ABOUT
Heavenly Stem: Geng 庚
Earthly Branch: Shēn 申
Energy: Yang
In Chinese astrology, the Monkey symbolizes cleverness, adaptability, and new ideas.
Monkeys have sharp minds, making them great problem-solvers who think creatively. They easily adjust to new people, tasks, and places, fitting in almost anywhere.
Their playful and mischievous nature makes them fun and entertaining companions.
In Chinese culture, the monkey is also seen as a symbol of good luck for careers, since the word for “monkey” sounds like an old noble title. In some regions, monkeys are believed to protect babies from evil spirits.
The most famous monkey is the Monkey King, Sun Wukong—a legendary figure known for being brave, rebellious, and talented. People born in the Year of the Monkey often share these quick-witted and lively traits.
Why is Monkey the ninth zodiac sign?
There’s a popular legend about how the monkey became one of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac.
Long ago, the tiger was the king of the mountains. All animals feared it, but despite its power, the tiger was lonely. Its neighbor, the monkey, became its close friend and trusted helper. When the tiger left the forest, the monkey took charge and managed things well.
One day, the tiger was trapped in a hunter’s net and couldn’t escape. The monkey happened to pass by, heard the tiger’s cries, and quickly freed it. The tiger was deeply grateful and promised to repay the monkey’s kindness. Their friendship became even stronger.
Years later, the Jade Emperor was choosing animals for the zodiac. The tiger was chosen easily because of its status. The monkey wanted to join too, but the Emperor only picked animals that had helped humans. Since the monkey hadn’t done that, it was not selected at first. The monkey begged the tiger for help. Remembering the monkey’s rescue, the tiger spoke up for it, praising its loyalty and wisdom. The Jade Emperor was moved and agreed to include the monkey.
As for why the monkey is ranked ninth, one explanation comes from the Chinese time-keeping system. The ninth time period of the day, from 3 to 5 p.m., is when monkeys are most active and noisy. So the monkey was placed ninth.
Another legend tells of a race across a celestial river, which would decide the zodiac order. The monkey wasn’t a good swimmer but cleverly used tree branches and vines to swing along the riverbank. Thanks to this smart move, it finished in ninth place.
MONKEY YEARS
When is the Year of Monkey?
The Monkey is the ninth animal in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle. Important Monkey years include 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956, and 1944.
If you were born in one of these years, your zodiac sign is likely the Monkey.
But since the Chinese zodiac year starts with Chinese New Year (between late January and mid-February), if you were born in January or February, your sign might be the Monkey or the previous zodiac sign (like the Goat).
Also, if you were born in January or February of the year after a Monkey year (like 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981), your sign could be the Monkey or the next one (like the Rooster).
To confirm your zodiac sign, it’s best to use a Chinese zodiac chart or an online calculator that matches your full birthdate to the correct zodiac year.
PERSONALITY
Understanding the Monkey Zodiac Sign
People born in the Year of the Monkey are smart, witty, and full of energy. They have fun, curious, and mischievous personalities, which makes them great at jokes and playful tricks—though sometimes their pranks can go too far and hurt others without meaning to.
Monkeys are fast learners and very clever. They're always full of ideas and love solving problems or learning how things work. They enjoy challenges and do well in busy, fast-paced environments like cities.
Social and charming, Monkeys are fun to be around. They love making people laugh and can talk their way into or out of anything. However, they get bored easily and jump quickly from one thing to another. To stay interested, they need excitement, change, or something new to explore.
They can also be a bit self-focused, using situations to their advantage without meaning any harm. Their creativity and cleverness can make others admire—or sometimes envy—them.
Monkeys are often natural leaders, brave in taking on challenges, and great team players. They’re usually liked for their humor and helpfulness. But they need to be careful not to boast too much or rely too heavily on shortcuts and opportunities.
Monkeys think ahead and are very observant. They notice small changes, make smart decisions, and act quickly. This makes them seem almost like they can predict what’s coming.
They’re practical and often focused on success, wealth, and results. Sometimes, this makes them feel superior to others, especially if they don’t stay humble.
Monkeys are at their best when surrounded by people who can bounce ideas around with them—they don't like being alone for too long.
Strengths of the Monkeys
Monkeys are smart, quick, and full of energy. They’re fun, funny, and easy to get along with in any group.
Monkeys are curious, clever, and great at solving problems. They’re quick to adapt when things change and often come up with creative solutions.
They have a great sense of humor and a charming personality, which makes them very sociable. They’re also confident, optimistic, and full of enthusiasm.
Even though they like to play and joke, Monkeys are brave and have a strong sense of justice. They’re not just fun—they’re capable and fair too.
Weaknesses of the Monkeys
Monkeys can be boastful, tricky, impatient, and overly proud. Their intelligence sometimes makes them think they’re better than others.
