1973 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Yin Water Ox (癸丑)
The 1973 year pillar
The year 1973 corresponds to 癸丑 — a Yin Water year combined with the Ox branch. The Na Yin image for this pair is "Wood of Mulberry and Cudrania" (桑柘木).
Ox year, Yin Water stem
People often describe 1973 as the year of the Water Ox. The animal comes from the branch; the element label comes from the stem. Together they form the traditional shorthand for the year's character.
What a year pillar tells you
A year pillar is one of four pillars in a BaZi chart. The year animal is a familiar cultural label, but a full chart also includes month, day, and hour pillars. Your Day Master — not your year animal — is the primary reference point in most readings.
Build your full chart
MingLens can calculate your four pillars from your birth date, local time, and birthplace. See how your Ox year fits into the complete structure.