Chinese Zodiac Snake

Ranked the sixth of the Chinese zodiacs, Snake is usually called as “small dragon” by people who are born in the year of snake. This might because Chinese people think snake is venomous. In many Chinese stories and idioms, snake is usually represented as a villain. But in Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang, all things have two sides. So, there is also an exception, which is the “Legend of the White Snake” and white snake and blue snake in the legend are widely loved by Chinese people. Snake is also the symbol of longevity, same as tortoise.

Chinese Zodiac Snake Years – Am I a Snake?

According to Chinese zodiac signs, you may not a Snake even if you were born in snake year! Chinese zodiac system is based on the lunar calendar, from the 1st day of Spring Festival to the Eve of next Chinese Lunar New Year. Your birthday is set by Gregorian calendar, so you have to switch it to Lunar Calendar of the year you were born to confirm your Chinese zodiac animals. For example, if you were born in Feb. 1, 1965 (a year of Snake), one day before Chinese New Year, you are a Dragon, instead of a Snake.

When are the Chinese zodiac years of Snake? Altogether there are 12 zodiac signs starting from Rat and ending at Pig. Every 12 years is a cycle. There is a simple way to calculate, that any year with a remainder of 9 divided by 12 is the year of the Snake. For example, 2025÷12= quotient, and the remainder is 9, so 2025 is the zodiac year of the Snake. Other Chinese zodiac Snake years include 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037, etc.

When talking about Chinese zodiac signs, we usually need to consider the five elements, which are Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Combining with 12 zodiac signs, each element comes in a 60-year cycle. 1965 is a wood Snake year, so next zodiac wood Snake year will be 2025.

Check following table to see whether your own Zodiac animal is snake or not.

Recent Chinese Zodiac Snake Years

Chinese Zodiac Calculator

Chinese Zodiac Snake in Chinese Culture

All animals in Chinese zodiac signs, including the Snake, have symbols and stories in traditional Chinese culture and Chinese history.

1. Totem of Chinese ancient ancestors
Dragon, the most sacred image in Chinese culture, is not existed in the nature. It is indeed a totemic image from snake. The character of 龙（dragon）in oracle bone inscriptions, the earliest Chinese characters, is the image of a snake. In Chinese mythology, Fuxi and Nuwa, the human ancestor who created human beings with loess, had the body of snake. In south China areas, some ethnic groups are still taking snake as their totem.

2. A symbol of longevity
In Chinese culture, ancient people take snake and tortoise as symbols of longevity. Snake molts skin and hibernates in the winter, which makes it mysterious and because that ancient people think skin molting of the snake

3. A symbol of Vicious
In Chinese folk culture, snake, centipede, scorpion, gecko and toad are called Five Poisonous Creature because they’re poisonous, and snake is considered as the top one. And as cold-blood animal, snakes give people another negative impression.

4. The Legend of White Snake (白蛇传)
This legend is considered one of China’s four great folktales, along with “Lady Meng Jiang (孟姜女哭长城)”, “Butterfly Lovers (梁山伯与祝英台)”, and “The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl (牛郎织女)”. It is a famous Chinese fairytale about a snake spirit who disguised as a beautiful human girl, falls in love with a mortal man named Xu Xian. As their happy life together begins, an evil-minded monk tries to separate them and traps the white snake under a pagoda West Lake in Hangzhou. In this story, whitle snake became a symbol of beauty and kindness.

Lucky and Unlucky Things for People Born in the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Snake

Things to Bring Snakes Good Luck

Lucky numbers: 2, 8 and 9 and numbers containing them, such as 32 and 49

Lucky colors: red, light yellow, black

Lucky flower: orchid, cactus

Lucky directions: west, south, southwest

Lucky months: the 1st, 8th and 11th Chinese lunar months

Things to Bring Snakes Bad Luck

Unlucky numbers: 1,6 and 7 and numbers containing them, such as 15 and 36

Unlucky colors: brown, gold, white

Unlucky directions: northeast, northwest

Unlucky months: the 3rd,9th and 12th Chinese lunar months

Chinese Zodiac Snake Traits: Wise, Intelligent, Calm …

In Chinese culture, people who born in the year of snake are considered to be smart, talented and responsive. Although their appearance gives people a sense of indifference and calmness, they are actually warm, considerate, kind, polite and elegant. People who belong to snakes don't directly express their joy and anger, which make them the most difficult to understand among the twelve zodiac animals.

