The Chinese zodiac works differently from the Western one: your sign comes from your YEAR of birth, not your month, and the twelve signs are animals — Rat through Pig — cycling every twelve years. One important catch: the Chinese year starts at the Chinese New Year (late January – mid-February), so if you were born in January or early February, your animal may belong to the previous year.
2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse: it began on February 17, 2026 and runs until February 5, 2027.
Year of the Goat 2027: predictions for every signYear of the Fire Horse 2026 — what it brings your sign
Find your sign: years chart
| Year | Animal | Element |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 🐕 Dog | Earth |
| 2019 | 🐖 Pig | Earth |
| 2020 | 🐀 Rat | Metal |
| 2021 | 🐂 Ox | Metal |
| 2022 | 🐅 Tiger | Water |
| 2023 | 🐇 Rabbit | Water |
| 2024 | 🐉 Dragon | Wood |
| 2025 | 🐍 Snake | Wood |
| 2026 | 🐎 Horse | Fire |
| 2027 | 🐐 Goat | Fire |
| 2028 | 🐒 Monkey | Earth |
| 2029 | 🐓 Rooster | Earth |
| 2030 | 🐕 Dog | Metal |
| 2031 | 🐖 Pig | Metal |
The 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac
RatYears: 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 the Rat is quick-witted, resourceful and charming in a low-key way.OxYears: 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 patient, methodical, immovable once committed.TigerYears: 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 brave, dramatic, allergic to small lives.RabbitYears: 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 gentle, tasteful, quietly perceptive.DragonYears: 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024The only mythical creature in the cycle — and it behaves accordingly.SnakeYears: 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 elegant, observant, comfortable with silence.HorseYears: 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 energetic, sociable, happiest mid-motion.GoatYears: 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 gentle, imaginative, sensitive to beauty and to people.MonkeyYears: 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028The Monkey is the clever one — and knows it.RoosterYears: 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 precise, hardworking, impeccably presented.DogYears: 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 loyal, fair, allergic to injustice.PigYears: 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 generous, sincere, built for pleasure and peace.
Frequently asked questions
What is my Chinese zodiac sign?+
Find your birth year in the chart above — that row's animal is your sign. One exception: if you were born in January or the first half of February, check the Chinese New Year date of your year; before it, you belong to the previous animal.
How is the Chinese zodiac different from the Western one?+
The Western zodiac assigns signs by the Sun's position in your birth MONTH; the Chinese one assigns animals by birth YEAR in a 12-year cycle, plus one of five elements in a 60-year cycle. They answer different questions and coexist happily — you have both a star sign and an animal.
What year is 2026 in the Chinese zodiac?+
2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse — from February 17, 2026 to February 5, 2027. Before February 17, it's still the Year of the Wood Snake.
What are the five elements?+
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water — each year carries one, in a rotating pair (two Wood years, two Fire years, and so on). The element shades the animal: a Fire Horse is bolder and hotter-tempered than a Water Horse. Your full combination repeats only every 60 years.