They may try to fool people, but others often see through it and may find them arrogant or fake.
Monkeys can be jealous, suspicious, and self-centered at times. They don’t like things that take too long or require hard effort.
Although they have great potential, these negative traits can hold them back. If they learn to be more patient and humbler, they’ll do much better in life.
Monkey Men
Men born in the Year of the Monkey are known for their great sense of humor. They’re fun to be around and always bring joy to others. Though they may seem a bit immature, they’re actually kind, generous, and easygoing. Unlike more critical zodiac signs, they’re tolerant and accepting of others’ flaws.
Monkey men are full of energy and love to live life to the fullest. They’re clever and often come up with creative ideas—and they know how to make those ideas happen.
In love, they can be complicated. They have high expectations and are always searching for the perfect partner, which can make them seem selfish or unfaithful. Sometimes, they bend the truth to cover up their mistakes.
Still, Monkey men are charming and hard not to like. They’re funny, smart, and learn quickly by observing the world around them. They think independently, often stand up for the underdog, and don’t follow unfair rules. They also respect their elders and are generous—even when they don’t have to be.
Monkey Women
Monkey women are confident, ambitious, and full of energy. They’re optimistic, love to socialize, and make friends easily. They’re also very capable at work and often do well in their careers. However, their confidence can sometimes come across as being too pushy or aggressive, which may upset others.
In love, Monkey women are passionate and lively. They need excitement and variety in their relationships. If things start to feel boring or repetitive, they may lose interest and move on.
Monkey women are independent thinkers who don’t follow social rules just to please others. They’re smart, sharp, and can quickly sense other people’s true intentions—it’s hard to trick them.
FIVE ELEMENTS
In Chinese astrology, each zodiac sign is linked to one of five elements: Metal (Gold), Wood, Water, Fire, or Earth. For example, a Fire Monkey appears once every 60 years.
A person’s traits come from both their zodiac animal and its element. So, there are five types of Monkeys, each with different personalities:
Metal Monkey: Clever and confident, but also stubborn and irritable.
Water Monkey: Smart and quick, likes attention but can be proud.
Wood Monkey: Helpful and caring, confident but stubborn.
Fire Monkey: Ambitious and adventurous, but easily irritated.
Earth Monkey: Honest, optimistic, and brave.
CAREER
Monkeys are hardworking and can adapt to many kinds of jobs. Their energy and liveliness make them great for careers in sports or entertainment. With sharp thinking and a strong drive to compete, they can also succeed in finance—starting as stockbrokers or moving into venture capital.
They enjoy challenges, adventures, and learning new things. Their calm and clever minds help them solve tough problems, making careers like diplomat, journalist, detective, lawyer, or linguist a good fit.
Monkeys love to learn, but they may lose interest before mastering something fully. Still, their quick learning helps them do well in many fields.
If they truly care about their work, they can match even the most dedicated workers and achieve great success. They work best when thinking fast and handling pressure. However, if a job is slow and repetitive, they’ll likely lose interest and perform poorly.
Ideal careers for Monkeys
- Diplomat
- Journalist
- Entertainer
- Businessman
- Athletes
- Stockbroker
- Detective
- Lawyer
- Programmer
- Trader
- Politician
- Film director
Less Suitable Careers for Monkeys
- Professor
- Doctor
- Financier
- Librarian
- Teacher
❗Note: These job suggestions are general guidelines. Your best career fit also depends on other factors in your full birth chart.
COMPATIBILITY
Love Compatibility for Monkeys
In relationships, Monkeys are fun, lively partners who keep things exciting. They love to joke, surprise you with clever gestures, and make you laugh. Their active minds sometimes wander, so they need a patient partner who can keep up.
Monkeys are friendly and easy to approach, which often draws attention from others. They're attracted to honest, kind, and easygoing people.
Before committing, they tend to think a lot about the future—marriage, kids, and family life. This can make them seem unsure or slow to decide.
But once they commit, Monkeys are loyal and caring. They pay close attention to their partner’s needs and work hard to be a great spouse. They also expect the same loyalty and love in return, making them a devoted and responsible partner.
❤️ Best Matches for Monkeys
Monkey and Rat
Monkey and Rat are both smart, energetic, and love fun. They share similar interests and get along well. Rat is steady and Monkey is unpredictable, which makes them a great match. They balance each other out—Monkey brings creativity, and Rat brings structure.
Monkey and Dragon
Monkey and Dragon are both strong and full of energy. They challenge and inspire each other, making their relationship exciting. Monkey can calm the Dragon's strong personality, while Dragon helps Monkey see the bigger picture. Together, they can achieve a lot.
