2021 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Yin Metal Ox (辛丑)
The 2021 year pillar
The year 2021 corresponds to 辛丑 — a Yin Metal year combined with the Ox branch. The Na Yin image for this pair is "Earth on the Wall" (壁上土).
Ox year, Yin Metal stem
People often describe 2021 as the year of the Metal 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.