The Chinese zodiac assigns one of 12 animals to each year in a repeating cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. 2026 is the Year of the Horse, starting on February 17, 2026, and 2027 is the Year of the Goat, starting on February 6, 2027. Find your birth year below. If you were born in January or February, read the note under the table first.
Chinese zodiac years chart
| Animal | Birth years |
|---|---|
| Rat | 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 |
| Ox | 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 |
| Tiger | 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 |
| Rabbit | 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 |
| Dragon | 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 |
| Snake | 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 |
| Horse | 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 |
| Goat (Sheep) | 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 |
| Monkey | 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 |
| Rooster | 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 |
| Dog | 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 |
| Pig | 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 |
Born in January or February? Check the date
The zodiac year doesn't start on January 1. It starts on Chinese New Year (the Lunar New Year), which falls between January 21 and February 20. If your birthday is before Chinese New Year, you belong to the previous year's animal.
| Year | Chinese New Year | Animal from that date |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | February 19 | Goat |
| 2016 | February 8 | Monkey |
| 2017 | January 28 | Rooster |
| 2018 | February 16 | Dog |
| 2019 | February 5 | Pig |
| 2020 | January 25 | Rat |
| 2021 | February 12 | Ox |
| 2022 | February 1 | Tiger |
| 2023 | January 22 | Rabbit |
| 2024 | February 10 | Dragon |
| 2025 | January 29 | Snake |
| 2026 | February 17 | Horse |
| 2027 | February 6 | Goat |
| 2028 | January 26 | Monkey |
Example: someone born on February 1, 2026 was born before Chinese New Year (February 17), so their sign is the Snake (2025), not the Horse. Count down to the next one with days until Chinese New Year.
Some astrologers use a different boundary, Lichun (the start of spring, around February 4), instead of the New Year. For everyday purposes, the New Year date is the most widely used.
The five elements: a 60-year cycle
Each year also has one of five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Each element lasts two consecutive years, and combined with the 12 animals, they form a 60-year cycle. A quick way to find the element is the last digit of the (Lunar) year:
| Last digit of year | Element |
|---|---|
| 0 or 1 | Metal |
| 2 or 3 | Water |
| 4 or 5 | Wood |
| 6 or 7 | Fire |
| 8 or 9 | Earth |
So 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, and 2027 is the Fire Goat. The previous Fire Horse year was 1966, and the next will be 2086. Reaching your 60th birthday in the same animal-and-element year you were born is a significant milestone in Chinese culture.
The legend of the Great Race
A popular folk tale explains the order of the animals: the Jade Emperor held a race across a river, and the animals' finishing positions decided their places. The clever Rat rode on the Ox's back and jumped ahead at the finish, the Ox came second, and the Pig, which stopped to eat and nap, came last. The Cat, the story goes, was tricked by the Rat into missing the race, which is why cats and rats are enemies. In Vietnam's version of the zodiac, the Cat takes the place of the Rabbit.
What the zodiac is (and isn't)
The zodiac animals are a cultural tradition used in festivals, art, gift-giving and fun personality descriptions, such as the "ambitious" Dragon and the "loyal" Dog. There's no scientific evidence that a birth year shapes personality or fortunes, but the cycle is a meaningful part of Lunar New Year celebrations for hundreds of millions of people, including many communities across the US.
The cycle is tied to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which is why the New Year moves each year. Learn more in lunar and lunisolar holidays explained.
How old are you in zodiac cycles? Every 12 years you return to your animal sign. Find your exact age with the age calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Chinese zodiac for 2026?
The Horse, specifically the Fire Horse, from February 17, 2026 to February 5, 2027.
What animal is 2027?
The Goat (also called the Sheep or Ram), starting February 6, 2027.
What is my Chinese zodiac sign if I was born in 1990?
The Horse, unless you were born before January 27, 1990 (Chinese New Year that year), in which case it's the Snake.
How often does my zodiac year come back?
Every 12 years. Your exact animal-and-element combination returns every 60 years.