1990 is a Metal Horse year
Born in 1990? Your shared year color is Metal and your animal is the Horse — a Metal Horse. Here is what that mix is like, who it clicks with, and how to find your own element.
Find my own element — freeWhy 1990 is a Metal Horse year
Metal is the element of strength and clarity. In Chinese tradition it belongs to autumn, the season of harvest and letting go.
| Year | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Stem & branch | 庚午 |
| Year element | Metal (金) |
| Animal | Horse (马) |
| Yin / Yang | Yang |
The year starts at Lichun (around February 3–4), not January 1 — so if you were born in January or early February, check whether Lichun had passed.
What a Metal Horse is like
Metal people are clear, firm and organized. They know right from wrong and keep their word. They like high standards and clean lines. They can seem cool on the outside but care deeply.
Horse people need movement. They are warm, energetic and honest to a fault, and they wilt in jobs that keep them in one chair.
Strengths
- Honest and fair
- Organized and focused
- Strong willpower
- Make clear decisions
- Free, fast, hates being fenced in.
Watch-outs
- Too strict with themselves and others
- Find it hard to show feelings
- Can be rigid about rules
Metal Horse in love
Metal people love seriously and keep their promises. They need a partner who is honest — and who gently helps them open up.
They love adventure shared more than comfort offered.
Metal Horse at work
They do well where standards matter: law, engineering, tech, finance, quality control and any job with clear rules.
Good on the road — sales, travel, sport, field work, anything with change built in.
Who gets along with a Metal Horse
By the traditional groups, Horse clicks easiest with Tiger, Goat, Dog, and tends to butt heads with Rat. Treat this as a hint about how you argue and make up — not a verdict.
On the element side: Earth feeds Metal, and Metal feeds Water. Earth people tend to feel supportive to you; Water is who you naturally look after.
Metal Horse lucky colors, numbers & direction
| Lucky colors | white and gold |
|---|---|
| Lucky numbers | 4, 9 |
| Direction | west |
| Season | autumn |
Other Metal Horse years
The Metal element repeats every 10 years and the Horse every 12 — a Metal Horse comes around only once every 60 years.
All Metal years: 1930 · 1990
Your year element vs. your personal element
Your year element is shared by everyone born that year — think of it as your generation's color. In the Chinese tradition, the element that describes you personally comes from the day you were born. Two people born in the same year can have totally different personal elements. Want yours? Enter your birthday below.
Born in 1990? See your own element
Free, about a minute, no sign-up. The year is just the base color — your actual birth day makes it personal.
1990 Chinese zodiac element FAQ
What element is 1990?
1990 is a Metal year: heavenly stem 庚, earthly branch 午 (the Horse). So everyone born in 1990 shares the Metal Horse base. The year starts at Lunar New Year / Lichun, not January 1.
What is a Metal Horse like?
Metal people are clear, firm and organized. They know right from wrong and keep their word. They like high standards and clean lines. They can seem cool on the outside but care deeply. On top of that, the Horse layer adds: Horse people need movement. They are warm, energetic and honest to a fault, and they wilt in jobs that keep them in one chair.
I was born in January 1990 — am I still a Metal Horse?
Maybe not. Both the animal and the year element traditionally start at Lichun (around February 3–4). If you were born before that, you belong to the previous year.
Is my year element the same as my personal element?
No. Your year element is shared by everyone born that year. The element that describes you personally comes from the day you were born — two people born in the same year can have completely different personal elements. You can check yours free at the bottom of this page.