What Is My Chinese Zodiac Sign? Why January and February Birthdays Need a Second Look
· Petite Tiger
How is your Asian zodiac sign worked out?
The Asian zodiac gives each year one of twelve animals, in a fixed order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The year starts on Lunar New Year, which lands on a different date between January 21 and February 20.
Most zodiac charts simply list a calendar year next to an animal. That works for birthdays from late February onward, but it can be wrong for anything earlier.
Why do January and February birthdays change the answer?
Take someone born on January 20, 1991. Charts say 1991 is a Goat year, but Lunar New Year didn't arrive until February 15 that year. That birthday belongs to the Year of the Horse.
Our sign finder does this check for you. Enter a birthday and it shows both the Asian and Western signs.
When was Lunar New Year in recent years?
Here are the dates each recent zodiac year began:
- 2020: January 25, Rat
- 2021: February 12, Ox
- 2022: February 1, Tiger
- 2023: January 22, Rabbit
- 2024: February 10, Dragon
- 2025: January 29, Snake
- 2026: February 17, Horse
- 2027: February 6, Goat
- 2028: January 26, Monkey
Is the Chinese zodiac the same as the Asian zodiac?
Mostly. The twelve-animal cycle is shared across much of Asia, including China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, with a few local differences. In Vietnam, for example, the Cat takes the place of the Rabbit and the Buffalo takes the place of the Ox. We say Asian zodiac because so many cultures share it.
More questions
Does my Chinese zodiac sign change every year?
No. Your sign is set by the lunar year you were born in and stays the same for life.
What is the first animal of the Chinese zodiac?
The Rat is first, and the Pig is last.
