Chinese zodiac years, with the boundary explained.
Find the animal linked to a birth year, then learn why January and early February need an exact date calculation.
- Year lookup
- 1924–2031 list
- New Year boundary
How do Chinese zodiac years work?
Chinese zodiac years follow a repeating twelve-animal cycle. The popular zodiac year changes at Chinese New Year, not January 1, while many BaZi systems use Li Chun near the Beginning of Spring. Anyone born in January or early February should check the exact date.
Enter a year for a quick animal-sign lookup.
This tool shows the common year-cycle result. January and early February birthdays must be checked by exact date because the Chinese year does not begin on January 1.
Chinese zodiac years by animal sign.
Each animal returns every twelve years. The listed Gregorian years are a convenient reference, not a substitute for checking the moving new-year boundary.
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
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
Chinese New Year does not begin on January 1. People born in January or early February should use an exact date calculation rather than a year-only list.
Three year boundaries are often confused online.
Always check which rule a calculator uses.
| Boundary | How it works | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Changes with the Gregorian calendar | Convenient lists, but not the traditional Chinese zodiac boundary |
| Chinese New Year | Changes on the first day of the lunar new year | Popular animal-sign zodiac and cultural celebrations |
| Li Chun | Changes around the Beginning of Spring solar term | Common BaZi convention for the Year Pillar |
Use your exact birth date for the full result.
Reveal the Year, Month, Day, and Hour branches instead of relying on a single Gregorian-year label.