The Chinese zodiac assigns an animal to each year in a repeating 12-year cycle. Your sign depends on the year you were born — but with one important twist around the date of Chinese New Year. Here's the full order, how to find your animal, and how the cycle works.
The new zodiac animal begins each Chinese New Year — in 2026 that's 17 February, starting the Year of the Horse. See the Chinese calendar or the Chinese New Year 2026 guide.
The 12 Chinese zodiac animals in order
The animals always follow the same fixed order:
- Rat 🐀
- Ox 🐂
- Tiger 🐅
- Rabbit 🐇
- Dragon 🐉
- Snake 🐍
- Horse 🐴
- Goat (Sheep/Ram) 🐐
- Monkey 🐒
- Rooster 🐓
- Dog 🐕
- Pig 🐖
After the Pig, the cycle returns to the Rat and repeats.
How to find your Chinese zodiac animal
Find the most recent year for your animal and add or subtract 12. Recent years:
| Animal | Recent years |
|---|---|
| Rat | 2020, 2008, 1996, 1984 |
| Ox | 2021, 2009, 1997, 1985 |
| Tiger | 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986 |
| Rabbit | 2023, 2011, 1999, 1987 |
| Dragon | 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988 |
| Snake | 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989 |
| Horse | 2026, 2014, 2002, 1990 |
| Goat | 2027, 2015, 2003, 1991 |
| Monkey | 2028, 2016, 2004, 1992 |
| Rooster | 2029, 2017, 2005, 1993 |
| Dog | 2030, 2018, 2006, 1994 |
| Pig | 2031, 2019, 2007, 1995 |
The important catch: Chinese New Year, not January 1
Your zodiac animal changes on Chinese New Year, not 1 January. So if you were born in January or early February, you may belong to the previous year's animal.
For example, someone born on 1 February 2026 is still a Snake (2025's animal), because Chinese New Year 2026 doesn't begin until 17 February. Always check the exact Chinese New Year date for your birth year — our Chinese calendar has it.
How the cycle works
The 12-year animal cycle also combines with the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), creating a larger 60-year cycle — which is why 2026 is specifically the Fire Horse year, and the previous Fire Horse was 60 years earlier in 1966.
Quick answers
What are the 12 Chinese zodiac animals in order? Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
What is the Chinese zodiac for 2026? 2026 is the Year of the Horse (specifically the Fire Horse), beginning on Chinese New Year, 17 February 2026.
How do I find my Chinese zodiac sign? Find your birth year in the 12-year cycle — but if you were born in January or early February, check whether Chinese New Year had started yet, as your animal may be the previous year's.
Why doesn't the zodiac change on January 1? Because the Chinese zodiac follows the Chinese lunar calendar, and each new animal year begins on Chinese New Year, which falls between late January and mid-February.