---
title: "1983 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Water Pig (癸亥), 13 Feb 1983 to 1 Feb 1984 | Mandarin The Wild"
description: "1983 is the Year of the Water Pig, 猪 zhū: from Chinese New Year on 13 February 1983 to 1 February 1984, so a birthday before 13 February 1983 is a Dog. What Water means, and how to say it in Chinese: 我属猪."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/1983"
published: "2026-10-15"
updated: "2026-10-26"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

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

# 1983: Year of the Water Pig

1983 is the Year of the Pig, 猪 zhū, a Water year. It starts at Chinese New Year on 13 February 1983 and runs to 1 February 1984. Born from 1 January to 12 February 1983? You are a [Dog, 1982](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac/1982).

猪

zhū

Water Pig

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

**Element**
水 shuǐ Water, yin

**Cycle name**
癸亥年 guǐ hài nián

**Starts**
13 February 1983

**Ends**
1 February 1984

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

**Age**
Born in 1983? You turn 43 in 2026.

[Save or share this card](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac?d=1983-06-15) from the zodiac finder.

## Say 1983 in Chinese

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

- 一九八三年 yī jiǔ bā sān nián 1983
- 癸亥年 guǐ hài nián the 癸亥 year, its name in the sixty-year cycle
- 我是一九八三年出生的 wǒ shì yī jiǔ bā sān nián chū shēng de I was born in 1983.
- 我属猪 wǒ shǔ zhū I'm a Pig.
- 水猪 shuǐ zhū Water Pig

## What Water means

水Water is calm and finds a way around anything. People born in a Water year are said to be wise and adaptable, good listeners who read a room.

**Season**
冬 dōng winter

**Direction**
北 běi north

**Colour**
黑 hēi black

### Words for a Water Pig

- 善良 shànliáng kind-hearted
- 聪明 cōngming clever
- 灵活 línghuó adaptable

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 1983?

1983 is the Year of the Pig, 猪 (zhū), from Chinese New Year on 13 February 1983 to 1 February 1984. Its element is Water, so people born in it are Water Pigs.

### What if I was born in January or early February 1983?

The zodiac year starts at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. Born from 1 January to 12 February 1983? You belong to 1982, the Year of the Water Dog.

### What element is 1983 in the Chinese zodiac?

Water, 水 (shuǐ). 1983 is 癸亥 (guǐ hài) in the sixty-year cycle, a yin Water year; the Water Pig comes round once every sixty years.

### How do you say 1983 in Chinese?

Read the digits one by one and add 年 (nián, year): 一九八三年 (yī jiǔ bā sān nián). “I was born in 1983” is 我是一九八三年出生的 (wǒ shì yī jiǔ bā sān nián chū shēng de), and “I'm a Pig” is 我属猪 (wǒ shǔ zhū).