Chinese Zodiac Signs by Year: Find Your Animal

The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle of animal signs: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Your sign comes from your birth year, but the year starts at Lunar New Year, not January 1. Each animal is also paired with one of five elements. 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, which began on February 17.

What is my Chinese zodiac sign?

Find your birth year below. The cycle repeats every 12 years and traditionally begins with the Rat.

  1. Rat: 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
  2. Ox: 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
  3. Tiger: 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
  4. Rabbit: 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
  5. Dragon: 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
  6. Snake: 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
  7. Horse: 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
  8. Goat: 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
  9. Monkey: 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
  10. Rooster: 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
  11. Dog: 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
  12. Pig: 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031

What if I was born in January or February?

Check the exact date. The zodiac year usually starts at Chinese New Year, which falls in late January or February, so an early-year birthday can belong to the previous year's animal. For example, the Year of the Snake ran from January 29, 2025 to February 16, 2026, so someone born on February 1, 2026 is a Snake, not a Horse. Some astrologers instead start the year at Lichun, the start of spring, around February 4.

What are the five elements?

Each year also has one of five elements, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water, and a yin or yang force. Combining the 12 animals with these gives a 60-year cycle, so the same animal and element only come around together once every 60 years.

Which Chinese zodiac signs are compatible?

Practitioners use the signs for guidance on love and marriage. The best-known matches are the four trines, called San He, groups of three animals four years apart:

The traditional worst matches, called Liu Chong, are animals six years apart, such as Rat and Horse, or Ox and Goat.

Why is the Rat first?

In the folktale of the Great Race, the Jade Emperor named the years after animals in the order they reached him across a river. The Rat rode on the Ox's back and jumped ahead at the finish to take first place. In the story the Rat also pushed the Cat into the water, which is why there's no Year of the Cat.

How is it different from my Western sign?

Your Western zodiac sign comes from where the Sun was on your birthday, so it changes about once a month. Your Chinese sign comes from your birth year. They're separate systems, so you have one of each. Like Western astrology, the Chinese zodiac is best enjoyed as a tradition and a prompt for reflection; scientific testing hasn't found evidence that astrological signs shape personality.

How can Kosmic Guide help?

Kosmic Guide uses your birthplace and birth time to personalize your readings, alongside daily horoscopes, tarot and courses.

Frequently asked questions

What Chinese zodiac year is 2026?

2026 is the Year of the Horse, a Yang Fire Horse year, which began on February 17, 2026 and runs until February 5, 2027.

What is the order of the Chinese zodiac?

Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The cycle then repeats.

How do I know my Chinese zodiac element?

Your element comes from your birth year in the 60-year cycle, which pairs each animal with Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water. If you were born in January or February, check whether your birthday fell before Chinese New Year.

Which Chinese zodiac signs are most compatible?

Traditionally, animals in the same trine: Rat, Dragon and Monkey; Ox, Snake and Rooster; Tiger, Horse and Dog; and Rabbit, Goat and Pig.

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