Contact us

About us

USA/CA:800-2682918

Home

China Tours

Create My Trip

Destinations

Travel Guide

Culture

Trains

Yangtze Cruise

Day Tours

Kung Fu

Food

Chinese Zodiac

Tea

Medicine

History

Festivals

Home China Guide Chinese Culture The Chinese Zodiac

The Chinese Zodiac

The Chinese Zodiac

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Goat

Monkey 2016

Rooster

Dog

Pig

Love Compatibility

Chinese Zodiac Story

Chinese Zodiac Hours

Chinese Zodiac Sign Calculator

The Japanese / Vietnamese / Burmese Zodiac

Most Popular Articles on Chinese Zodiac

7 Simple Facts on Chinese Zodiac

6 Facts on the Year of the Monkey You Should Know

Lucky Numbers and Colors in Chinese Culture

How to Bring Yourself Good Luck in Your Zodiac Year

The Chinese animal zodiac, or shengxiao (/shnng-sshyaoww/ born resembling), is a repeating

cycle of 12 years, with each year being represented by an animal and its reputed attributes.
Traditionally these zodiac animals were used to date the years.
The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac

In order, the 12 animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey,
Rooster, Dog, Pig.

What is Your Chinese Zodiac Animal Sign

Your Chinese Zodiac sign is derived from your birth year, according to the Chinese lunar
calendar. See the years of each animal below or use the calculator on the right to determine your
own sign.
Those born in January and February take care: Chinese (Lunar) New Year moves between 21
January and February 20. If you were born in January or February, check whether your birth date
falls before or after Chinese New Year to know what your Chinese zodiac year is.

Rat: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960

Ox: 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961

Tiger: 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962

Rabbit: 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963

Dragon: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964

Snake: 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965

Horse: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966

Goat: 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967

Monkey: 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968

Rooster: 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969

Dog: 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970

Pig: 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971

Find Your Chinese Zodiac Sign

Choose your date of birth and find out about your Chinese zodiac sign.

Chinese Zodiac Love Compatibility

People born in a certain animal year are believed to have attributes of that animal, which could
either help or hinder a relationship. An important use of the Chinese Zodiac is to determine if
(the signs of) two people are compatible, in a romantic relationship or any kind of relationship.
Take our online test on the right and find how suitable you and your partner are. See our Chinese
Zodiac Love Compatibility Charts
Its BAD LUCK When Your Zodiac Year Comes Around!

As the Chinese zodiac recurs every 12 years, your animal year will come around when you are
12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, etc.
According to ancient Chinese superstition, in your birth sign year, he will offend the God of Age,
and will have bad luck during that year. The best way to avoid bad luck during this year is by
wearing something red given by an elder (relative), such as socks, a neck cord, underwear, a
waistband, a bracelet, or an anklet.
Read more on How to be Lucky in Your Zodiac Year.
Chinese Zodiac Love Compatibility Test Is she/he compatible with you? Take the test
and see...
Boy's Name:

Date of Birth:

Girl's Name:

Date of Birth:

Chinese Zodiac Years Have Two Different Starts!

There are two dates a Chinese zodiac year could be said to start on, and neither is January 1!
China traditionally uses two calendars: the solar calendar and the lunar calendar.
The traditional solar calendar has 24 fifteen-day solar terms, and the first, called Start of
Spring, falls on February 4 (or 5).
The lunar calendar has 12 or 13 months and starts on Chinese New Year, which is somewhere in
the period January 21 to February 20.
Most Chinese people use lunar New Year as the start of the zodiac year. But for fortune telling
and astrology, people believe Start of Spring is the beginning of the zodiac year.
Chinese Zodiac Origins Why 12 Animals?

The 12 animals were chosen deliberately, after many revisions. The zodiac animals are either
closely related to ancient Chinese peoples daily lives, or have lucky meanings.
The ox, horse, goat, rooster, pig, and dog are six of the main domestic animals raised by Chinese
people. The other six animals: rat, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, and monkey are all loved by the
Chinese people.
Why in That Order?

The 12 Chinese Zodiac animals are in a fixed order according to Chinese Yin and Yang Theory
and perceived attributes.

