The 12 Chinese zodiac animals, in order, are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. 2027 is the Year of the Goat, which begins on Saturday, February 6, 2027, and ends on Tuesday, January 25, 2028.
The Chinese zodiac assigns one of 12 animals to each year of the Chinese lunisolar calendar. Each year begins at Lunar New Year, not on January 1.
Lunar New Year falls on a different date every year, between January 21 and February 20. Anyone born in January or early February before that year’s Lunar New Year belongs to the previous year’s animal.
A baby born on Friday, February 5, 2027, is a Horse, and a baby born on Saturday, February 6, 2027, is a Goat.
This page covers:
- the 12 animals in order
- the exact start and end dates of every zodiac year from 1960 to 2031
- the five elements and the 60-year cycle
- Why Lunar New Year 2027 falls on February 6 in China but February 7 in Korea
Table of Contents
Chinese zodiac animals in order
The Chinese zodiac animals follow a fixed order of 12, and each animal is tied to one of the 12 Earthly Branches of the Chinese calendar. The table below lists each animal with its Chinese character, its Earthly Branch, and its years since 1960.
Each zodiac year listed begins at that year’s Lunar New Year.
| # | Animal | Chinese | Earthly Branch | Zodiac years beginning in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rat | 鼠 | 子 Zǐ | 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 |
| 2 | Ox | 牛 | 丑 Chǒu | 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 |
| 3 | Tiger | 虎 | 寅 Yín | 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 |
| 4 | Rabbit | 兔 | 卯 Mǎo | 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 |
| 5 | Dragon | 龍 / 龙 | 辰 Chén | 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 |
| 6 | Snake | 蛇 | 巳 Sì | 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 |
| 7 | Horse | 馬 / 马 | 午 Wǔ | 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 |
| 8 | Goat | 羊 | 未 Wèi | 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 |
| 9 | Monkey | 猴 | 申 Shēn | 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 |
| 10 | Rooster | 雞 / 鸡 | 酉 Yǒu | 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 |
| 11 | Dog | 狗 | 戌 Xū | 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 |
| 12 | Pig | 豬 / 猪 | 亥 Hài | 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 |
The order is traditionally explained by the legend of the Great Race, in which the Jade Emperor ranked the animals by the order in which they finished a race across a river. The Rat rode on the Ox’s back and jumped ahead to finish first, and the Ox came second. The Pig stopped to eat and sleep and finished last.
Chinese zodiac years and dates, 1960 to 2031
Every Chinese zodiac year runs from one Lunar New Year to the day before the next. The table below gives the exact start and end dates, animal, element, and polarity for every year from 1960 to 2031, from the zodiac table on Wikipedia.
All dates follow the calendar used in China (China Standard Time).
| Zodiac year | Animal | Element | Yin or yang | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Rat | Metal | Yang | January 28, 1960 | February 14, 1961 |
| 1961 | Ox | Metal | Yin | February 15, 1961 | February 4, 1962 |
| 1962 | Tiger | Water | Yang | February 5, 1962 | January 24, 1963 |
| 1963 | Rabbit | Water | Yin | January 25, 1963 | February 12, 1964 |
| 1964 | Dragon | Wood | Yang | February 13, 1964 | February 1, 1965 |
| 1965 | Snake | Wood | Yin | February 2, 1965 | January 20, 1966 |
| 1966 | Horse | Fire | Yang | January 21, 1966 | February 8, 1967 |
| 1967 | Goat | Fire | Yin | February 9, 1967 | January 29, 1968 |
