12 Signs
The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac in their traditional order. Your sign is set by your birth year, but the year begins not on January 1 but at Lichun, around February 4.
Table of Day Signs
| Sign | Birth years | Fixed element | Key quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 | Water | wit |
| Ox | 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 | Earth | persistence |
| Tiger | 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 | Wood | courage |
| Rabbit | 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 | Wood | diplomacy |
| Dragon | 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 | Earth | grand scale |
| Snake | 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 | Fire | insight |
| Horse | 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 | Fire | freedom |
| Goat | 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 | Earth | gentleness |
| Monkey | 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 | Metal | ingenuity |
| Rooster | 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 | Metal | precision |
| Dog | 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 | Earth | loyalty |
| Pig | 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 | Water | generosity |
The “fixed element” column shows the animal's permanent element, which never changes. The element of the year, which changes every two years, is determined by the last digit.
The Four Trines
Signs spaced four positions apart form compatibility trines, the foundation of the Chinese approach to relationships.
- Rat, Dragon, Monkey: act quickly and think big.
- Ox, Snake, Rooster: work methodically and plan ahead.
- Tiger, Horse, Dog: direct, honest, and can't stand coercion.
- Rabbit, Goat, Pig: gentle, diplomatic, and value peace.
Signs opposite each other (six positions apart) form the “six clashes,” the most difficult pairs. Every combination is covered under compatibility.
Where the Twelve Animals Come From
The order is explained by the legend of the Great Race: the Jade Emperor summoned the animals, and their places in the cycle were assigned by order of arrival. The Rat rode on the Ox's back and jumped off first; the Cat (in the Chinese version) was tricked by the Rat and never made it into the cycle. In the Vietnamese calendar, it is the Cat that takes the Rabbit's place.
Historically, the twelve-part cycle is linked to Jupiter's twelve-year orbit around the Sun, which Chinese astronomers used to count years as early as the centuries BCE.