The Chinese zodiac has twelve animal signs — Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig — and your sign is decided by the year you were born, not by the month. Each sign returns every twelve years, so a person born in 1996 and a person born in 2008 share the same animal, twelve years apart. The system is more than two thousand years old, and it is still used across East and Southeast Asia to mark the new year, to choose wedding dates, and to talk about personality.

The Chinese zodiac is a lunar system, which means the new year does not fall on January 1. The Chinese New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, usually between late January and mid-February. That matters for finding your sign: a person born in January or early February may belong to the previous year's animal, depending on whether the new year had begun. If you were born near the boundary, check the date of the Chinese New Year for your birth year before deciding.

The twelve animals in order

The animals run in a fixed order, and the order has a story. In the best-known legend, the Jade Emperor invited the animals to a race, and the order in which they arrived at the finish became the order of the zodiac. The Rat arrived first, by riding on the Ox's back and jumping ahead at the last moment. The Ox came second, the Tiger third, the Rabbit fourth, the Dragon fifth, the Snake sixth, the Horse seventh, the Goat eighth, the Monkey ninth, the Rooster tenth, the Dog eleventh, and the Pig twelfth, arriving last because it had stopped for a meal and a nap along the way.

Here is the list, with the years each animal most recently covered. Remember that the year begins at the Chinese New Year, not on January 1, so a January birthday may belong to the previous animal.

  • Rat — 2020, 2008, 1996, 1984. Clever, quick, resourceful.
  • Ox — 2021, 2009, 1997, 1985. Patient, honest, hard-working.
  • Tiger — 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986. Brave, confident, passionate.
  • Rabbit — 2023, 2011, 1999, 1987. Gentle, kind, thoughtful.
  • Dragon — 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988. Bold, lucky, full of energy.
  • Snake — 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989. Wise, calm, intuitive.
  • Horse — 2026, 2014, 2002, 1990. Free, energetic, independent.
  • Goat — 2027, 2015, 2003, 1991. Gentle, creative, caring.
  • Monkey — 2028, 2016, 2004, 1992. Clever, playful, quick-witted.
  • Rooster — 2029, 2017, 2005, 1993. Honest, observant, proud.
  • Dog — 2030, 2018, 2006, 1994. Loyal, honest, protective.
  • Pig — 2031, 2019, 2007, 1995. Generous, kind, easy-going.

The year 2026 is the Year of the Horse, and 2027 will be the Year of the Goat. The Chinese zodiac calculator finds your animal from your birth date, taking the lunar new year into account.

The five elements

Each animal sign is paired with one of five elements — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water — and the element changes with each cycle, so the full cycle takes sixty years. A person born in a Fire Horse year and a person born in a Water Horse year share the Horse's traits, but the element adds a flavour: Fire Horses are traditionally read as more passionate and restless, Water Horses as more adaptable and calm. The element cycle is the reason the Chinese zodiac is sometimes called a sixty-year cycle, and it is why two people with the same animal can feel quite different.

The elements are also linked with each other in a cycle of creation and control: Wood feeds Fire, Fire creates Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal collects Water, Water nourishes Wood. These are old philosophical ideas, part of the same tradition that gives us yin and yang, and they are used to describe how the signs interact — which animals are thought to get along, and which need more understanding.

Each animal in brief

The Rat is the first sign, and it is traditionally read as clever and resourceful — a survivor, quick to spot an opportunity and quick to adapt. The Ox is the second, and it is read as patient and reliable, the sign that does the slow work and does it well. The Tiger is bold and confident, a natural leader who is not afraid of a challenge. The Rabbit is gentle and thoughtful, a peacemaker who prefers kindness to conflict.

The Dragon is the most celebrated sign, the only mythical animal in the zodiac, and it is read as bold, lucky and full of energy. The Snake is wise and calm, intuitive and private, the sign that thinks before it acts. The Horse is free and energetic, independent and honest, the sign that needs room to run. The Goat is gentle and creative, caring and artistic, the sign that makes a home beautiful.

The Monkey is clever and playful, quick-witted and curious, the sign that solves problems others cannot. The Rooster is honest and observant, proud and precise, the sign that notices what others miss. The Dog is loyal and protective, honest and kind, the sign that stands by its people. The Pig is generous and easy-going, kind and sincere, the sign that enjoys life's pleasures without pretence. These are traditional descriptions, not facts, and they are best used as a language for reflection — a way of talking about personality, not a verdict on it.

Compatibility between the animals

The Chinese zodiac has its own compatibility system, based on groups of three animals called trines. The first trine is Rat, Dragon and Monkey — clever, energetic and ambitious. The second is Ox, Snake and Rooster — patient, careful and precise. The third is Tiger, Horse and Dog — brave, loyal and free. The fourth is Rabbit, Goat and Pig — gentle, kind and caring. Animals in the same trine are traditionally thought to get along well, and animals in opposing positions — Rat and Horse, Ox and Goat, Tiger and Monkey, Rabbit and Rooster, Dragon and Dog, Snake and Pig — are thought to need more understanding.

These are traditions, not predictions. A pairing that looks difficult on paper can work well in real life, and a pairing that looks easy can still fail if the people in it stop listening to each other. The Chinese zodiac is a language for talking about differences, and it is at its best when it prompts a real conversation about them.

Chinese zodiac and Western astrology

The Chinese zodiac and the Western zodiac are different systems, and they can be used together. A person born in March might be a Pisces in the Western system and a Horse in the Chinese system, and the two descriptions can be read side by side: Pisces for the month of birth, Horse for the year. Many people find that the combination is richer than either one alone, because the Western system describes the season of birth and the Chinese system describes the year.

The two systems share a purpose: they give people a language for talking about personality, and a way of marking time. The Western zodiac divides the year into twelve signs. The Chinese zodiac divides the years into twelve animals. Together, they make a calendar of a whole life, and that is why they have both survived for so long.

Frequently asked questions

What is my Chinese zodiac sign?

Your Chinese zodiac sign is decided by the year you were born. Find your birth year in the list above, or use the Chinese zodiac calculator. If you were born in January or early February, check whether the Chinese New Year had begun in your birth year.

How is the Chinese zodiac different from the Western zodiac?

The Western zodiac is based on the month of birth, with twelve signs through the year. The Chinese zodiac is based on the year of birth, with twelve animals that repeat every twelve years. The two systems can be used together.

What animal is 2026?

2026 is the Year of the Horse. The Horse is the seventh animal in the zodiac, traditionally read as free, energetic and independent. 2027 will be the Year of the Goat.

What are the five elements in the Chinese zodiac?

Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Each animal sign is paired with an element, and the element changes with each twelve-year cycle, making a full cycle of sixty years. The element adds a flavour to the animal's traits.

Which Chinese zodiac animals are most compatible?

Animals in the same trine are traditionally thought to get along well: Rat, Dragon and Monkey; Ox, Snake and Rooster; Tiger, Horse and Dog; Rabbit, Goat and Pig. Opposing animals need more understanding, but no pairing is impossible.

Where can I find my Chinese zodiac animal?

The Chinese zodiac calculator finds your animal from your birth date, taking the lunar new year into account. Western sign profiles for all twelve signs are on the horoscope hub.