The 12 Chinese Zodiac Signs: A Complete Guide
The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle of animal signs, each paired with one of the Five Elements that rotates every year. Unlike Western zodiac months, your sign is set by your birth year — and precisely, by the lunar calendar, so January and February births should always be checked by full birth date.
Find your sign by birth date
Because the Chinese year begins at Lunar New Year (usually January–February), the safest way is to enter your full birth date — our tool calculates the sign with lunar precision, including births just before the new year.
Each sign has an element
Beyond the animal, every sign belongs to an element: Rat is Water, Ox Earth, Tiger Wood, Rabbit Wood, Dragon Earth, Snake Fire, Horse Fire, Goat Earth, Monkey Metal, Rooster Metal, Dog Earth, Pig Water. The element colors the sign's temperament and its lucky colors and numbers.
The year's Tai Sui: who to watch
Each year has a guardian deity, Tai Sui. Your sign's relation to the year's sign — sitting on it (值), clashing (冲), harming (害), breaking (破) or punishing (刑) — traditionally calls for extra care. Our yearly fortune notes this for every sign.
FAQ
Why does my January birth show a different sign?
Because the zodiac year starts at Lunar New Year, not January 1. Someone born in January 1990 can still belong to the previous Snake year — the full birth date settles it.
What is my lucky direction or color?
Lucky colors, numbers, directions and crystals follow your sign's element — you'll find them on each sign's profile page.