| 1968 | Monkey | Earth | Yang | January 30, 1968 | February 16, 1969 |
| 1969 | Rooster | Earth | Yin | February 17, 1969 | February 5, 1970 |
| 1970 | Dog | Metal | Yang | February 6, 1970 | January 26, 1971 |
| 1971 | Pig | Metal | Yin | January 27, 1971 | February 14, 1972 |
| 1972 | Rat | Water | Yang | February 15, 1972 | February 2, 1973 |
| 1973 | Ox | Water | Yin | February 3, 1973 | January 22, 1974 |
| 1974 | Tiger | Wood | Yang | January 23, 1974 | February 10, 1975 |
| 1975 | Rabbit | Wood | Yin | February 11, 1975 | January 30, 1976 |
| 1976 | Dragon | Fire | Yang | January 31, 1976 | February 17, 1977 |
| 1977 | Snake | Fire | Yin | February 18, 1977 | February 6, 1978 |
| 1978 | Horse | Earth | Yang | February 7, 1978 | January 27, 1979 |
| 1979 | Goat | Earth | Yin | January 28, 1979 | February 15, 1980 |
| 1980 | Monkey | Metal | Yang | February 16, 1980 | February 4, 1981 |
| 1981 | Rooster | Metal | Yin | February 5, 1981 | January 24, 1982 |
| 1982 | Dog | Water | Yang | January 25, 1982 | February 12, 1983 |
| 1983 | Pig | Water | Yin | February 13, 1983 | February 1, 1984 |
| 1984 | Rat | Wood | Yang | February 2, 1984 | February 19, 1985 |
| 1985 | Ox | Wood | Yin | February 20, 1985 | February 8, 1986 |
| 1986 | Tiger | Fire | Yang | February 9, 1986 | January 28, 1987 |
| 1987 | Rabbit | Fire | Yin | January 29, 1987 | February 16, 1988 |
| 1988 | Dragon | Earth | Yang | February 17, 1988 | February 5, 1989 |
| 1989 | Snake | Earth | Yin | February 6, 1989 | January 26, 1990 |
| 1990 | Horse | Metal | Yang | January 27, 1990 | February 14, 1991 |
| 1991 | Goat | Metal | Yin | February 15, 1991 | February 3, 1992 |
| 1992 | Monkey | Water | Yang | February 4, 1992 | January 22, 1993 |
| 1993 | Rooster | Water | Yin | January 23, 1993 | February 9, 1994 |
| 1994 | Dog | Wood | Yang | February 10, 1994 | January 30, 1995 |
| 1995 | Pig | Wood | Yin | January 31, 1995 | February 18, 1996 |
| 1996 | Rat | Fire | Yang | February 19, 1996 | February 6, 1997 |
| 1997 | Ox | Fire | Yin | February 7, 1997 | January 27, 1998 |
| 1998 | Tiger | Earth | Yang | January 28, 1998 | February 15, 1999 |
| 1999 | Rabbit | Earth | Yin | February 16, 1999 | February 4, 2000 |
| 2000 | Dragon | Metal | Yang | February 5, 2000 | January 23, 2001 |
| 2001 | Snake | Metal | Yin | January 24, 2001 | February 11, 2002 |
| 2002 | Horse | Water | Yang | February 12, 2002 | January 31, 2003 |
| 2003 | Goat | Water | Yin | February 1, 2003 | January 21, 2004 |
| 2004 | Monkey | Wood | Yang | January 22, 2004 | February 8, 2005 |
| 2005 | Rooster | Wood | Yin | February 9, 2005 | January 28, 2006 |
| 2006 | Dog | Fire | Yang | January 29, 2006 | February 17, 2007 |
| 2007 | Pig | Fire | Yin | February 18, 2007 | February 6, 2008 |
| 2008 | Rat | Earth | Yang | February 7, 2008 | January 25, 2009 |
| 2009 | Ox | Earth | Yin | January 26, 2009 | February 13, 2010 |
| 2010 | Tiger | Metal | Yang | February 14, 2010 | February 2, 2011 |
| 2011 | Rabbit | Metal | Yin | February 3, 2011 | January 22, 2012 |
| 2012 | Dragon | Water | Yang | January 23, 2012 | February 9, 2013 |
| 2013 | Snake | Water | Yin | February 10, 2013 | January 30, 2014 |
| 2014 | Horse | Wood | Yang | January 31, 2014 | February 18, 2015 |
| 2015 | Goat | Wood | Yin | February 19, 2015 | February 7, 2016 |
| 2016 | Monkey | Fire | Yang | February 8, 2016 | January 27, 2017 |
| 2017 | Rooster | Fire | Yin | January 28, 2017 | February 15, 2018 |
| 2018 | Dog | Earth | Yang | February 16, 2018 | February 4, 2019 |
| 2019 | Pig | Earth | Yin | February 5, 2019 | January 24, 2020 |
| 2020 | Rat | Metal | Yang | January 25, 2020 | February 11, 2021 |
