Chinese Zodiac Years
Find your Chinese zodiac animal and element by birth year, with Chinese New Year boundary handling and compatibility.
Enter Your Birth Year
Chinese New Year Dates 2020–2031
| Gregorian Year | Chinese New Year | Animal | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | January 25 | Rat | Metal |
| 2021 | February 12 | Ox | Metal |
| 2022 | February 1 | Tiger | Water |
| 2023 | January 22 | Rabbit | Water |
| 2024 | February 10 | Dragon | Wood |
| 2025 | January 29 | Snake | Wood |
| 2026 | February 17 | Horse | Fire |
| 2027 | February 6 | Goat | Fire |
| 2028 | January 26 | Monkey | Earth |
| 2029 | February 13 | Rooster | Earth |
| 2030 | February 3 | Dog | Metal |
| 2031 | January 23 | Pig | Metal |
Born between January 1 and Chinese New Year? Your animal sign belongs to the previous lunar year — the calculator above shows both possibilities.
Best Matches (Trines)
🐀 🐉 🐒 Rat, Dragon, Monkey
Dynamic doers — quick, ambitious, and action-oriented
🐂 🐍 🐓 Ox, Snake, Rooster
Steady planners — patient, precise, and goal-driven
🐅 🐎 🐕 Tiger, Horse, Dog
Independent free spirits — idealistic and loyal to a cause
🐇 🐐 🐖 Rabbit, Goat, Pig
Gentle caretakers — empathetic, artistic, and peace-loving
Challenging Pairs (Clashes)
- Rat ↔ Horse
- Ox ↔ Goat
- Tiger ↔ Monkey
- Rabbit ↔ Rooster
- Dragon ↔ Dog
- Snake ↔ Pig
Clash pairs sit six years apart on the wheel. Tradition treats them as opposites — a source of friction in folklore, not a verdict on any real relationship.
The 12 Animals in Order
- Rat
- Ox
- Tiger
- Rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Goat
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Pig
Related: find your Western sign with the zodiac sign checker or your birth gem in the birthstone by month table.
Quick Answer
Your Chinese zodiac animal repeats on a 12-year cycle, paired with one of five elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, Earth) repeating every 10 years — together a 60-year cycle. Enter your birth year to see your animal and element. Born in January or early February? The lunar new year falls between Jan 21 and Feb 20, so the tool shows both possibilities with exact CNY dates for 2020–2031.
How It Works
Type your birth year into the year field
If you were born in January or early February, add the month and day
Read your animal, element, and personality keywords
For early-year births, check the note that shows both possibilities with the exact Chinese New Year date
Browse the CNY dates 2020–2031 table and compatibility trines below
Key Facts
- 12 animals cycle yearly; anchor year 2020 = Metal Rat
- 5 elements pair with the animals for a 60-year cycle
- Shows both animal possibilities for Jan/early-Feb births
- Chinese New Year dates table for 2020–2031
- Compatibility trines and traditional clash pairs included
- Works for years 1900–2100
- 100% client-side — free, no sign-up, nothing uploaded
Frequently Asked Questions
What Chinese zodiac animal is my birth year?
The animal repeats on a 12-year cycle: 2020 is Rat, 2021 Ox, 2022 Tiger, 2023 Rabbit, 2024 Dragon, 2025 Snake, 2026 Horse, 2027 Goat, 2028 Monkey, 2029 Rooster, 2030 Dog, 2031 Pig — then it repeats. Subtract 2020 from your year, take the remainder modulo 12, and match it to the list, or just type your year into the calculator above.
I was born in January or early February — is my animal different?
Often yes. The Chinese lunar new year starts on a different Gregorian date each year, always between January 21 and February 20. If you were born before that year’s new year date, your animal is the previous year’s. For example, someone born January 20, 2000 is a Rabbit (1999’s lunar year), while a birth on Feb 6, 2000 is a Dragon. The tool shows both possibilities with the exact boundary date.
How does the 60-year cycle of elements work?
Each lunar year pairs a 12-animal sign with a 10-cycle of elements in yin/yang pairs: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, each lasting two consecutive years. 2020 and 2021 are Metal years, 2022–2023 Water, 2024–2025 Wood, and so on. Animal (12) × element (10) repeat together only every 60 years — your exact Metal Rat year returns in 2080.
Which animals are compatible in the Chinese zodiac?
Traditional astrology groups the 12 animals into four "trines" of best matches: Rat–Dragon–Monkey, Ox–Snake–Rooster, Tiger–Horse–Dog, and Rabbit–Goat–Pig. Animals six positions apart (Rat–Horse, Ox–Goat, Tiger–Monkey, Rabbit–Rooster, Dragon–Dog, Snake–Pig) are "clash" pairs, traditionally seen as challenging. These are folklore conventions, not predictors of real relationships.
Why does the Chinese zodiac start in late January or February?
The Chinese calendar is lunisolar: months follow moon phases, and the new year starts on the new moon between January 21 and February 20. Because it tracks the moon, its date in the Gregorian calendar shifts each year — Jan 25 in 2020, Feb 12 in 2021, Feb 17 in 2026. That shift is exactly why early-year birthdays need the boundary check.
Is this calculator free and private?
Yes — completely free with no sign-up. Everything is computed locally in your browser; your birth year and date never leave your device.