Jade
Observatory

27 August 2026

12 Chinese Zodiac Signs

Chinese Zodiac Years & New Year Dates

The zodiac year changes at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. A listed year means the zodiac year beginning at Chinese New Year in that Gregorian year.

Any whole year from 1901 through 2099.

1928 — Earth Dragon

龙Yang Earth Dragon · Gan-Zhi 戊辰

Begins23 January 1928

Ends9 February 1929

Read the Dragon guide

Upcoming zodiac years

YearAnimalChinese characterBegins (Chinese New Year)Ends (day before next CNY)Element
2020Rat鼠25 January 202011 February 2021Metal
2021Ox牛12 February 202131 January 2022Metal
2022Tiger虎1 February 202221 January 2023Water
2023Rabbit兔22 January 20239 February 2024Water
2024Dragon龙10 February 202428 January 2025Wood
2025Snake蛇29 January 202516 February 2026Wood
2026Horse马17 February 20265 February 2027Fire
2027Goat羊6 February 202725 January 2028Fire
2028Monkey猴26 January 202812 February 2029Earth
2029Rooster鸡13 February 20292 February 2030Earth
2030Dog狗3 February 203022 January 2031Metal
2031Pig猪23 January 203110 February 2032Metal
2032Rat鼠11 February 203230 January 2033Water
2033Ox牛31 January 203318 February 2034Water
2034Tiger虎19 February 20347 February 2035Wood
2035Rabbit兔8 February 203527 January 2036Wood

Calendar boundaries use the Hong Kong Observatory Gregorian-Lunar Calendar Conversion Table (1901–2100).Find your sign →How the lunar-year boundary works →

Why the zodiac year moves every year

The traditional Chinese calendar is lunisolar: months follow the moon, and a leap month keeps the calendar aligned with the solar year. Chinese New Year — the first day of the first lunar month — therefore lands on a different Gregorian date each year, always between 21 January and 20 February.

Each zodiac year runs from one Chinese New Year to the day before the next. Anyone born in January or early February should compare their birth date with that year's boundary: before the boundary, they belong to the previous animal year. The tables above use the same verified boundaries as the birth-date calculator.