Chinese Zodiac Signs
The Chinese zodiac has 12 animal signs: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
Each animal repeats every 12 years and is also combined with one of the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.
The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals
This is the complete list of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals in order. Each card shows recent birth years, main traits, and best matches; open a sign for the full reading of that animal sign.
1.๐ Rat
้ผ้ผ ยท Shว
- Years
- 2032, 2020, 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972
- Traits
- Quick, Resourceful, Witty
- Best Matches
- Monkey, Dragon, Ox
2.๐ Ox
็็ ยท Niรบ
- Years
- 2033, 2021, 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973
- Traits
- Steady, Reliable, Patient
- Best Matches
- Snake, Rooster, Rat
3.๐ Tiger
่่ ยท Hว
- Years
- 2034, 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974
- Traits
- Bold, Competitive, Protective
- Best Matches
- Horse, Dog, Pig
4.๐ Rabbit
ๅ ๅ ยท Tรน
- Years
- 2035, 2023, 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975
- Traits
- Gentle, Diplomatic, Tasteful
- Best Matches
- Pig, Goat, Dog
5.๐ Dragon
้พ้พ ยท Lรณng
- Years
- 2036, 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976
- Traits
- Confident, Ambitious, Energetic
- Best Matches
- Monkey, Rat, Rooster
6.๐ Snake
่่ ยท Shรฉ
- Years
- 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965
- Traits
- Perceptive, Elegant, Strategic
- Best Matches
- Rooster, Ox, Monkey
7.๐ด Horse
้ฉฌ้ฉฌ ยท Mว
- Years
- 2026, 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966
- Traits
- Free-spirited, Active, Candid
- Best Matches
- Tiger, Dog, Goat
8.๐ Goat
็พ็พ ยท Yรกng
- Years
- 2027, 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967
- Traits
- Gentle, Creative, Empathetic
- Best Matches
- Pig, Rabbit, Horse
9.๐ Monkey
็ด็ด ยท Hรณu
- Years
- 2028, 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968
- Traits
- Clever, Curious, Playful
- Best Matches
- Rat, Dragon, Snake
10.๐ Rooster
้ธก้ธก ยท Jฤซ
- Years
- 2029, 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969
- Traits
- Precise, Observant, Forthright
- Best Matches
- Snake, Ox, Dragon
11.๐ Dog
็็ ยท Gวu
- Years
- 2030, 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970
- Traits
- Loyal, Fair, Protective
- Best Matches
- Tiger, Horse, Rabbit
12.๐ Pig
็ช็ช ยท Zhลซ
- Years
- 2031, 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971
- Traits
- Generous, Easygoing, Sincere
- Best Matches
- Rabbit, Goat, Tiger
Chinese Zodiac Signs Chart
The chart lines up all 12 signs with their Chinese names, recent years, main traits, and best matches. For the complete 1924โ2036 chart with Lunar New Year dates, see the Chinese Zodiac Years Chart.
| Animal | Chinese | Recent Years | Main Traits | Best Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ Rat | ้ผ Shว | 2032, 2020, 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972 | Quick, Resourceful | Monkey, Dragon, Ox |
| ๐ Ox | ็ Niรบ | 2033, 2021, 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973 | Steady, Reliable | Snake, Rooster, Rat |
| ๐ Tiger | ่ Hว | 2034, 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974 | Bold, Competitive | Horse, Dog, Pig |
| ๐ Rabbit | ๅ Tรน | 2035, 2023, 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975 | Gentle, Diplomatic | Pig, Goat, Dog |
| ๐ Dragon | ้พ Lรณng | 2036, 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976 | Confident, Ambitious | Monkey, Rat, Rooster |
| ๐ Snake | ่ Shรฉ | 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965 | Perceptive, Elegant | Rooster, Ox, Monkey |
| ๐ด Horse | ้ฉฌ Mว | 2026, 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966 | Free-spirited, Active | Tiger, Dog, Goat |
| ๐ Goat | ็พ Yรกng | 2027, 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967 | Gentle, Creative | Pig, Rabbit, Horse |
| ๐ Monkey | ็ด Hรณu | 2028, 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968 | Clever, Curious | Rat, Dragon, Snake |
| ๐ Rooster | ้ธก Jฤซ | 2029, 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969 | Precise, Observant | Snake, Ox, Dragon |
| ๐ Dog | ็ Gวu | 2030, 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970 | Loyal, Fair | Tiger, Horse, Rabbit |
| ๐ Pig | ็ช Zhลซ | 2031, 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971 | Generous, Easygoing | Rabbit, Goat, Tiger |
Recent years follow the Western calendar. If you were born in January or early February, your sign may belong to the previous lunar year โ a January 2024 birthday is a Rabbit, not a Dragon. Every exact Lunar New Year date is listed on the Chinese Zodiac Years Chart โ
Chinese Zodiac Signs by Year
The last 12 years make one full zodiac cycle. Each animalโs year starts at Lunar New Year, so January and early February birthdays belong to the previous animal.
