Find Out Your Chinese Zodiac Element and We’ll Tell You What to Watch Next

From left to right: The Witcher: Blood Origin, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, and The Post-Truth World. 
Images, courtesy of Netflix.

You’re probably familiar with the animal signs that correspond to the year you were born, but did you know that there’s another facet of Chinese astrology that is also decided by your birth year? 

In addition to the 12-year cycle of zodiac animals, each year is also associated with one of the five sacred elements in Chinese astrology — metal, water, wood, fire, and earth. To figure out which element you are, simply look at the last digit in your birth year and match it to its corresponding element: 

• If your birth year ends with 0 or 1, your element is metal 
• If your birth year ends with 2 or 3, your element is water 
• If your birth year ends with 4 or 5, your element is wood 
• If your birth year ends with 6 or 7, your element is fire
• If your birth year ends with 8 or 9, your element is earth

Based on the Five Elements Theory, a philosophy that is used to describe the relationship and interdependence between all things, all of these elements are interconnected and equally important. Each element also carries its own strengths and weaknesses, and people that belong to certain element types are believed to have distinct personality traits.

Curious to know what your zodiac element means for you? Find out more about yourself below, with the added bonus of how it can help you decide what to watch next: 

• Metal

Clockwise from top-left: Business Proposal, Emily in Paris, Lighting Up the Stars, First Love. 
Images, courtesy of Netflix. 

If you’re looking to get a job done to perfection, look no further than those born under the Metal element. Tenacious, focused, and self-reliant, they are extremely driven and derive satisfaction from a job well done. However, their high standards mean that they can be rigidly set in their ways, and may become controlling and judgemental when those standards are not met. 

As such, it is important for Metal people to take a step back and away from the walls of expectations they’ve built around themselves. It will do them some good to lighten up with rom-coms like Business Proposal, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, and Emily in Paris, or tap into their softer side with tearjerkers like First Love, More than Blue: The Series, and Lighting Up the Stars. 

• Water

Clockwise from top-left: The Witcher: Blood Origin, Alchemy of Souls, From Beijing with Love, Royal Tramp. 
Images, courtesy of Netflix. 

Those who are born under the water element are not afraid to let their creativity flow and are filled to the brim with inspiration. In terms of social relationships, they are typically introverted and prefer their own company, but are compassionate and willing to lend an ear to those who are near and dear to them. 

On the flip side, they are also sensitive and tend to keep their thoughts and emotions to themselves, so don’t be surprised if they withdraw into their own shell to decompress. In times like these, water types may recharge themselves by diving into the fantastical worlds of The Witcher: Blood Origin, and Alchemy of Souls where their imaginations can run wild, or take a break from being an empath with laugh-out-loud comedy classics from Stephen Chow such as Royal Tramp, From Beijing with Love, and Sixty Million Dollar Man. 

• Wood

Clockwise from top-left: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, The Post-Truth World, Infernal Affairs, Kaleidoscope.
Images, courtesy of Netflix. 

Like a tree, those who are born under the element are a beacon of stability and excellent strategists. Hardworking and wise beyond their years, they are eager to shoot for the stars and are always looking for ways to grow themselves.

In their quest for improvement and chasing after opportunities, however, wood types may come off as too competitive or showing disregard for others in their single-mindedness. They do enjoy a challenge that’ll keep them on their toes though, so crime mysteries like Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and The Post-Truth World, or gripping dramas like Kaleidoscope and the Infernal Affairs Trilogy may be right up their alley. 

• Fire

Clockwise from top-left: Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, Junji Ito: Japanese Tales of the Macabre, Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
Images, courtesy of Netflix. 

Chasing after thrills and adventures is the one desire of those born under the Fire element. Passionate, brave, and extremely motivated, there’s no stopping them from going after what they want after the spark is ignited. 

Fire types also burn bright in their social relationships, as they prefer to surround themselves with people and are very attached to their loved ones. Quality time with the family can be well spent with family-friendly adventures for all ages such as Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, and Slumberland, or if you find yourself bored without company, spooky picks like Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities and Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre are the only friends you need for an exciting, heart-racing night in. 

• Earth

Clockwise from top-left: RRR, Alice in Borderland, Warriors of Future, Money Heist: Korea — Joint Economic Area.
Images, courtesy of Netflix. 

Those born under the Earth element are natural problem solvers, as they keep their feet solidly on the ground and remain calm even in the most turbulent of situations. Patient and steadfastly responsible, you can always rely on them to get things done well, on time, and by the book.

Earth types, however, may lack spontaneity and a sense of adventure due to their sensible nature, so they are encouraged to dip their toes into or at the very least, get their adrenaline pumping vicariously through action-packed picks like RRR, Alice in Borderland, Money Heist: Korea — Joint Economic Area, and Warriors of Future.

We hope you learnt something new about yourself ahead of Chinese New Year! On that note, check out Malaysian paper-cutting artist Eten Teo’s artwork on Netflix’s 2023 Lunar New Year collection, now available at www.netflix.com/888.