| 2021 | Ox | Metal | Yin | February 12, 2021 | January 31, 2022 |
| 2022 | Tiger | Water | Yang | February 1, 2022 | January 21, 2023 |
| 2023 | Rabbit | Water | Yin | January 22, 2023 | February 9, 2024 |
| 2024 | Dragon | Wood | Yang | February 10, 2024 | January 28, 2025 |
| 2025 | Snake | Wood | Yin | January 29, 2025 | February 16, 2026 |
| 2026 | Horse | Fire | Yang | February 17, 2026 | February 5, 2027 |
| 2027 | Goat | Fire | Yin | February 6, 2027 | January 25, 2028 |
| 2028 | Monkey | Earth | Yang | January 26, 2028 | February 12, 2029 |
| 2029 | Rooster | Earth | Yin | February 13, 2029 | February 2, 2030 |
| 2030 | Dog | Metal | Yang | February 3, 2030 | January 22, 2031 |
| 2031 | Pig | Metal | Yin | January 23, 2031 | February 10, 2032 |
How to find your Chinese zodiac animal
Use this method to find the animal for any birth date:
- Find the birth year in the table above.
- If the birth date is on or after that year’s start date, the animal in that row applies.
- If the birth date falls in January or February before that start date, use the row for the previous year.
For example, a person born on February 1, 2003, is a Goat, but a person born on January 31, 2003, is a Horse, because the 2003 Goat year began on February 1. Any birth date between January 21 and February 20 needs this check, because Lunar New Year always falls in that window.
Why Lunar New Year moves between January 21 and February 20
Lunar New Year moves because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar. Its months follow the Moon, and a leap month is added in some years to keep the calendar in step with the Sun.
The new year begins at the second new moon after the December solstice, or occasionally the third when a leap month comes in between.
A lunar year of 12 months is about 11 days shorter than a solar year. As a result, Lunar New Year usually comes about 11 days earlier than the year before, then jumps later after a leap month.
The dates for 2026 to 2029 show the pattern: February 17, 2026; February 6, 2027; January 26, 2028; and February 13, 2029.
Lunar New Year dates differ by country
The new year begins on the day of a new moon. When that new moon falls close to midnight, countries in different time zones can mark the holiday on different dates.
In 2027, the new moon falls at 10:56 a.m. EST (15:56 UTC) on Saturday, February 6. That is 11:56 p.m. on February 6 in China (UTC+8), but 12:56 a.m. on February 7 in Korea (UTC+9).
| Country | Lunar New Year 2027 | Lunar New Year 2030 |
|---|---|---|
| China (Spring Festival) | Saturday, February 6 | Sunday, February 3 |
| South Korea (Seollal) | Sunday, February 7 | Not checked |
| Vietnam (Tết) | Saturday, February 6 | Saturday, February 2 |
For 2030, Royal Museums Greenwich also lists Lunar New Year on February 2, one day earlier than the date in China. Some US sources list the 2027 Lunar New Year as February 7, which matches the Korean date rather than the Chinese one.
Lunar New Year or the start of spring
Chinese astrology has two conventions for when an animal year begins. The more common one, used in the table above, starts the year at Lunar New Year.
The other starts it at Lichun, the “start of spring” solar term, which falls around February 4 each year. Under the Lichun convention, a person born on February 5, 2027, would already be a Goat. Under the Lunar New Year convention, that person is a Horse.
The five elements and the 60-year cycle
Each Chinese zodiac year also carries one of five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water) and a yin or yang polarity. According to Wikipedia, the elements come from the 10 Heavenly Stems, which combine with the 12 Earthly Branches to form a 60-year cycle.
