---
title: "1971 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Metal Pig (辛亥), 27 Jan 1971 to 14 Feb 1972 | Mandarin The Wild"
description: "1971 is the Year of the Metal Pig, 猪 zhū: from Chinese New Year on 27 January 1971 to 14 February 1972, so a birthday before 27 January 1971 is a Dog. What Metal means, and how to say it in Chinese: 我属猪."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/1971"
published: "2026-10-15"
updated: "2026-10-26"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[Chinese zodiac](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac)

# 1971: Year of the Metal Pig

1971 is the Year of the Pig, 猪 zhū, a Metal year. It starts at Chinese New Year on 27 January 1971 and runs to 14 February 1972. Born from 1 January to 26 January 1971? You are a [Dog, 1970](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/1970).

猪

zhū

Metal Pig

**Animal**
[猪 zhū Pig](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/pig)

**Element**
金 jīn Metal, yin

**Cycle name**
辛亥年 xīn hài nián

**Starts**
27 January 1971

**Ends**
14 February 1972

**Matches**
Rabbit, Goat and Tiger; clashes with Snake

**Age**
Born in 1971? You turn 55 in 2026.

[Save or share this card](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac?d=1971-06-15) from the zodiac finder.

## Say 1971 in Chinese

A year is read digit by digit, then 年 nián: no “nineteen eighty-three”.

- 一九七一年 yī jiǔ qī yī nián 1971
- 辛亥年 xīn hài nián the 辛亥 year, its name in the sixty-year cycle
- 我是一九七一年出生的 wǒ shì yī jiǔ qī yī nián chū shēng de I was born in 1971.
- 我属猪 wǒ shǔ zhū I'm a Pig.
- 金猪 jīn zhū Metal Pig

## What Metal means

金Metal is strength and a clean edge, the harvest of autumn. People born in a Metal year are said to be determined and clear-minded, sure of what they want.

**Season**
秋 qiū autumn

**Direction**
西 xī west

**Colour**
白 bái white

### Words for a Metal Pig

- 善良 shànliáng kind-hearted
- 坚强 jiānqiáng strong-willed
- 果断 guǒduàn decisive

Each year has one of five elements, 五行 wǔ xíng, two years each, so the same animal and element meet once every sixty years. The traits are what tradition says, for fun.

## The Pig, 猪

The Pig came in last, after stopping for a meal and a nap on the way. People born in a Pig year are said to be kind-hearted, generous and easy-going: they enjoy life and trust others.

[Pig personality, matches and sayings](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/pig)

## Questions

### What Chinese zodiac animal is 1971?

1971 is the Year of the Pig, 猪 (zhū), from Chinese New Year on 27 January 1971 to 14 February 1972. Its element is Metal, so people born in it are Metal Pigs.

### What if I was born in January or early February 1971?

The zodiac year starts at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. Born from 1 January to 26 January 1971? You belong to 1970, the Year of the Metal Dog.

### What element is 1971 in the Chinese zodiac?

Metal, 金 (jīn). 1971 is 辛亥 (xīn hài) in the sixty-year cycle, a yin Metal year; the Metal Pig comes round once every sixty years.

### How do you say 1971 in Chinese?

Read the digits one by one and add 年 (nián, year): 一九七一年 (yī jiǔ qī yī nián). “I was born in 1971” is 我是一九七一年出生的 (wǒ shì yī jiǔ qī yī nián chū shēng de), and “I'm a Pig” is 我属猪 (wǒ shǔ zhū).