Your result will appear here.
The 12 Animals
| Animal | Recent years | Traits |
|---|---|---|
| 鼠 Rat | 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 | quick-witted, resourceful, charming |
| 牛 Ox | 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 | dependable, patient, determined |
| 虎 Tiger | 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 | brave, competitive, confident |
| 兔 Rabbit | 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 | gentle, elegant, kind |
| 龍 Dragon | 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 | charismatic, ambitious, lucky |
| 蛇 Snake | 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 | wise, intuitive, elegant |
| 馬 Horse | 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 | energetic, free, cheerful |
| 羊 Goat | 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 | gentle, creative, compassionate |
| 猴 Monkey | 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 | clever, playful, inventive |
| 雞 Rooster | 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 | observant, hard-working, confident |
| 狗 Dog | 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 | loyal, honest, protective |
| 豬 Pig | 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 | generous, kind, easy-going |
Why the Lunar New Year Matters
The Chinese zodiac year doesn't start on January 1. It begins at Lunar New Year — the second new moon after the winter solstice, between January 21 and February 20. Someone born on January 30, 2025 is a Dragon, not a Snake, because the Year of the Snake began on January 29.
Our calculator uses a table of Lunar New Year dates from 1900 to 2100 that we computed astronomically from the new moons and solstices in China time.
The Five Elements
Each year also carries an element — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water — in two-year pairs, creating a 60-year cycle. 2027 is a Fire Goat year.
| Element | Years ending in | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | 4, 5 | growth, generosity, flexibility |
| Fire | 6, 7 | passion, energy, leadership |
| Earth | 8, 9 | stability, patience, practicality |
| Metal | 0, 1 | determination, discipline, clarity |
| Water | 2, 3 | wisdom, intuition, adaptability |
Chinese Zodiac Compatibility
Animals four years apart form harmonious trines; each animal also has a 'secret friend' and a clashing opposite six years away.
| Trine | Animals |
|---|---|
| Trine 1 | Rat · Dragon · Monkey |
| Trine 2 | Ox · Snake · Rooster |
| Trine 3 | Tiger · Horse · Dog |
| Trine 4 | Rabbit · Goat · Pig |
Lunar New Year Dates
| Year | Animal | Starts |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Metal Rat | Jan 25 |
| 2021 | Metal Ox | Feb 12 |
| 2022 | Water Tiger | Feb 1 |
| 2023 | Water Rabbit | Jan 22 |
| 2024 | Wood Dragon | Feb 10 |
| 2025 | Wood Snake | Jan 29 |
| 2026 | Fire Horse | Feb 17 |
| 2027 | Fire Goat | Feb 6 |
| 2028 | Earth Monkey | Jan 26 |
| 2029 | Earth Rooster | Feb 13 |
| 2030 | Metal Dog | Feb 3 |
| 2031 | Metal Pig | Jan 23 |
| 2032 | Water Rat | Feb 11 |
| 2033 | Water Ox | Jan 31 |
| 2034 | Wood Tiger | Feb 19 |
| 2035 | Wood Rabbit | Feb 8 |
Western and Chinese Astrology
Combine your animal with your Western zodiac sign for a fuller portrait — a Fire Horse Leo and a Water Rabbit Pisces are very different people.
The 12 Animals
2027 Year of the Goat
On February 6, 2027 the Year of the Fire Goat begins. Here's what the Goat's gentle, creat…
鼠Year of the Rat
quick-witted, resourceful, charming
牛Year of the Ox
dependable, patient, determined
虎Year of the Tiger
brave, competitive, confident
兔Year of the Rabbit
gentle, elegant, kind
龍Year of the Dragon
charismatic, ambitious, lucky
蛇Year of the Snake
wise, intuitive, elegant
馬Year of the Horse
energetic, free, cheerful
羊Year of the Goat
gentle, creative, compassionate
猴Year of the Monkey
clever, playful, inventive
雞Year of the Rooster
observant, hard-working, confident
狗Year of the Dog
loyal, honest, protective
豬Year of the Pig
generous, kind, easy-going
Questions & Answers
What Chinese zodiac is 2027?
2027 is the Year of the Fire Goat (also called Sheep or Ram), from February 6, 2027 to January 25, 2028.
What if my birthday is in January or February?
Check the Lunar New Year date for your birth year — before it, you belong to the previous year's animal. The calculator does this for you.
Ask a Real Astrologer
Turn your numbers into a conversation: PsychicBook gives new customers 10 free minutes and 50% off the first session.