Chinese Zodiac Years Chart: Animals, Elements & Dates
Use this Chinese zodiac years chart to find the animal sign, five-element type, and lunar-year date range for each zodiac year from 1924 to 2031.
Chinese zodiac years do not begin on January 1. They begin at Chinese New Year, so people born in January or February should always check the exact lunar-year boundary.
Popular Chinese zodiac years
These are commonly searched birth years and recent zodiac years. Each card shows the lunar-year date range, not just the Western calendar year.
Chinese zodiac years chart: 1924–2031
Search by year, animal, element, date, or combined type such as “Earth Dragon” or “Fire Horse”.
| Year | Lunar zodiac date range | Animal | Element | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Feb 5, 1924 – Jan 23, 1925 | 鼠 Rat shǔ | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Rat |
| 1925 | Jan 24, 1925 – Feb 12, 1926 | 牛 Ox niú | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Ox |
| 1926 | Feb 13, 1926 – Feb 1, 1927 | 虎 Tiger hǔ | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Tiger |
| 1927 | Feb 2, 1927 – Jan 22, 1928 | 兔 Rabbit tù | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Rabbit |
| 1928 | Jan 23, 1928 – Feb 9, 1929 | 龙 Dragon lóng | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Dragon |
| 1929 | Feb 10, 1929 – Jan 29, 1930 | 蛇 Snake shé | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Snake |
| 1930 | Jan 30, 1930 – Feb 16, 1931 | 马 Horse mǎ | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Horse |
| 1931 | Feb 17, 1931 – Feb 5, 1932 | 羊 Goat yáng | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Goat |
| 1932 | Feb 6, 1932 – Jan 25, 1933 | 猴 Monkey hóu | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Monkey |
| 1933 | Jan 26, 1933 – Feb 13, 1934 | 鸡 Rooster jī | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Rooster |
| 1934 | Feb 14, 1934 – Feb 3, 1935 | 狗 Dog gǒu | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Dog |
| 1935 | Feb 4, 1935 – Jan 23, 1936 | 猪 Pig zhū | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Pig |
| 1936 | Jan 24, 1936 – Feb 10, 1937 | 鼠 Rat shǔ | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Rat |
| 1937 | Feb 11, 1937 – Jan 30, 1938 | 牛 Ox niú | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Ox |
| 1938 | Jan 31, 1938 – Feb 18, 1939 | 虎 Tiger hǔ | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Tiger |
| 1939 | Feb 19, 1939 – Feb 7, 1940 | 兔 Rabbit tù | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Rabbit |
| 1940 | Feb 8, 1940 – Jan 26, 1941 | 龙 Dragon lóng | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Dragon |
| 1941 | Jan 27, 1941 – Feb 14, 1942 | 蛇 Snake shé | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Snake |
| 1942 | Feb 15, 1942 – Feb 3, 1943 | 马 Horse mǎ | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Horse |
| 1943 | Feb 4, 1943 – Jan 24, 1944 | 羊 Goat yáng | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Goat |
| 1944 | Jan 25, 1944 – Feb 12, 1945 | 猴 Monkey hóu | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Monkey |
| 1945 | Feb 13, 1945 – Jan 31, 1946 | 鸡 Rooster jī | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Rooster |
| 1946 | Feb 1, 1946 – Jan 21, 1947 | 狗 Dog gǒu | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Dog |
| 1947 | Jan 22, 1947 – Feb 9, 1948 | 猪 Pig zhū | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Pig |
| 1948 | Feb 10, 1948 – Jan 28, 1949 | 鼠 Rat shǔ | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Rat |
| 1949 | Jan 29, 1949 – Feb 16, 1950 | 牛 Ox niú | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Ox |
| 1950 | Feb 17, 1950 – Feb 5, 1951 | 虎 Tiger hǔ | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Tiger |
| 1951 | Feb 6, 1951 – Jan 26, 1952 | 兔 Rabbit tù | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Rabbit |
| 1952 | Jan 27, 1952 – Feb 13, 1953 | 龙 Dragon lóng | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Dragon |
| 1953 | Feb 14, 1953 – Feb 2, 1954 | 蛇 Snake shé | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Snake |
| 1954 | Feb 3, 1954 – Jan 23, 1955 | 马 Horse mǎ | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Horse |
| 1955 | Jan 24, 1955 – Feb 11, 1956 | 羊 Goat yáng | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Goat |
| 1956 | Feb 12, 1956 – Jan 30, 1957 | 猴 Monkey hóu | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Monkey |
| 1957 | Jan 31, 1957 – Feb 17, 1958 | 鸡 Rooster jī | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Rooster |
| 1958 | Feb 18, 1958 – Feb 7, 1959 | 狗 Dog gǒu | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Dog |
| 1959 | Feb 8, 1959 – Jan 27, 1960 | 猪 Pig zhū | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Pig |
| 1960 | Jan 28, 1960 – Feb 14, 1961 | 鼠 Rat shǔ | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Rat |
| 1961 | Feb 15, 1961 – Feb 4, 1962 | 牛 Ox niú | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Ox |
| 1962 | Feb 5, 1962 – Jan 24, 1963 | 虎 Tiger hǔ | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Tiger |
