Home › Chinese Zodiac

Chinese Zodiac

The twelve animals

Your animal repeats every twelve years. The element only repeats every sixty — which is why two people born under the same sign can be nothing alike.

Each page below covers the temperament, the strengths, the honest shadow side, and all five elemental versions of the sign, with the years each one falls in.

Year of the Rat

First of the twelve, and it got there by being quicker than everyone else rather than stronger.

1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032

Year of the Ox

The sign that gets there by refusing to stop, long after everyone faster has given up.

1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021

Year of the Tiger

Courage as a temperament rather than a decision.

1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022

Year of the Rabbit

The sign that wins by never fighting where it doesn't have to.

1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023

Year of the Dragon

The only mythical animal in the cycle, and the sign least interested in being ordinary.

1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024

Year of the Snake

The sign that says least and knows most.

1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025

Year of the Horse

Freedom as a physical requirement rather than a preference.

1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026

Year of the Goat

The sign that makes things beautiful, and needs someone to handle the rest.

1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027

Year of the Monkey

Intelligence that treats every situation as a puzzle with a shortcut in it.

1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028

Year of the Rooster

The sign that noticed, and is going to mention it.

1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029

Year of the Dog

Loyalty as the organising principle of a life.

1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030

Year of the Pig

The last of the twelve, and the one most able to enjoy having arrived.

1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031

Life Path numbers →