What Is My Chinese Zodiac Sign? Find Yours (1950–2050)

The Chinese zodiac is a 12-animal year cycle used to label years in traditional East Asian calendar culture. Each year is associated with an animal and a repeating time pattern people use for reference.

There are 12 traditional Chinese zodiac signs (animals) in the standard cycle. The sequence repeats every 12 years, which is why many people share the same zodiac animal across generations.

The zodiac animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. They repeat in the same order as the year cycle moves forward.

It works primarily by year: each year maps to one animal in a 12-year loop. If you were born near the early-year boundary, your zodiac may depend on the cutoff rule used (Lunar New Year or Li Chun).

Your sign is based on your zodiac year, which usually matches your birth year. If you were born in early January (or near the year switch), your sign may change depending on the cutoff method.

The zodiac animal is determined by your zodiac year (12-year cycle). Enter your birth year (or birthday near the cutoff) to get the correct animal quickly.

If you’re searching “What Is My Chinese Zodiac Sign”, the simplest method is: enter your birth year to get your zodiac animal. If your birthday is near the early-year boundary, switch to “By Birthday” mode and choose the cutoff rule.

Yes — your birth date matters most when you’re close to the zodiac year switch. That’s why many people asking “What Is My Chinese Zodiac Sign” should use birthday mode when they’re near the cutoff.

Not always. The zodiac year typically changes around Lunar New Year, not on January 1. That’s why early-year birthdays can map to a different zodiac year depending on which cutoff rule you use.

January birthdays often sit near the zodiac “handover,” so your zodiac can be either the current year or the previous year depending on the cutoff. Many people use Lunar New Year, while some systems reference Li Chun (Start of Spring) for year switching.

2025 is the Year of the Snake, and its year element is Wood (commonly written as “Wood Snake”). If your birthday is in early January, your zodiac may still fall under the previous zodiac year depending on the cutoff method.

2024 is the Year of the Dragon in the common zodiac-year mapping. If you’re checking a birthday near the year switch, use “By Birthday” mode for the correct cutoff result.

2026 is the Year of the Horse in the standard zodiac cycle. For early-year birthdays, the exact cutoff rule can affect whether you fall into the previous zodiac year.

“This year” depends on the current zodiac-year boundary used (often tied to Lunar New Year). If you’re here asking What Is My Chinese Zodiac Sign, use the main tool to instantly get the zodiac animal for any year between 1950–2050.

“Next year” is simply the next animal in the 12-year cycle. Use the main tool above to check next year (or any future year in range) in one click.

A quick answer uses your birth year element, which comes from the year’s Heavenly Stem (10-stem cycle tied to Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). This is a year-level element, not a full personal BaZi balance — it’s a clear starting point for quick answers.

Traditionally, the Chinese zodiac is a fixed set of 12 animals — no official 13th animal is used in the classic system. Some regions have variations, but the standard Chinese zodiac remains twelve.

No — the Chinese zodiac is not assigned by month (so “May zodiac” is a common misunderstanding). Your zodiac animal is tied to the year cycle; being born in May doesn’t create a special “May zodiac.”

Zodiac compatibility is best seen as a general cultural shorthand, not a precise relationship diagnosis. For deeper timing and structure, people typically use BaZi (Four Pillars) rather than the year-animal alone.

Not exactly. The Chinese zodiac is the year-animal layer (fast and simple). BaZi uses year, month, day, and hour pillars for a deeper structure — so zodiac is a starting point, not the full system.