Chinese Zodiac: 12 Animals, Birth Years and Traditions
The Chinese zodiac repeats a sequence of twelve animals. In the common Lunar New Year convention, the animal year changes at the start of the lunar year, rather than on 1 January. A person born in January or early February should check the exact date before choosing an animal.
The twelve animals in order
| Order | Animal | Example Gregorian years containing its Lunar New Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rat | 2008, 2020 |
| 2 | Ox | 2009, 2021 |
| 3 | Tiger | 2010, 2022 |
| 4 | Rabbit | 2011, 2023 |
| 5 | Dragon | 2012, 2024 |
| 6 | Snake | 2013, 2025 |
| 7 | Horse | 2014, 2026 |
| 8 | Goat | 2015, 2027 |
| 9 | Monkey | 2016, 2028 |
| 10 | Rooster | 2017, 2029 |
| 11 | Dog | 2018, 2030 |
| 12 | Pig | 2019, 2031 |
How to check a birth year
Use the table to find a likely animal, then compare the birthday with Lunar New Year in that year. The examples identify the Gregorian year in which the animal year begins; they do not assign the animal to every date from January to December. Some astrological traditions use a solar-term boundary instead, so state which convention you are using.
2026 and 2027 boundaries
Under the Lunar New Year convention, the Year of the Horse begins on 17 February 2026. The Year of the Goat begins on 6 February 2027. A birthday earlier than the relevant boundary belongs to the previous lunar animal year. “Goat”, “sheep” and “ram” are alternative English renderings associated with the same position in the cycle.
Culture, gifts and festival decorations
Animal designs appear in paper cuttings, gifts, greetings and festival displays. Personality and compatibility stories are cultural beliefs, rather than a way to establish a person’s character or predict an outcome. Ask what a design means in its local setting instead of treating every symbol as a rule shared by all families.
Explore related traditions
Sources and further reading
Vayora Travel editorial team · Updated 18 October 2026