| 1963 | Jan 25, 1963 – Feb 12, 1964 | 兔 Rabbit tù | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Rabbit |
| 1964 | Feb 13, 1964 – Feb 1, 1965 | 龙 Dragon lóng | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Dragon |
| 1965 | Feb 2, 1965 – Jan 20, 1966 | 蛇 Snake shé | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Snake |
| 1966 | Jan 21, 1966 – Feb 8, 1967 | 马 Horse mǎ | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Horse |
| 1967 | Feb 9, 1967 – Jan 29, 1968 | 羊 Goat yáng | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Goat |
| 1968 | Jan 30, 1968 – Feb 16, 1969 | 猴 Monkey hóu | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Monkey |
| 1969 | Feb 17, 1969 – Feb 5, 1970 | 鸡 Rooster jī | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Rooster |
| 1970 | Feb 6, 1970 – Jan 26, 1971 | 狗 Dog gǒu | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Dog |
| 1971 | Jan 27, 1971 – Feb 14, 1972 | 猪 Pig zhū | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Pig |
| 1972 | Feb 15, 1972 – Feb 2, 1973 | 鼠 Rat shǔ | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Rat |
| 1973 | Feb 3, 1973 – Jan 22, 1974 | 牛 Ox niú | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Ox |
| 1974 | Jan 23, 1974 – Feb 10, 1975 | 虎 Tiger hǔ | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Tiger |
| 1975 | Feb 11, 1975 – Jan 30, 1976 | 兔 Rabbit tù | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Rabbit |
| 1976 | Jan 31, 1976 – Feb 17, 1977 | 龙 Dragon lóng | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Dragon |
| 1977 | Feb 18, 1977 – Feb 6, 1978 | 蛇 Snake shé | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Snake |
| 1978 | Feb 7, 1978 – Jan 27, 1979 | 马 Horse mǎ | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Horse |
| 1979 | Jan 28, 1979 – Feb 15, 1980 | 羊 Goat yáng | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Goat |
| 1980 | Feb 16, 1980 – Feb 4, 1981 | 猴 Monkey hóu | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Monkey |
| 1981 | Feb 5, 1981 – Jan 24, 1982 | 鸡 Rooster jī | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Rooster |
| 1982 | Jan 25, 1982 – Feb 12, 1983 | 狗 Dog gǒu | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Dog |
| 1983 | Feb 13, 1983 – Feb 1, 1984 | 猪 Pig zhū | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Pig |
| 1984 | Feb 2, 1984 – Feb 19, 1985 | 鼠 Rat shǔ | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Rat |
| 1985 | Feb 20, 1985 – Feb 8, 1986 | 牛 Ox niú | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Ox |
| 1986 | Feb 9, 1986 – Jan 28, 1987 | 虎 Tiger hǔ | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Tiger |
| 1987 | Jan 29, 1987 – Feb 16, 1988 | 兔 Rabbit tù | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Rabbit |
| 1988 | Feb 17, 1988 – Feb 5, 1989 | 龙 Dragon lóng | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Dragon |
| 1989 | Feb 6, 1989 – Jan 26, 1990 | 蛇 Snake shé | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Snake |
| 1990 | Jan 27, 1990 – Feb 14, 1991 | 马 Horse mǎ | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Horse |
| 1991 | Feb 15, 1991 – Feb 3, 1992 | 羊 Goat yáng | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Goat |
| 1992 | Feb 4, 1992 – Jan 22, 1993 | 猴 Monkey hóu | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Monkey |
| 1993 | Jan 23, 1993 – Feb 9, 1994 | 鸡 Rooster jī | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Rooster |
| 1994 | Feb 10, 1994 – Jan 30, 1995 | 狗 Dog gǒu | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Dog |
| 1995 | Jan 31, 1995 – Feb 18, 1996 | 猪 Pig zhū | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Pig |
| 1996 | Feb 19, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997 | 鼠 Rat shǔ | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Rat |
| 1997 | Feb 7, 1997 – Jan 27, 1998 | 牛 Ox niú | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Ox |
| 1998 | Jan 28, 1998 – Feb 15, 1999 | 虎 Tiger hǔ | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Tiger |
| 1999 | Feb 16, 1999 – Feb 4, 2000 | 兔 Rabbit tù | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Rabbit |
| 2000 | Feb 5, 2000 – Jan 23, 2001 | 龙 Dragon lóng | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Dragon |
| 2001 | Jan 24, 2001 – Feb 11, 2002 | 蛇 Snake shé | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Snake |
| 2002 | Feb 12, 2002 – Jan 31, 2003 | 马 Horse mǎ | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Horse |
| 2003 | Feb 1, 2003 – Jan 21, 2004 | 羊 Goat yáng | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Goat |
| 2004 | Jan 22, 2004 – Feb 8, 2005 | 猴 Monkey hóu | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Monkey |
| 2005 | Feb 9, 2005 – Jan 28, 2006 | 鸡 Rooster jī | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Rooster |
| 2006 | Jan 29, 2006 – Feb 17, 2007 | 狗 Dog gǒu | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Dog |
| 2007 | Feb 18, 2007 – Feb 6, 2008 | 猪 Pig zhū | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Pig |
| 2008 | Feb 7, 2008 – Jan 25, 2009 | 鼠 Rat shǔ | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Rat |