The yin or the yang of the animals is defined based on the odd or even number of their claws
(or toes, hoofs). The animals are then arranged in an alternating (complementary) yin-yang
sequence.
Usually an animal has is the same number of claws on its front and rear legs. However the rat
has four toes on its fore legs and five on its hind legs. As the old saying goes, a thing is
valued in proportion to its rarity, so the Rat ranks first of the 12 zodiac animals. It uniquely
combines the attributes of odd (yang) and even (yin). 4+5=9, and yang is dominant, so the Rat is
classified as odd (yang) overall.

Zodiac Animal

Toes Per Limb

Odd/Even

Yin/Yang

Rat

4 front; 5 back

(even and) odd

(yin and) yang

Ox

even

yin

Tiger

odd

yang

Rabbit

even

yin

Dragon

odd

yang

Snake

even

yin

Horse

odd

yang

Goat

even

yin

Monkey

odd

yang

Rooster

even

yin

Dog

odd

yang

Pig

even

yin

Each animal has symbolic meanings given to it by the ancient Chinese. These animal attributes
comes in six contrasting pairs that must be harmonized, like yin and yang, and are the primary
factor governing the order of the zodiac. (Presumably the attributes most valued by ancient
Chinese are first and so on.) The strong yang attribute comes first, then the balancing yin
attribute.
Zodiac
Animal

Attribute

Saying

Rat

Wisdom

Wisdom without industriousness leads to triviality.

Ox

Industriousnes
Industriousness without wisdom leads to futility.
s

Tiger

Valor

Valor without caution leads to recklessness.

Rabbit

Caution

Caution without valor leads to cowardice.

Dragon

Strength

Strength without flexibility leads to fracture.

Snake

Flexibility

Flexibility without strength leads to compromise.

Horse

Forging ahead Forging ahead without unity leads to abandonment.

Goat

Unity

Unity without forging ahead leads to stagnation.

Monkey

Changeability

Changeability without being constant leads to

foolishness.

Rooster

Being
constant

Being constant without changeability leads to

woodenness.

Dog

Fidelity

Fidelity without amiability leads to rejection.

Pig

Amiability

Amiability without fidelity leads to immorality.

Chinese Zodiac Hours

It is widely known that each year is associated with a Chinese zodiac animal, but in Chinese
culture the 12 zodiac animals are also associated with hours of a day.
In ancient times, in order to tell the time, people divided a day into twelve 2-hour periods, and
designated an animal to represent each period, according to each animals special time.

According to Chinese astrology, though not popularly used, a persons personality and life is
more decided by his/her birth hour than year. The zodiac hour is widely used for character and
destiny analysis.
Rat

Ox

Tige
Drago Snak
Rooste
Rabbit
Horse Goat Monkey
Dog Pig
r
n
e
r

11pm 1am 3am 5am

7am

9am

11am 1pm 3pm

5pm

7pm 9pm

to

to

to

to

to

to

to

1am

3am 5am 7am

9am

11am 1pm

7pm

9pm 11pm

to

to

to

to

3pm 5pm

to

Travel with China Highlights to Discover More of China's Culture

Want to discover more of Chinese culture? Our popular tour packages cover the highlights of
Chinese culture.
Here are our three most popular China tours, based on our customers' bookings and feedback.
Click to find out more!

8-Day Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai GOLDEN TRIANGLE Tour is the choice of
most first-time travelers

11-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin/Yangshuo, and Shanghai CLASSIC WONDERS Tour

China Highlights has been tailor-making China tours for over sixteen years. Contact us and we
can expertly help you customize a tour to meet your individual requirements.
More interesting information about animal signs on Chinese Zodiac Luck & Love App.
Download it now!
Related Articles

The Japanese / Vietnamese / Burmese Zodiac

Chinese New Year 2016 Traditions, Activities, Day-By-Day Guide

2016 China Baby Boom Predicted Chinese Prefer Monkey Babies!

Chinas Zodiac Animal Cities Beijings the Tiger

You Might Like

How to Bring Yourself Good Luck in Your

Zodiac Year (Ben Ming Nian)

Lucky Numbers
and Colors in Chinese Culture

7 Simple Facts on Chinese Zodiac You Might

Like

How to Make Good Feng Shui for the 12

Zodiac Animals
Start planning your tailor-made China tour by
contacting one of our specialists
Create My Trip

Author: Annie Wu Send Feedback

Do you like this article and want China Highlights to reward the author? If so, choose the amount
below:

$1

$2

$5

$10

Your email address will only be used for a thank you email from the author.

About us

Contact us

Advertise

Reviews

Partner

Privacy

Terms

Follow us on

1998-2016 China Highlights Discovery Your Way!