1981 Birth Year — Zodiac Rooster, Sexagenary 신유
Everything about being born in 1981: exact age, Korean age, zodiac, sexagenary cycle, school entry years, retirement milestones, and pension start year.
How old is someone born in 1981?
Zodiac & Sexagenary year
Zodiac animal
Rooster
Sexagenary cycle신유(辛酉)
Element금(金)
Symbolic color백색
Generation
Millennials (Gen Y)
School grade-by-grade age chart
Elementary school
| Grade | Year | Korean age |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 1988 | 8 |
| Grade 2 | 1989 | 9 |
| Grade 3 | 1990 | 10 |
| Grade 4 | 1991 | 11 |
| Grade 5 | 1992 | 12 |
| Grade 6 | 1993 | 13 |
| Graduation | 1994 | 14 |
Middle school
| Grade | Year | Korean age |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 1994 | 14 |
| Grade 2 | 1995 | 15 |
| Grade 3 | 1996 | 16 |
| Graduation | 1997 | 17 |
High school
| Grade | Year | Korean age |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 1997 | 17 |
| Grade 2 | 1998 | 18 |
| Grade 3 | 1999 | 19 |
| Graduation | 2000 | 20 |
School entry and graduation years assume the standard Korean age 8 elementary school entry rule.
Korean age term chart
| Korean age | Year | Classical term |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1990 | Childhood (10) |
| 15 | 1995 | Jihak — dedicated to learning (15) |
| 20 | 2000 | Yakgwan — coming of age (20) |
| 30 | 2010 | Iryip — standing firm (30) |
| 40 | 2020 | Bulhok — free of doubt (40) |
| 50 | 2030 | Jimyeong — knowing destiny (50) |
| 60 | 2040 | Isun — open ear (60) |
| 61 | 2041 | Hwangap — 60th cycle completion (61) |
| 66 | 2046 | Misu (66) |
| 70 | 2050 | Gohui — rare longevity (70) |
| 77 | 2057 | Huisu (77) |
| 80 | 2060 | Sansu (80) |
| 88 | 2068 | Misu — rice age (88) |
| 90 | 2070 | Jolsu (90) |
| 99 | 2079 | Baeksu (99) |
| 100 | 2080 | Cheonsu — century (100) |
Life milestones by year
| Event | Year | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Voting age (18) | 1999 | 18 |
| Legal adult (19) | 2000 | 19 |
| Military screening (19) | 2000 | 19 |
| Age 30 | 2011 | 30 |
| Age 40 | 2021 | 40 |
| Age 50 | 2031 | 50 |
| Retirement age (60) | 2041 | 60 |
| Hwangap (60) | 2041 | 60 |
| Gohui (70) | 2051 | 70 |
| Palsun (80) | 2061 | 80 |
| Gusun (90) | 2071 | 90 |
| Centennial (100) | 2081 | 100 |
Korean National Pension start year
Per Korean law, pension starts at age 65 for people born in 1981. Expected start year: 2046.
Age trajectory around today
| Year | International age | Korean age |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 40 | 41 |
| 2022 | 41 | 42 |
| 2023 | 42 | 43 |
| 2024 | 43 | 44 |
| 2025 | 44 | 45 |
| 2026 | 45 | 46 |
| 2027 | 46 | 47 |
| 2028 | 47 | 48 |
| 2029 | 48 | 49 |
| 2030 | 49 | 50 |
| 2031 | 50 | 51 |
Same-zodiac years (every 12 years)
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About this page
This page summarizes computed age, zodiac, and milestone information for people born in 1981. All numbers update automatically each year.