How the Chinese zodiac works
The Chinese zodiac assigns each year to one of twelve animals, always in the same order:
| Order | Animal | Recent years |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rat | 2008, 2020, 2032 |
| 2 | Ox | 2009, 2021, 2033 |
| 3 | Tiger | 2010, 2022, 2034 |
| 4 | Rabbit | 2011, 2023, 2035 |
| 5 | Dragon | 2012, 2024, 2036 |
| 6 | Snake | 2013, 2025, 2037 |
| 7 | Horse | 2014, 2026, 2038 |
| 8 | Goat | 2015, 2027, 2039 |
| 9 | Monkey | 2016, 2028, 2040 |
| 10 | Rooster | 2017, 2029, 2041 |
| 11 | Dog | 2018, 2030, 2042 |
| 12 | Pig | 2019, 2031, 2043 |
The calculator finds the animal from the year with (year − 4) modulo 12: the year 4 AD was a Rat year.
The five elements
Each year also carries one of five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each element lasts two consecutive years, the first yang and the second yin. Combining 12 animals with 10 element-polarity pairs gives a 60-year cycle, the traditional sexagenary cycle of “heavenly stems” and “earthly branches”. The same animal and element come back only every 60 years.
Worked example
2026:
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Animal | Horse (7th) |
| Element | Fire |
| Polarity | Yang |
| Position in the 60-year cycle | 43rd |
2026 is therefore a Fire Horse year, which last occurred in 1966.
Born in January or February?
The Chinese year does not start on January 1 but at the Lunar New Year, which falls between January 21 and February 20. Someone born on January 25, 2026, before the New Year on February 17, 2026, belongs to the previous year, the Snake. Check the exact date of the Lunar New Year for your birth year and tick the box if you were born before it.
Cultural notes
- The Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is celebrated across China and in many Asian communities worldwide, with family meals, red envelopes of money and lion dances.
- The animals and their traits are part of folklore and tradition; they appear in names, art and celebrations.
- In Vietnam, the Cat replaces the Rabbit and the Buffalo the Ox.
Tips
- Your “own” year, when your animal returns, comes every 12 years: at ages 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 and so on.
- Turning 60 completes a full cycle, a milestone celebrated in several East Asian cultures.