Year of the Snake: Fortune, Personality, Horoscope (2025)
Snake is the 6th animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac signs, coming after the Dragon and before the Horse. Recent years of the Snake include 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, and 1941, with the next Snake year in 2025 (Year of the Wood Snake). Snake is associated with the earthly branch symbol si.
Snake is a cautious, introverted observer, cool and mysterious in behavior owing to their suspicious and insecure nature, yet their armor conceals abundant sensitivity, wisdom, and passion that will surely surprise their few confidants.
Chinese Zodiac Years for Snake
As was common in traditional Chinese culture and Chinese astrology, the 12 Chinese zodiacs follow the Chinese lunar calendar and don’t line up perfectly with the Gregorian (solar) calendar. Use the zodiac sign calculator below to find your Chinese zodiac.
Chinese zodiac calculator
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When finding your Chinese zodiac animal, make sure to note the start date of the Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year)—especially if you were born in late January or February—as your animal sign may fall in the previous year (see the chart below).
Chart of Years, Dates, and Elements for Snake Zodiac Signs
Snake Year | Lunar Year Start Date | Lunar Year End Date | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
1929 | February 10, 1929 | January 29, 1930 | Earth |
1941 | January 27, 1941 | February 14, 1942 | Metal |
1953 | February 14, 1953 | February 2, 1954 | Water |
1965 | February 2, 1965 | January 20, 1966 | Wood |
1977 | February 18, 1977 | February 6, 1978 | Fire |
1989 | February 6, 1989 | January 26, 1990 | Earth |
2001 | January 24, 2001 | February 11, 2002 | Metal |
2013 | February 10, 2013 | January 30, 2014 | Water |
2025 | January 29, 2025 | February 16, 2026 | Wood |
2037 | February 15, 2037 | February 3, 2038 | Fire |
Snake’s 2025 Horoscope (Year of the Snake)
While 2025 is a challenging year for Snakes due to their Ben Ming Nian, lucky stars offer strong opportunities for career and financial growth. Stay focused, take necessary precautions, and balance challenges with joyful events to make the most of the year.
Read more: Snake’s 2025 Horoscope (Love, Career, Wealth, Health)
Personality Traits of Snake Signs
Snakes are sensitive, effective, and adaptable, positive personality traits often complemented by a considerable intelligence. They are usually amiable and even-tempered, showing a cool and calm exterior punctuated by occasional bouts of perfectly-timed energy and passion.
They move elegantly through the social sphere, armed with their wide range of interests and hobbies, which add to their intrigue and mystery. They’re often artistic, which makes them taste-makers others look to for guidance.
In emergencies, Snakes show their true value by remaining calm and collected, not losing an ounce of their ability to analyze the situation and come up with the best solution while remaining a dependable presence.
In daily life, Snake people are easy-going and fascinating for their mystery while also needing alone time to smooth their sensitivities. If they can learn to be vulnerable, Snake will find a new world opening to them.
Snake Strengths
Snakes are self-respecting and steadfast; therefore, external voices won’t shake their resolve. They’re goal-oriented, and while they don’t often appear outwardly passionate, they’re blessed with a keen intuition and ample inspiration, making them very creative.
Indeed, Snake may well choose a career in art because they make connections between subjects. They also possess excellent taste, glide among the elite with elegance, and can remain calm in the most stressful situations.
Snake Weaknesses
Snakes are emotionally detached, which can, at times, manifest as coldness or selfishness. Others distrust them, as they seem to be calculating and only concerned with their own welfare, and Snakes distrust others in return.
With their romantic partners, Snakes may struggle to be vulnerable and will try to protect themselves with their usual detachment—which spells romantic failure and will, unfortunately, reinforce Snakes’ distrust for others in the future.
Snake Zodiacs and the Five Elements Theory
The Chinese Five Elements Theory assigns one of the five elements—Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth—to each year, in addition to the zodiacs. So Snakes born in different years will have different personalities.
Lucky (and Unlucky) Things for Snakes
For Snakes, the numbers of 1 and 8, red and black, the directions of west and south bring good luck; pink and purple, 0 and 5, and east are unlucky, which should be avoided if possible.
In Chinese culture, your Ben Ming Nian, or zodiac birth year, is considered bad luck, so make sure to wear red clothing or jewelry during your year (Year of the Snake) to keep away any misfortune.
Lucky Things
Lucky numbers: 1, 8
Lucky colors: Red, Black
Lucky directions: West, South
Lucky flowers: Camelia, Orchid
Unlucky Things
Unlucky numbers: 0, 5
Unlucky colors: Pink, Purple
Unlucky directions: East
Love and Compatibility for Snakes
Snakes are passionate and delicate in love, which may surprise their romantic interests. Over time, they’ll also grow into loyal marriage partners, even if their charm means Snakes will usually face many temptations throughout life.
