Chinese zodiac
The 12 Chinese zodiac animals Order, years, traits and meanings
The Chinese zodiac, or shēngxiào, is a repeating 12-year cycle in which each year is represented by an animal. Find your animal below to read about its personality, lucky numbers, compatibility and the five element types.
- 12 animals
- 12-year cycle
- 5 elements
Find your animal
Born in January or February? The Chinese zodiac year starts at Lunar New Year, not on 1 January, so check the exact dates above. If your birthday falls before Lunar New Year you belong to the previous year’s sign. The Birth Destiny calculator works it out for you.
The 12 animals at a glance
| # | Animal | Chinese | Branch | Hours | Fixed element | Yin / Yang |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rat | 鼠 shǔ | 子 zǐ | 11pm–1am | Water | Yang |
| 2 | Ox | 牛 niú | 丑 chǒu | 1am–3am | Earth | Yin |
| 3 | Tiger | 虎 hǔ | 寅 yín | 3am–5am | Wood | Yang |
| 4 | Rabbit | 兔 tù | 卯 mǎo | 5am–7am | Wood | Yin |
| 5 | Dragon | 龍 lóng | 辰 chén | 7am–9am | Earth | Yang |
| 6 | Snake | 蛇 shé | 巳 sì | 9am–11am | Fire | Yin |
| 7 | Horse | 馬 mǎ | 午 wǔ | 11am–1pm | Fire | Yang |
| 8 | Goat | 羊 yáng | 未 wèi | 1pm–3pm | Earth | Yin |
| 9 | Monkey | 猴 hóu | 申 shēn | 3pm–5pm | Metal | Yang |
| 10 | Rooster | 雞 jī | 酉 yǒu | 5pm–7pm | Metal | Yin |
| 11 | Dog | 狗 gǒu | 戌 xū | 7pm–9pm | Earth | Yang |
| 12 | Pig | 豬 zhū | 亥 hài | 9pm–11pm | Water | Yin |
Why these animals? The Great Race
According to legend, the Jade Emperor invited the animals to race across a river and promised each a year in the calendar in the order they finished. The Rat won by riding on the Ox and jumping ahead at the last moment. The Dragon, who could fly, stopped to help others and came fifth, and the Pig, who paused to eat and sleep, came last.
The story is a way of remembering the order, and it hints at how each sign is seen: the Rat is clever, the Ox diligent, the Dragon generous and the Pig easy-going.
Animals questions, answered
What are the 12 Chinese zodiac animals in order?
The 12 animals in order are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
How do I know my Chinese zodiac animal?
Your animal is set by your birth year in the Chinese lunar calendar. Because the year starts at Lunar New Year in late January or February, people born early in the year may belong to the previous year’s animal.
Why is there no Cat in the Chinese zodiac?
In the legend of the Great Race the Rat tricked the Cat, who missed the race altogether, which is said to be why cats chase rats. In the Vietnamese zodiac the Cat takes the place of the Rabbit.
Find your animal from your birthday
Enter your date of birth and the calculator checks the Lunar New Year date for you.