Snake people are highly motivated. They are good at using time and space to achieve the goal before others act. In addition, they have strong willpower to overcome difficulties.

Laziness is the greatest weakness of snake people. With great ambition, they talk more than act. Unless forced by pressure, they rarely take the initiative to take action. They’re too self-centered to accept the opinions of others.

Strengths of Snake

Snakes are nimble minded and creative in arts.

Silent and not irritable

Snakes like fortune and good at making money

Weakness of Snake

Snakes are sensitive and suspicious, which brings less help from others

Snake people are dedicated in love and easy to be hurt

Male Snake Characteristics

Due to jealousy, male snakes are not easy to get along with others. They prefer to be in the limelight and value fame and fortune. Men born in the year of snake are usually emotional and dedicated. They cannot tolerate lover’s betrayal. They have magic power to create miracle. But without other’s support, it’s difficult to accomplish the task.

Female Snake Characteristics

Female snakes are emotional, strong-minded and independent. They have a clear goal in mind and stick to it with specific plan. It is difficult for others to know what they think, as they are good at hiding their true thoughts. Female snake values the feelings between her and her lover most. Household affairs from a big family are the most annoying things to snake girl. Female snakes are persevering people who never give up, which make them success in career.

Chinese Zodiac Snake Five Elements for Five Personalities

Elements	Personalities	Recent Years
Wood Snake	Orderly, intelligent, with a gift for appreciating the knowing celebrities and a refined taste	1905, 1965, 2025
Fire Snake	Smart, insightful, communicative, active, and fond of the limelight	1917, 1977, 2037
Earth Snake	Calm, with strong self-control, but not steadfast and diligent enough in work	1929, 1989, 2049
Metal Snake	Determined, courageous, confident, and able: a born leader	1941, 2001, 2061
Water Snake	Clever, creative, lively, and communicative, but sentimental	1953, 2013, 2073

Zodiac Snake Love Compatibility – Your Most Compatible Zodiacs

Chinese zodiac animal compatibility is mainly derived from the inter-promoting and inter-regulating relations of traditional Chinese astrology’s 12 Dizhi (地支, Earthly Branches). Accordingly, some of the zodiac animal signs can be compatible, while some may not get along with each other. Read on to know what Chinese zodiac signs are most compatible with the Snake zodiac in love, friendship, and business.

Best Matches: Monkey, Ox, Rooster

According to Chinese astrology, the Snake, the Ox, and the Rooster are one of the four trines of the San He (三合, Three Harmonies) groups. The three animals in the same group could be harmonious and bring good luck to each other.

Besides, the Snake and the Monkey are one pair of the Liu He (六合, Six Harmonies) groups. The two animal signs in the same compatible group get along very well and secretly help each other.

The best companions for the people born in the year of the Snake are the reliable Ox, the dauntless Rooster and clever Monkey. Because the Ox people usually work uncomplainingly and without thought of personal gains or losses, they could cooperate well with the Snake people. Also, the snakes are easy to be attracted by the calm unwavering eyes of the Ox people and follow their advice. The people of the Snake and Rooster signs are both much concerned with their dress and appearance. So, they are easy to have common words. In addition, the Roosters are mostly social swingers knowing how to get along well with the Snake. In terms of the relationship with the Monkey, the Snake could coordinate well with them no matter as a couple or as partners in business.

Least Matches: Pig, Tiger

The Snake and the Pig are in one group of the Liu Chong (六冲, Six Conflicting) groups. They are not the best love compatibility because there will be many quarrels and disagreements. As for business, such a match may lead to endless troubles. The Pig couldn't get along well with the snake, as the Snake is mostly sleek and diplomatic while the Pig is honest.

The Snake and the Tiger are also incompatible because they are in the same group of the Liu Hai (六害, Six Harming) groups. Harming means being harmful to each other generally. As such, if the Tiger and the Snake stay together, they could harm each other, even unintentionally. The Snake had better to avoid contacting with the challenging Tiger people who don't appreciate the penetrative eyes of the Snake.

What’s more, the Snake, the Monkey, and the Tiger are also in the same group of the San Xing (三刑, Three Punishment) groups. This punishment group is called “ungrateful punishment”. The match of either two animal signs will affect each other and bring good luck in life to a close.