Each element covers two consecutive years, one yang and one yin. A given animal-and-element pair, such as the Fire Goat, therefore returns only once every 60 years.
| Last digit of the zodiac year | Element | Yin or yang | Example years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Metal | Yang | 1980, 2020, 2030 |
| 1 | Metal | Yin | 1981, 2021, 2031 |
| 2 | Water | Yang | 1992, 2022 |
| 3 | Water | Yin | 1993, 2023 |
| 4 | Wood | Yang | 1984, 2024 |
| 5 | Wood | Yin | 1985, 2025 |
| 6 | Fire | Yang | 1966, 2026 |
| 7 | Fire | Yin | 1967, 2027 |
| 8 | Earth | Yang | 1968, 2028 |
| 9 | Earth | Yin | 1969, 2029 |
2027 is the year of the Fire Goat, a yin year. The previous Fire Goat year began on February 9, 1967. China Highlights also describes 2027 as a Fire Goat year.
Chinese zodiac animals in other countries
Several countries use the same 12-year cycle with some different animals. The table below lists the main substitutions.
| Country | Differences from the Chinese animals |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | Water buffalo instead of the Ox; Cat instead of the Rabbit |
| Japan | Sheep instead of the Goat; wild boar instead of the Pig |
| Korea | Sheep instead of the Goat |
| Thailand | Naga in place of the Dragon |
| Cambodia | Dragon interchangeable with the Neak sea snake; Sheep and Goat interchangeable |
Many English sources also call the Goat the Sheep or the Ram.
Chinese zodiac compared with the Western zodiac
The Chinese and Western zodiacs both have 12 signs, but they measure different things. The table below sets out the differences.
| Feature | Chinese zodiac | Western zodiac |
|---|---|---|
| What a sign covers | A lunisolar year | About 30 days of the solar year |
| Number of signs | 12 animals, combined with 5 elements | 12 signs |
| Full cycle | 60 years | 1 year |
| Start of the cycle | Lunar New Year, January 21 to February 20 | March equinox, March 19 to 21 |
| 2027 example | Goat from February 6, 2027 | Aquarius from January 20 to February 18, 2027 |
Because Lunar New Year falls between January 21 and February 20, it usually arrives during Western Aquarius season. In 2027, the Year of the Goat begins 17 days into Aquarius season.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 12 Chinese zodiac animals in order?
The 12 Chinese zodiac animals in order are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each animal rules one year of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, and the cycle repeats every 12 years. The order is traditionally explained by the legend of the Great Race, in which the Jade Emperor ranked the animals by their finishing position.
What Chinese zodiac year is 2027?
2027 is the Year of the Goat, specifically the Fire Goat, a yin year. It begins at Lunar New Year on Saturday, February 6, 2027, and ends on Tuesday, January 25, 2028, according to Wikipedia, and the Smithsonian Institution also gives February 6. The Year of the Monkey begins on Wednesday, January 26, 2028.
What is my Chinese zodiac sign if I was born in January or February?
A person born in January or February has the animal of the previous year if the birth came before that year’s Lunar New Year. In 2027, someone born on or before Friday, February 5, is a Horse, and someone born on or after Saturday, February 6, is a Goat. Lunar New Year always falls between January 21 and February 20.
What Chinese zodiac year is 2026?
2026 is the Year of the Horse, specifically the Fire Horse, a yang year. It began on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, according to the Smithsonian Institution and Almanac.com, and it ends on Friday, February 5, 2027. The Year of the Goat follows on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
How often does the same Chinese zodiac element and animal repeat?
The same animal returns every 12 years, but the same animal with the same element returns only every 60 years. The 10 Heavenly Stems, which carry the five elements in yin and yang form, combine with the 12 Earthly Branches to make a 60-year cycle. The Fire Goat years of 1967 and 2027 are 60 years apart.
Why is Lunar New Year on a different day in Korea in 2027?
Lunar New Year 2027 falls on February 6 in China and February 7 in Korea because the new moon occurs at 15:56 UTC on February 6. That is 11:56 p.m. on February 6 in China (UTC+8), but 12:56 a.m. on February 7 in Korea (UTC+9), and Seollal 2027 falls on February 7. Vietnam celebrates Tết on February 6, the same day as China.