Monkey and Snake
Monkey and Snake have a quiet but deep connection. They respect each other and enjoy both adventure and stability. Monkey’s lively spirit attracts Snake, while Snake’s calm charm draws Monkey in. What starts as attraction often turns into real love.
💔 Bad Matches for Monkeys
Monkey and Tiger
Monkey and Tiger don’t get along well because their personalities clash. Both want to be in control, which leads to fights and misunderstandings. Monkey often tries to take charge, and Tiger may lose confidence. This makes it hard for them to have a lasting, happy relationship.
Monkey and Pig
Monkey and Pig have very different personalities and interests, so they often don’t understand each other. This can make them feel disconnected. Although they might look like a successful couple on the outside, inside they may feel unhappy and unable to be themselves. Monkey might act unfairly to get what they want, causing problems between them.
Summary of Love Compatibility for Monkeys
💓Best Matches: Rat, Dragon, Snake
💔Bad Matches: Tiger, Pig
Each zodiac sign has its own special traits. In Chinese zodiac love compatibility, the traits of each animal are considered. Only signs that match well can be good partners. Below is how the Dragon matches with other signs.
You can check your compatibility using an online Chinese zodiac calculator.
❗Note: Compatibility isn’t determined solely by your zodiac sign—it also depends on the effort you put into the relationship.
How to Get Along with Monkey People
Monkeys are drawn to people who are funny and smart. To connect with them, develop diverse hobbies and interests so you have more to talk about. They also value mature and independent partners who can handle life well.
Once a Monkey is in love, they'll make sure you feel it. They're great at expressing their feelings and creating romantic moments. However, they might get so caught up in love that they forget about work or money.
Monkeys don't always rush into relationships because they can get bored easily and like their freedom. But when they find the right person, they commit fully. Since they're social and love to chat, it's usually easy to connect with them.
If you want a friend who's brilliant, hilarious, always up for fun, a bit mischievous, and good at handling tricky situations, a Monkey is the perfect companion. Just be ready for a life that's never dull!
HEALTH
Monkeys are usually very healthy because they love to be active and try new things. If they do get sick, it's often problems with their nerves or blood circulation.
Monkeys tend to work a lot. It's important for them to take breaks during their busy days to avoid burning out.
Since Monkeys enjoy being outdoors and going on adventures, they need to be extra careful about safety, especially when traveling, driving, or doing extreme sports. Their high energy can sometimes lead to accidents if they're not careful.
Monkeys often don't pay much attention to what they eat, sometimes mixing foods randomly or even taking medicine with soda. To avoid stomach problems, they should try to eat healthy and balanced meals.
While Monkeys have tons of energy, they can sometimes overdo it, which can wear them out or even make them nervous or jumpy. They need to remember that even their energetic bodies have limits!
FAMOUS PEOPLE
Monkey Year People
People born in the Year of the Monkey are naturally clever and talented. It's no surprise they've always been important and influential people throughout history and even today.
Metal Monkey
- James Clark Ross: Apr 15, 1800 (Explorer)
- Catharine Beecher: Sep 6, 1800 (Teacher)
- Nat Turner: Oct 2, 1800 (Civil Rights Leader)
- Charles Goodyear: Dec 29, 1800 (Entrepreneur)
- WK Kellogg: Apr 7, 1860 (Entrepreneur)
- Klara Hitler: Aug 12, 1860 (Hitler's Mother)
- Jane Addams: Sep 6, 1860 (Civil Rights Leader)