Snake’s Compatibility with 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals

Zodiac Snakes’ Horoscope in 2026 - the Year of Horse

Entering 2026, for those born in the Year of the Snake, since they have overcome the significant impact brought by their zodiac year (Ben Ming Nian), their fortune can move in a positive direction. As long as they work diligently and strive actively, great changes will occur in all aspects of life.

This year can be blessed by the "Lü Xun" auspicious star, with their career fortune continuously rising. They can fully demonstrate their abilities in the workplace and will also have many good job opportunities. Their salary and position will undergo significant changes.

However, in 2026, one must be vigilant against the "Mo Yue" ominous star, which represents the pressure brought by unfamiliar environments. They must strive to integrate into the new life or work circle, enhance their adaptability, and avoid having overly fearful attitudes towards unknown things.

The Year of the Horse also has the ominous "Bing Fu" star visiting, which is prone to causing minor illnesses such as colds and flus. However, overall, there is no major problem.

Career

For people born in the Year of the Snake, in 2026, the "Lü Xun" auspicious star will arrive. For ordinary office workers, their career horoscope will perform very well. They will have outstanding performances within the company, and the chances of promotion and salary increase are very high. Especially in important project teams, they can also take on the role of the person in charge.

However, in 2026, there is always the "Mo Yue" ominous star hindering them. The Snake are likely to feel stressed due to changes in the surrounding environment. They must find ways to adjust and change themselves. They can also talk more to their family and friends, which can help them quickly integrate into the new circle.

If there is the idea of job-hopping or changing jobs in 2026, it can be actively implemented. However, do not leave your job blindly. You can look for jobs online in advance, or ask friends, classmates, and elders for help to introduce jobs. After all, the current economic environment is not good. Once you lose a stable job, you will inevitably feel anxious.

Wealth

In 2026, for those born under the Chinese zodiac sign of the Snake, the financial horoscope will fluctuate greatly. There will be many unexpected expenses that one cannot avoid, even if one tries to avoid them. Business people may even encounter terrifying financial losses due to customers defaulting on payments.

Fortunately, this year is favored by the "Lunxun" auspicious star, and the income from positive finances has increased significantly. However, the process of making money is very difficult, and it is impossible to obtain substantial wealth in a short period of time easily.

In terms of investment, it is difficult to rely on the help of influential people. Whether one intends to explore new ways to make money or invest in a certain financial product, one must think carefully before acting, to avoid falling into terrifying traps and suffering huge losses.

In addition, this year is also affected by the "Illness Sign", "Earth Nether Star" and "Death God" ominous stars, and one is prone to suffer financial losses due to one's own and family's health conditions.

Love & Relationship

Entering 2026, for those born in the Year of the Snake, the "Lunxun" auspicious star will offer support in the area of emotions. If single individuals are looking to find a partner, they can focus their attention on colleagues or clients around them. For those who are in a relationship, they can get along well with each other, although there may be minor conflicts, they won't escalate into major disputes. However, Snake individuals should also spend more time accompanying their significant others while working hard. They must not neglect their partners too much.

For married Snake individuals in 2026, they are likely to have disagreements with their partners due to issues related to supporting the elderly and educating children. They must communicate and exchange ideas properly.

Health

In 2026, for people born in the Year of the Snake, their emotional state will be unstable and they are prone to anxiety. It is essential to maintain a calm and composed mindset. You can also take the opportunity to travel and relax during your free time.

It should be noted that in 2026, there are "bad omens" and ominous stars present. You should pay more attention to minor ailments, such as tooth pain, eye allergies, fever, and colds. You should focus on taking good care of your body and enhance your awareness of safety precautions. 

If you notice any discomfort in your body, you should go to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.

Zodiac Snake Famous People

刘邦 Liu Bang (First emperor of the Han Dynasty) – born on December 28, 256 B.C. Wood Snake Year

毛泽东 Mao Zedong – born on December 26, 1893    Fire Snake Year

Audrey Hepburn – born on May 4, 1929    Earth Snake Year

Aamir Khan – born on March 14, 1965    Wood Snake Year

John Fitzgerald Kennedy – born on May 29, 1917    Fire Snake Year

Pablo Ruiz Picasso – born on October 25, 1881    Gold Snake Year

Abraham Lincoln – born on February 12, 1809    Earth Snake Year

Mahatma Gandhi - born on October 2, 1869    Earth Snake Year

Chinese Zodiac Snake Vocabulary & Idioms