Introduction
The Chinese zodiac runs in a fixed 12-year cycle of animals, each tied to one of the Twelve Earthly Branches. This chart lets you look up any birth year from 1924 to 2031 and see the animal, the branch, and the element of the year.
The 12-Year Animal Cycle
- Rat (鼠) — Zi (子, Water)
- Ox (牛) — Chou (丑, Earth)
- Tiger (虎) — Yin (寅, Wood)
- Rabbit (兔) — Mao (卯, Wood)
- Dragon (龍) — Chen (辰, Earth)
- Snake (蛇) — Si (巳, Fire)
- Horse (馬) — Wu (午, Fire)
- Goat (羊) — Wei (未, Earth)
- Monkey (猴) — Shen (申, Metal)
- Rooster (雞) — You (酉, Metal)
- Dog (狗) — Xu (戌, Earth)
- Pig (豬) — Hai (亥, Water)
Each animal repeats every 12 years, so 2024 (Dragon), 2012 (Dragon) and 2000 (Dragon) all belong to the same sign.
Year Chart (1924–2031)
- Rat — 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
- Ox — 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
- Tiger — 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
- Rabbit — 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
- Dragon — 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
- Snake — 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
- Horse — 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
- Goat — 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
- Monkey — 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
- Rooster — 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
- Dog — 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
- Pig — 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Note: each animal year begins at Lunar New Year, not January 1. Births in January and early February should be checked against the exact date of that year's new year.
Elements and the 60-Year Cycle
Besides the animal, every year carries one of the Five Elements from its Heavenly Stem. Because the elements pair up, the same element-and-animal combination returns only every 60 years — for example, 2026 (Horse) carries Fire, matching 1966 more closely than 2014 in this system.
This is why yearly fortune guides (like our 2027 zodiac forecast) speak of specific years like "the Fire-Goat year 丁未" rather than just "the Goat year."
From Zodiac to BaZi
Your zodiac sign is the year branch — but a BaZi chart also reads the month, day and hour branches. Two people born in the same zodiac year can have very different charts, which is why serious readings go far beyond the animal sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which year is my zodiac sign based on?
The Chinese zodiac follows the lunar calendar, and each animal year begins at Chinese New Year (usually late January or February), not January 1. If you were born in January, check the exact Lunar New Year date for your birth year.
Is the zodiac sign the same as my BaZi year pillar?
Almost — your zodiac animal is simply the Earthly Branch of your birth year. But BaZi also uses the month, day and hour branches, so two people of the same zodiac can have very different charts.
How often does each animal repeat?
Every 12 years. The full cycle is Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig — in that fixed order.
What is the element attached to my year?
Each year also carries one of the Five Elements based on the year's Heavenly Stem. The element repeats in pairs, so a full stem-branch cycle takes 60 years — the same element and animal combination returns every 60 years.
Is 2026 a good example year?
2026 is the year of the Horse (Wu Wu). It follows the Fire-Snake year 2025 and leads into the Fire-Goat year 2027 — useful reference points when reading yearly fortune guides.
Conclusion
The year chart is the entry point to the Chinese zodiac — one lookup, one animal, and a doorway into the branches, elements, and full chart systems behind it.
This article is for entertainment, cultural exploration and self-reflection purposes only. It is not medical, legal, financial, or investment advice.