- Grandma Moses: Sep 7, 1860 (Painter)
- Kano Jigoro: Oct 28, 1860 (Martial Artist)
- Juliette Gordon Low: Oct 31, 1860 (Entrepreneur)
- Pope John Paul II: May 18, 1920 (Religious Leader)
- Beah Richards: Jul 12, 1920 (Actress)
- Rosalind Franklin: Jul 25, 1920 (Biologist)
- Mickey Rooney: Sep 23, 1920 (Actor)
- Ricardo Montalban: Nov 25, 1920 (Actor)
- Brooke Norris: Mar 18, 1980 (YouTube Star)
- Matt Slays: Jul 17, 1980 (YouTube Star)
- Mark Rober: Mar 11, 1980 (YouTube Star)
- Channing Tatum: Apr 26, 1980 (Actor)
Water Monkey
- Thomas Chatterton: Feb 15, 1752 (Poet)
- Henry Latimer: Apr 24, 1752 (Politician)
- Frances Burney: June 13, 1752 (Memoirist)
- Robert Browning: May 7, 1812 (Poet)
- Esther Hobart Morris: Aug 8, 1812 (Lawyer)
- Rudolf Von Alt: Aug 28, 1812 (Painter)
- Alexandra Feodorovna: June 6, 1872 (The Last Tsarina of Russia)
- Paul Laurence Dunbar: June 27, 1872 (Poet)
- Calvin Coolidge: Jul 4, 1872 (30th US President)
- Johnny Cash: Feb 6, 1932 (Singer)
- Elizabeth Taylor: Feb 27, 1932 (Actress)
- Pat Morita: June 28, 1932 (Actor)
- Neymar: Feb 5, 1992 (Soccer Player)
- Austin McBroom: May 20, 1992 (Instagram Star)
- Selena Gomez: Jul 22, 1992 (Singer)
- Cardi B: Oct 11, 1992 (Rapper)
- SSSniperWolf: Oct 22, 1992 (YouTube Star)
- CoryxKenshin: Nov 9, 1992 (YouTube Star)
- Miley Cyrus: Nov 23, 1992 (Singer)
Wood Monkey
- Zaro Aga: Feb 16, 1764 (Supercentenarian)
- Charles Grey: Mar 13, 1764 (Former PM of UK)
- Ann Radcliffe: Jul 9, 1764 (Novelist)
- James Meritt Ives: Mar 5, 1824 (Entrepreneur)
- Leland Stanford: Mar 9, 1824 (Entrepreneur)
- George MacDonald: Dec 10, 1824 (Novelist)
- Harry S. Truman: May 8, 1884 (33rd US President)
- Harry Ferguson: Nov 4, 1884 (Engineer)
- Hideki Tojo: Dec 30, 1884 (40th PM of Japan)
- Angry Grandma: Feb 18, 1944 (YouTube Star)
- Diana Ross: Mar 26, 1944 (Singer)
- George Lucas: May 14, 1944 (Film Director)
- Patti LaBelle: May 24, 1944 (Singer)
- Danny DeVito: Nov 17, 1944 (Actor)
- Bryton Myler: Feb 27, 2004 (YouTube Star)
- Erica Ha: May 22, 2004 (TikTok Star)
- Ivan Cornejo: June 5, 2004 (Singer & TikTok Star)
- Mongraal: Aug 13, 2004 (eSports Player)
- Brooklyn Frost: Aug 17, 2004 (YouTube Star)
Fire Monkey
- Sophie Germain: Apr 1, 1776 (Mathematician)
- John Constable: June 17, 1776 (Painter)
- Amedeo Avogadro: Aug 9, 1776 (Physicist)
- Ramakrishna: Feb 18, 1836 (Philosopher)
- Thomas Crapper: Sep 28, 1836 (Entrepreneur)
- Milton Bradley: Nov 8, 1836 (Entrepreneur)
- Wallis Simpson: June 19, 1836 (Wife of Edward VIII)
- Walter Breuning: Sep 21, 1896 (Supercentenarian)
- F. Scott Fitzgerald: Sep 24, 1896 (Novelist)
- Ethel Waters: oct 31, 1896 (Singer)
- Lev Vygotsky: Nov 17, 1896 (Psychologist)
- Rubby Perez: Mar 8, 1956 (Singer)
- La Toya Jackson: May 29, 1956 (Singer)
- Keith David: June 4, 1956 (Voice Actor)
- Tom Hanks: Jul 9, 1956 (Actor)
- Lynja: Jul 31, 1956 (TikTok Star)
- Luis Guzmán: Aug 28, 1956 (Actor)
- Theresa May: Oct 1, 1956 (Former PM of UK)
- Carrie Fisher: Oct 21, 1956 (Actress)
Earth Monkey
- Arthur Schopenhauer: Feb 22, 1788 (Philosopher)
- Neil Arnott: May 15, 1788 (Doctor)
- Jean-victor Poncelet: Jul 1, 1788 (Mathematician)
- Sarah Josepha Hale: Oct 24, 1788 (Novelist)
- Princess Louise: Mar 18, 1848
- Paul Gauguin: June 7, 1848 (Painter)
- Lewis Howard Latimer: Sep 4, 1848 (Entrepreneur)
- Bette Davis: Apr 5, 1908 (Actress)
- Tomiko Itooka: May 23, 1908 (Supercentenarian)
- Ian Fleming: May 28, 1908 (Novelist)
- Estee Lauder: Jul 1, 1908 (Entrepreneur)
- Lyndon B. Johnson: Aug 27, 1908 (36th US President)
- Richard Wright: Sep 4, 1908 (Novelist)
- Lisa Marie Presley: Feb 1, 1968 (Singer)
- Papa Rug: Feb 16, 1968 (YouTube Star)
- Céline Dion: Mar 30, 1968 (Singer)
- Terry Crews: Jul 30, 1968 (Actor)
- Will Smith: Sep 25, 1968 (Actor)
- Hugh Jackman: Oct 12, 1968 (Actor)
- Shaggy: Oct 22, 1968 (Singer)
- Lucy Liu: Dec 2, 1968 (Actress)