What Is My Chinese Zodiac Sign?
Your Chinese zodiac sign is based on your birth date, but the Chinese zodiac year does not begin on January 1.
If you were born in January or February, your sign may belong to the previous Chinese zodiac year, because the cycle follows Lunar New Year rather than the Western calendar.
Your Chinese zodiac sign and element come as a pair: every animal year also carries one of the five elements, making a full sign such as Metal Dragon or Wood Snake. The calculator above shows your animal; the Chinese Zodiac Calculator adds your element and Yin or Yang.
Chinese Zodiac Sign Meanings
Short summaries of the traditional meaning of each sign; the full personality, love, and career readings are on each sign page.
๐ Rat ้ผ ยท Shว
The Rat is traditionally associated with intelligence, adaptability, and resourcefulness. First in the Chinese zodiac cycle, the Rat is the quick thinker of the twelve animals โ the one who notices the opening everyone else missed. Rats are said to be sharp with money, quick with words, and skilled at turning small opportunities into something bigger. Their challenge is restlessness: a busy mind that worries when it is not building.
๐ Ox ็ ยท Niรบ
The Ox is associated with patience, reliability, and steady determination. Second in the cycle, the Ox is the builder โ the sign that would rather do the work than talk about it. Ox people are known for keeping promises, carrying heavy loads without complaint, and finishing what others abandon. Their methodical pace is a real strength, though the same stubbornness can make change slow. Across the zodiac, the Ox earns respect through consistency.
๐ Tiger ่ ยท Hว
The Tiger is the sign of courage, independence, and magnetic confidence. Third in the Chinese zodiac, Tigers are natural competitors who would rather lead than follow. They bring energy and protectiveness to everything they join, and they are happiest with a real challenge in front of them. The flip side is impatience: Tigers want progress now, and boredom drains them faster than difficulty ever could.
๐ Rabbit ๅ ยท Tรน
The Rabbit stands for gentleness, diplomacy, and quiet good taste. Fourth in the cycle, Rabbits prefer to win through timing and tact rather than force. They are careful listeners who keep the peace without giving up their own position, which is why traditional charts call them lucky in social situations. Their caution is real, though: Rabbits avoid hard conversations, and left alone, that habit can turn small problems into large ones.
๐ Dragon ้พ ยท Lรณng
The Dragon is the only mythical animal in the Chinese zodiac, and the most desired. Dragons are associated with confidence, ambition, and charisma โ a larger-than-life energy that rallies rooms and chases big goals. In Chinese culture, the Dragon year produces more births than any other. The Dragon's weakness is pride: high standards and impatience with details can make asking for help feel impossible.
๐ Snake ่ ยท Shรฉ
The Snake is the strategist of the twelve animals, associated with perception, elegance, and quiet intensity. Snakes watch first and speak second, gathering information until the right moment arrives. They value privacy, think in long horizons, and rarely show their whole hand. Suspicion is their shadow side โ a Snake who cannot read a person assumes the worst, and trust, once broken, is not easily restored.
๐ด Horse ้ฉฌ ยท Mว
The Horse represents freedom, energy, and candor. Horses need movement โ travel, projects, people, momentum โ and they are famously allergic to being fenced in, whether by a job, a city, or a relationship. Warm and persuasive, they rally others quickly and say what they think. That honesty sometimes arrives without a filter. Give a Horse room to run, and their optimism and loyalty come back doubled.
๐ Goat ็พ ยท Yรกng
The Goat โ also called the Sheep or Ram โ is the artist of the Chinese zodiac, associated with creativity, empathy, and gentleness. Goats are sensitive to atmosphere: they create comfort for other people and need some of that comfort themselves. Their imagination and kindness run deep, but under pressure they tend to worry and delay hard decisions. Given security and beauty, a Goat's creative intelligence is hard to match.