| 2009 | Jan 26, 2009 – Feb 13, 2010 | 牛 Ox niú | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Ox |
| 2010 | Feb 14, 2010 – Feb 2, 2011 | 虎 Tiger hǔ | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Tiger |
| 2011 | Feb 3, 2011 – Jan 22, 2012 | 兔 Rabbit tù | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Rabbit |
| 2012 | Jan 23, 2012 – Feb 9, 2013 | 龙 Dragon lóng | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Dragon |
| 2013 | Feb 10, 2013 – Jan 30, 2014 | 蛇 Snake shé | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Snake |
| 2014 | Jan 31, 2014 – Feb 18, 2015 | 马 Horse mǎ | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Horse |
| 2015 | Feb 19, 2015 – Feb 7, 2016 | 羊 Goat yáng | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Goat |
| 2016 | Feb 8, 2016 – Jan 27, 2017 | 猴 Monkey hóu | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Monkey |
| 2017 | Jan 28, 2017 – Feb 15, 2018 | 鸡 Rooster jī | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Rooster |
| 2018 | Feb 16, 2018 – Feb 4, 2019 | 狗 Dog gǒu | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Dog |
| 2019 | Feb 5, 2019 – Jan 24, 2020 | 猪 Pig zhū | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Pig |
| 2020 | Jan 25, 2020 – Feb 11, 2021 | 鼠 Rat shǔ | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Rat |
| 2021 | Feb 12, 2021 – Jan 31, 2022 | 牛 Ox niú | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Ox |
| 2022 | Feb 1, 2022 – Jan 21, 2023 | 虎 Tiger hǔ | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Tiger |
| 2023 | Jan 22, 2023 – Feb 9, 2024 | 兔 Rabbit tù | Water 水 · shuǐ | Water Rabbit |
| 2024 | Feb 10, 2024 – Jan 28, 2025 | 龙 Dragon lóng | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Dragon |
| 2025 | Jan 29, 2025 – Feb 16, 2026 | 蛇 Snake shé | Wood 木 · mù | Wood Snake |
| 2026 | Feb 17, 2026 – Feb 5, 2027 | 马 Horse mǎ | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Horse |
| 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 – Jan 25, 2028 | 羊 Goat yáng | Fire 火 · huǒ | Fire Goat |
| 2028 | Jan 26, 2028 – Feb 12, 2029 | 猴 Monkey hóu | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Monkey |
| 2029 | Feb 13, 2029 – Feb 2, 2030 | 鸡 Rooster jī | Earth 土 · tǔ | Earth Rooster |
| 2030 | Feb 3, 2030 – Jan 22, 2031 | 狗 Dog gǒu | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Dog |
| 2031 | Jan 23, 2031 – Feb 10, 2032 | 猪 Pig zhū | Metal 金 · jīn | Metal Pig |
How to read this chart
The first column shows the common Western year label. The date range shows the actual Chinese zodiac year, beginning at Chinese New Year and ending the day before the next Chinese New Year.
January and February birthdays need special checking
If your birthday is before Chinese New Year in your birth year, your zodiac animal and element usually belong to the previous lunar year.
For exact results, use the Chinese zodiac calculator or read how we calculate your Chinese zodiac sign.
Five elements in the zodiac years chart
Each zodiac year has one of five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water. The animal and element together create a more specific type, such as Wood Dragon or Fire Horse.
The same animal appears every 12 years, but the same animal-element combination returns once every 60 years. That is why 1988 is an Earth Dragon year, while 2024 is a Wood Dragon year.
Why is 土 translated as Earth, not Soil?
In the Chinese Five Elements system, 土 is usually translated as Earth, not Soil. “Soil” means physical dirt or agricultural ground, while “Earth” better represents the broader elemental idea of stability, grounding, support, and transformation.
That is why 土马 is written as Earth Horse, not Soil Horse. The same rule applies to Earth Dragon, Earth Snake, Earth Goat, and other Earth-element zodiac years.
Chinese zodiac years FAQ
Is my Chinese zodiac based on my birth year?
It is based on your birth date within the Chinese lunar year. Your Western birth year is often enough for March through December birthdays, but January and February birthdays need the Chinese New Year boundary checked.
Why does a zodiac year start in January or February?
Chinese zodiac years begin at Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year. This date usually falls between late January and mid-February.
What is the difference between animal and element?
The animal is one of the 12 zodiac signs. The element is one of five phases: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water. Together they form a type such as Fire Horse or Wood Snake.
Why is 土 translated as Earth, not Soil?
In the Five Elements system, 土 is an elemental concept, not just physical soil. Earth is the standard English translation because it better expresses grounding, stability, support, and transformation.
What year is 2026 in the Chinese zodiac?
2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse. Its lunar zodiac date range is February 17, 2026 to February 5, 2027.
Next steps
After finding your year, you can learn about the 12 signs, check your exact birthday result, or read how the calculation works.