Chinese Zodiac
Find Your Animal Sign by Birth Year
The Chinese zodiac (Shengxiao) is a 12-year repeating cycle where each year is represented by one of 12 animals. Combined with the Five Elements (Wu Xing), it creates a 60-year grand cycle that has shaped Chinese culture, personality analysis, and compatibility traditions for over two millennia.
Find Your Chinese Zodiac Animal
Enter your birth year to discover your animal sign and element.
The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals
Rat
Zi (子)
Quick-witted, resourceful, and adaptable — the Rat is the first sign, symbolising new beginnings and clever opportunism.
Ox
Chou (丑)
Diligent, dependable, and determined — the Ox is the zodiac's tireless workhorse, earning success through sheer perseverance.
Tiger
Yin (寅)
Brave, competitive, and charismatic — the Tiger is a natural-born leader who commands respect through sheer presence.
Rabbit
Mao (卯)
Gentle, elegant, and diplomatic — the Rabbit navigates life with quiet grace and refined social intelligence.
Dragon
Chen (辰)
Powerful, ambitious, and lucky — the Dragon is the most revered sign, symbolising imperial strength and divine favour.
Snake
Si (巳)
Wise, intuitive, and enigmatic — the Snake is the zodiac's deepest thinker, seeing what others overlook.
Horse
Wu (午)
Energetic, free-spirited, and warm-hearted — the Horse gallops through life with infectious enthusiasm and independence.
Goat
Wei (未)
Creative, gentle, and compassionate — the Goat is the zodiac's artist, finding beauty and meaning in everything.
Monkey
Shen (申)
Clever, playful, and inventive — the Monkey is the zodiac's innovator, solving problems with creative brilliance.
Rooster
You (酉)
Observant, hardworking, and honest — the Rooster is the zodiac's perfectionist, pursuing excellence in every detail.
Dog
Xu (戌)
Loyal, honest, and righteous — the Dog is the zodiac's most faithful companion, guided by unwavering moral conviction.
Pig
Hai (亥)
Generous, warm-hearted, and honest — the Pig is the zodiac's great enjoyer of life, bringing abundance wherever it goes.
The Five Elements (Wu Xing)
The Chinese zodiac integrates a five-element cycle that adds depth to each animal sign. Each element governs two consecutive years, creating a 60-year grand cycle (Sexagenary cycle). Your birth year determines both your animal and your element, producing 60 unique animal-element combinations.
Wood
Growth, creativity, flexibility, and nurturing. Wood people are generous, cooperative, and idealistic.
Fire
Passion, dynamism, enthusiasm, and leadership. Fire people are decisive, adventurous, and charismatic.
Earth
Stability, reliability, patience, and practicality. Earth people are grounded, loyal, and methodical.
Metal
Determination, ambition, rigidity, and strength. Metal people are disciplined, focused, and resolute.
Water
Wisdom, adaptability, intuition, and diplomacy. Water people are empathetic, perceptive, and resourceful.
How the Cycle Works
The element rotates every 2 years: Wood (years ending in 4-5), Fire (6-7), Earth (8-9), Metal (0-1), Water (2-3). For example, 2024 is Wood Dragon, 2025 is Wood Snake, 2026 is Fire Horse, and so on. The full 60-year cycle (12 animals × 5 elements) last repeated starting in 1984.
Compatibility Triangles
Chinese zodiac compatibility groups the 12 animals into four triangles of three. Animals within the same triangle share fundamental temperament traits and are considered highly compatible.
Rat · Dragon · Monkey
The “Action” triangle. Ambitious, competitive, and charismatic — these three signs thrive on innovation, strategy, and bold moves. They share a love of intellectual stimulation.
Ox · Snake · Rooster
The “Intellect” triangle. Diligent, strategic, and detail-oriented — these signs value precision, planning, and steady progress toward well-defined goals.
Tiger · Horse · Dog
The “Courage” triangle. Bold, justice-driven, and freedom-loving — these signs are natural protectors who fight for what they believe in and value loyalty above all.
Rabbit · Goat · Pig
The “Peace” triangle. Gentle, creative, and compassionate — these signs prioritise harmony, beauty, and emotional connection over competition and ambition.
Quick Links — All 12 Animals
Want Deeper Compatibility Analysis?
Our Vedic Kundali Matching tool uses the traditional 36-point Ashtakoota system for precise compatibility assessment.