In return, Snakes demand the same loyalty from their partner and become suspicious. It’s best for Snake to express their emotions and doubts with honesty, which the right partner will respond to with loving affirmation.
❤️ Best Match: Snake and Rooster
Snake is one of those effortlessly cool zodiacs, while Rooster seems to be ferocious in all their endeavors. Together, their love compatibility is like water and fire, but instead of fizzling out, they’re the definition of opposites attract.
In fact, they’re alike in subtle ways that only the two of them recognize. Rooster is logical and analytical despite the appearance of being hot-headed, while like Rooster, Snake possesses a passion that runs deep.
❤️ Best Match: Snake and Ox
Who ever pictured these two together? Ox is apparent in their diligent tenacity, while Snake is inscrutable in their cautious mystery. But in fact, they share values that reassure their partner of a stable partnership.
This couple will quietly build a safe nest together. They won’t be much heard of until they emerge having hit the important milestones in life. That’s the nature of both their personalities and their love.
❤️ Best Match: Snake and Monkey
Both Snake and Monkey are known for their intelligence, although Monkey’s quicker and cleverer, while Snake is more analytical. They will recognize the quality of the other’s intellect, fostering respect before the emergence of love.
The division of labor within this union will be natural—Monkey is much more outgoing, while Snake prefers to be behind the scenes despite their innate charm. Together, they’ll represent an integrated union built on solid ground.
Worst Matches: Pig, Tiger
Snake and Pig: Quarreling will be the least of this couple’s problems, as being together means that they somehow always find themselves in accidents or wounding each other. Either way, someone’s going to get hurt until they split!
Snake and Pig never seem to hear each other’s real concerns and always find the other person incomprehensible. They want different things, so it’ll take something of a miracle for these two zodiacs to find happiness together.
Snake and Tiger: Despite both partners’ charms, these two find each other annoying when they spend any amount of time together since they aspire to such different lifestyles that they’ll find the other person’s dreams vain and useless.
Tiger’s cocky, while Snake can’t show their authentic self in this relationship, which will quickly lead to disputes as if they are not even speaking the same language. Why drag yourselves through this relationship muck?
Careers Fit for the Chinese Zodiac Snake
Snakes seem to be blessed with extra talent and fortune in their career. They’ll usually have help from higher-ups and unexpected opportunities for success and excel with unique style and elegance in their professional pursuits.
On the other hand, Snakes are impatient, preferring to rely on their own internal compass. Careers that require team players or thankless dedication over a long period of time will inevitably be stifling for them.
Snakes are born creative, and any career path that requires elegance and grace is likely to go well. Indeed, many Snakes become celebrities, although they’re just as likely to end up in notoriety and infamy.
Best careers for Snakes
Investment Advisor
Artist
Stylist
Social Media Influencer
Psychologist
Worst careers for Snakes
Attorney
Police
Researcher
Doctor
Analyst
Health and Lifestyle Advice for Snakes
Snakes are generally fortunate in life, whether it be love, wealth, or career, but health is one area that may trouble them throughout the years. Thankfully, it’s mostly minor ailments that won’t affect Snake’s longevity.
This may have something to do with Snake’s naturally delicate constitution or their propensity to stay sedentary inside, often reading, writing, or creating art. In any case, try to mix some activity into your day.
Snake and the 12 Zodiac Animals (Origin Story)
Snake isn’t usually anyone’s favorite animal, but it’s known as “little dragon” in Chinese culture and honored as a zodiac. There’s an origin story from China for the 12 animals explaining how that came to be.
The story tells how the Jade Emperor, in order to select these 12 honored animals, held a race across a celestial river. Snake was inconspicuous, as everyone’s attention was on the stronger and faster animals.
Once the race started, however, Snake swam quickly with the aid of the currents of the river without being seen and caught all the animals it surpassed by surprise when it slithered across the finish line, notching 6th place amongst the animals.
Famous People Born in the Year of the Snake
Snake is often admired and imitated for their natural beauty and elegance, making them effortless style icons, celebrities, trendsetters, and influencers.
Pierce Brosnan: May 16, 1953, Water Snake
Kanye West: June 8, 1977, Fire Snake
J.K. Rowling: July 31, 1965, Wood Snake
Taylor Swift: December 13, 1989, Earth Snake
Billie Eilish: December 18, 2001, Metal Snake
Vivienne Westwood, April 8, 1941, Metal Snake
Bob Dylan, May 24, 1941, Metal Snake
John F. Kennedy, May 29, 1917, Fire Snake