๐ Monkey ็ด ยท Hรณu
The Monkey is the clever inventor of the cycle, associated with curiosity, playfulness, and adaptability. Monkeys learn fast, improvise faster, and enjoy being underestimated. They can talk their way into a room and then genuinely figure out how the room works. The risk is distraction: scattered across too many experiments, a Monkey's talent produces more beginnings than finishes. Solving the puzzle is never the problem โ choosing which puzzle to stay with is.
๐ Rooster ้ธก ยท Jฤซ
The Rooster is the observer and the craftsman, associated with precision, honesty, and high standards. Roosters notice what is out of place and feel responsible for fixing it โ in work, in style, in other people. They are organized, direct, and proud of doing things properly. The same sharp eye can turn critical, and a Rooster's advice lands best when the delivery is softened.
๐ Dog ็ ยท Gวu
The Dog is the guardian of the zodiac, associated with loyalty, fairness, and sincerity. Dogs pick a side and stay there; they remember who was kind and who was not. They are the sign people trust with what matters, because a Dog's word tends to hold. Their watchful nature has a cost โ worry sits under the loyalty, especially about the people they love.
๐ Pig ็ช ยท Zhลซ
The Pig closes the Chinese zodiac cycle and stands for generosity, sincerity, and enjoyment of life. Pigs are straightforward and warm, with a real appetite for good food, good company, and honest work. Their trusting nature is genuine, which sometimes makes them easy to take advantage of. Treat people well, the tradition says, and that is where the Pig's famous luck comes from.
Chinese Zodiac Signs and the Five Elements
The Chinese zodiac combines each animal sign with one of five elements. Together, the 12 animals and 5 elements form a repeating 60-year cycle โ so the same animal returns with a different element each time.
ๆจ
Wood
็ซ
Fire
ๅ
Earth
้
Metal
ๆฐด
Water
The Dragon shows the cycle clearly โ every Dragon year carries a different element:
- 1964 โ Wood Dragon
- 1976 โ Fire Dragon
- 1988 โ Earth Dragon
- 2000 โ Metal Dragon
- 2012 โ Water Dragon
- 2024 โ Wood Dragon
Chinese Zodiac Sign Compatibility
Classic best matches for each sign โ a starting point for love and friendship, not a verdict.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 12 Chinese zodiac signs?+
The 12 Chinese zodiac signs are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each animal rules one lunar year and the full list repeats every 12 years.
What are the Chinese zodiac animals in order?+
In order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. The order comes from the traditional race story in which the Jade Emperor named each year after the animals in the sequence they finished.
How do I find my Chinese zodiac sign?+
Your sign comes from your exact birth date, not just your birth year. The Chinese zodiac year begins at Lunar New Year, usually in late January or February, so check whether your birthday falls before or after that date. Use the Chinese Zodiac Calculator
What Chinese zodiac sign am I?+
That depends on the lunar year that contains your birthday. Enter your month, day, and year in the calculator and it reads your animal, element, and Yin or Yang directly from the Chinese calendar. Find your Chinese zodiac sign
Do Chinese zodiac signs change on January 1?+
No. Chinese zodiac signs change at Lunar New Year, not on January 1. If you were born in January or early February, your sign usually belongs to the previous zodiac year โ the most common mistake in year-only charts. See every boundary date on the Chinese Zodiac Years Chart
What are the five Chinese zodiac elements?+
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each of the 12 animals combines with one element per year, producing full signs such as Wood Dragon or Metal Monkey. The animal repeats every 12 years; the animal-and-element pair repeats every 60 years. Chinese Zodiac Element Calculator
Which Chinese zodiac signs are most compatible?+
Traditional charts highlight the San He (Three Harmonies) trios โ Rat, Dragon, Monkey; Tiger, Horse, Dog; Snake, Rooster, Ox; and Pig, Rabbit, Goat โ plus the six Liu He pairs such as Rat and Ox. Chinese Zodiac Compatibility Calculator
Keep Exploring
- Chinese Zodiac Calculator โ find your animal, element, and Yin/Yang from your exact birthday.
- Chinese Zodiac Years Chart โ the full chart with exact Lunar New Year dates.
- Chinese Zodiac Element Calculator โ what your year's Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water means.
- Chinese Zodiac Compatibility Calculator โ compare two signs for love, friendship, or family.