The Chinese zodiac
The Chinese zodiac runs on a twelve-year cycle of animals tied to your birth year, not your birth month. It is a different system from the Western star signs, and here is how to find yours.
How the Chinese zodiac works
Instead of twelve monthly signs, the Chinese zodiac has twelve animals, and each rules a whole year. The cycle repeats every twelve years, so your animal is set by the year you were born. One important catch: the Chinese New Year falls in late January or February, so if you were born in January or early February, your animal may belong to the previous year. Always check the exact new-year date for your birth year.
The twelve animals
Here are the twelve animals in order, each with a recent year to anchor the cycle. Add or subtract twelve to reach other years.
Chinese versus Western zodiac
The two systems answer different questions. The Western zodiac asks what month and day you were born and gives one of twelve monthly signs. The Chinese zodiac asks what year you were born and gives one of twelve animals. Many people enjoy knowing both. For your Western sign, birthstone and birth flower, use the birth profile tool.
A note on compatibility
Chinese astrology also has its own compatibility tradition, grouping the animals into trines that get along well. It works differently from the element-based Western model on our zodiac compatibility pages, so the two are best read side by side rather than mixed.
Frequently asked questions
What is my Chinese zodiac sign?
Your Chinese zodiac sign is the animal for your birth year in the twelve-year cycle. Because the Chinese New Year falls in late January or February, anyone born in January or early February should check the exact new-year date for their year, as their animal may be the previous year's.
How is the Chinese zodiac different from the Western zodiac?
The Western zodiac assigns a sign by your birth month and day, so it changes within a year. The Chinese zodiac assigns an animal by your birth year, so everyone born in the same lunar year shares one animal.
What are the twelve Chinese zodiac animals?
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig, in that repeating order.
Last updated 2 July 2026.