The 12 Chinese Zodiac Signs: Years, Traits and Matches
The Chinese zodiac has 12 animals that rotate yearly in a fixed order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Each year begins at Lunar New Year, and each animal comes with its own temperament, best matches and one traditional clash.
Not sure which one you are? Use the calculator - birthdays in January and early February often belong to the previous year's animal.
鼠Rat1996, 2008, 2020
牛Ox1997, 2009, 2021
虎Tiger1998, 2010, 2022
兔Rabbit1999, 2011, 2023
龍Dragon2000, 2012, 2024
蛇Snake2001, 2013, 2025
馬Horse2002, 2014, 2026
羊Goat2003, 2015, 2027
猴Monkey2004, 2016, 2028
雞Rooster2005, 2017, 2029
狗Dog2006, 2018, 2030
豬Pig2007, 2019, 2031All signs at a glance
| # | Sign | Recent years | Best matches | Clash |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 鼠 Rat | 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 | Monkey · Dragon · Ox | Horse |
| 2 | 牛 Ox | 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 | Snake · Rooster · Rat | Goat |
| 3 | 虎 Tiger | 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 | Horse · Dog · Pig | Monkey |
| 4 | 兔 Rabbit | 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 | Pig · Goat · Dog | Rooster |
| 5 | 龍 Dragon | 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 | Monkey · Rat · Rooster | Dog |
| 6 | 蛇 Snake | 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 | Rooster · Ox · Monkey | Pig |
| 7 | 馬 Horse | 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 | Tiger · Dog · Goat | Rat |
| 8 | 羊 Goat | 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 | Pig · Rabbit · Horse | Ox |
| 9 | 猴 Monkey | 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 | Rat · Dragon · Snake | Tiger |
| 10 | 雞 Rooster | 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 | Snake · Ox · Dragon | Rabbit |
| 11 | 狗 Dog | 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 | Tiger · Horse · Rabbit | Dragon |
| 12 | 豬 Pig | 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 | Rabbit · Goat · Tiger | Snake |
How compatibility works
Chinese astrology groups the animals into four "trines" whose members share a rhythm: Rat, Dragon and Monkey are quick and ambitious; Ox, Snake and Rooster are deliberate and exacting; Tiger, Horse and Dog are idealistic and bold; Rabbit, Goat and Pig are gentle and loyal. Each sign also has a "secret friend", an unlikely but steady ally. Signs that sit directly opposite each other on the wheel are said to clash: they want different things at the same time.
None of this decides a relationship. It is a vocabulary for talking about temperament, and that is how most people enjoy it.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 12 Chinese zodiac signs in order?
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The order never changes, and each animal returns every 12 years.
Which Chinese zodiac signs are compatible?
Traditionally the most harmonious pairs come from the same trine: Rat-Dragon-Monkey, Ox-Snake-Rooster, Tiger-Horse-Dog and Rabbit-Goat-Pig. Each sign also has one "secret friend" (for example Rat and Ox). The most challenging pairings are signs six places apart, such as Rat and Horse.
Is the Goat the same as the Sheep or Ram?
Yes. The Chinese character 羊 covers goats, sheep and rams, so English sources use all three names for the eighth sign.