February 11, 1992 Water Monkey

Chinese Zodiac Monkey Vocabulary & Idioms

Chinese Pinyin English 生肖 shēng  xiāo Chinese Zodiac 农历生日 nóng  lì  shēng  rì Lunar Birthday 你属什么 nǐ  shǔ  shĕn  me What is you Chinese zodiac animal? 我属猴 wǒ  shǔ  hóu  de I am a Monkey in the Chinese zodiac signs. 猴年马月 hóu  nián  mǎ  yuè god knows how long 猴头猴脑 hóu  tóu  hóu  nǎo Mischievous and impetuous. 猴子救月 hóu  zǐ  jiù  yuè A fruitless attempt. 尖嘴猴腮 jiān  zuǐ  hóu  sāi Look ugly and shrewd. 沐猴而冠 mù  hóu  ér  guàn A worthless person in imposing. 弄鬼掉猴 nòng  guǐ  diào  hóu Play tricks and act mischievously. 杀鸡儆猴 shā  jī  jǐng  hóu Punish someone as a warning to others. 土龙沐猴 tǔ  lóng  mù  hóu Something or someone that has only an impressive appearance but no real substance. 轩鹤冠猴 xuān  hè  guàn  hóu Refer to people who occupy high positions but are incompetent.