Zodiac Guide

Starting from 2022 on Feb. 1 and lasting to 2023 on Jan. 21, 2022, is the Year of the Tiger according to the Chinese zodiac. This is a Year of water Tiger. So what is your Chinese zodiac animal?

Zodiac Guide Chinese zodiac animals e1628395883887
  • What is the Chinese zodiac?
  • How to determine your Chinese zodiac sign?
  • Chinese zodiac signs’ personality
  • Chinese Zodiac Signs’ Lucky/Unlucky Things
  • Chinese zodiac sign compatibility

Popular Chinese Zodiac Stuff

What is The Chinese Zodiac?

The Chinese zodiac appeared in the Qin Dynasty (221 – 207 B.C.) and was finalized in the Eastern Han Dynasty of China (25 – 220 A.D.). It is a treasure of the Chinese nation and a totemic system of Chinese beliefs. Every Chinese person is convinced of it. According to the year of each person’s birth, each person has his or her own Chinese zodiac sign. In Chinese culture, the Chinese zodiac is also applied to the month, day, and hour.

There is an interesting legend about the origin of the 12 zodiac signs. It is said that the Jade Emperor wanted to select 12 animals to serve as palace guards. He ordered all the animals, as long as they could run to the Heavenly Court within the specified time, the first 12 could become the 12 zodiac signs. To everyone’s surprise, the clever mouse secretly hid on the back of a cow. When the cow ran to heaven with all its might, looking to get the first throne, the mouse ran ahead at the critical moment and took the first position. The cow could only bend the second. The tiger got the third and became the king of the forest. The rabbit got the fourth, accompanying the moon goddess Chang’e. The dragon got the fifth and became the lord of the ocean. Snake, horse, sheep, monkey, and rooster followed. The dog was punished to be the last one because it bit the rabbit among the pets. The pig ended up getting the last place because of laziness.

The above are just legends. In fact, the zodiac ranking cannot determine the strengths and weaknesses of the zodiac. Every zodiac sign has advantages and disadvantages. Just each has its own characteristics and emerges in different areas.

How to Determine Your Chinese Zodiac Sign?

People’s Chinese zodiac signs are based on their birth years. The “year” is defined by the Chinese lunar calendar, not the Gregorian year you are familiar with from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st.

The dates of the Chinese Lunar New Year vary every year but will fall on a day in January or February. If you were born on a day from March to December, it won’t be difficult to figure out your zodiac animal sign. But for people birthed in January or February, there are bigger chances of mistaking their signs. You should check your signs carefully if born in January or February.

Chinese Zodiac Comparative Table

Zodiac Birth Years
Rat 1924
Feb. 05, 1924 – Jan. 23, 1925
1936
Jan. 24, 1936 – Feb. 10, 1937
1948
Feb. 10, 1948 – Jan. 28, 1949
1960
Jan. 28, 1960 – Feb. 14, 1961
1972
Feb. 15, 1972 – Feb. 02, 1973
1984
Feb. 02, 1984 – Feb. 19, 1985
1996
Feb. 19, 1996 – Feb. 06, 1997
2008
Feb. 07, 2008 – Jan. 25, 2009
2020
Jan. 25, 2020 – Feb. 11, 2021
Ox 1925
Jan. 24, 1925 – Feb. 12, 1926
1937
Feb. 11, 1937 – Jan. 30, 1938
1949
Jan. 29, 1949 – Feb. 16, 1950
1961
Feb. 15, 1961 – Feb. 04, 1962
1973
Feb. 03, 1973 – Jan. 22, 1974
1985
Feb. 20, 1985 – Feb. 08, 1986
1997
Feb. 07, 1997 – Jan. 27, 1998
2009
Jan. 26, 2009 – Feb. 13, 2010
2021
Feb. 12, 2021 – Jan. 31, 2022
Tiger 1926
Feb. 13, 1926 – Feb. 01, 1927
1938
Jan. 31, 1938 – Feb. 18, 1939
1950
Feb. 17, 1950 – Feb. 05, 1951
1962
Feb. 05, 1962 – Jan. 24, 1963
1974
Jan. 23, 1974 – Feb. 10, 1975
1986
Feb. 09, 1986 – Jan. 28, 1987
1998
Jan. 28, 1998 – Feb. 15, 1999
2010
Feb. 14, 2010 – Feb. 02, 2011
2022
Feb. 01, 2022 – Jan. 21, 2023
Rabbit 1927
Feb. 02, 1927 – Jan. 22, 1928
1939
Feb. 19, 1939 – Feb. 07, 1940
1951
Feb. 06, 1951 – Jan. 26, 1952
1963
Jan. 25, 1963 – Feb. 12, 1964
1975
Feb. 11, 1975 – Jan. 30, 1976
1987
Jan. 29, 1987 – Feb. 16, 1988
1999
Feb. 16, 1999 – Feb. 04, 2000
2011
Feb. 03, 2011 – Jan. 22, 2012
2023
Jan. 22, 2023 – Feb. 09, 2024
Dragon 1928
Jan. 23, 1928 – Feb. 09, 1929
1940
Feb. 08, 1940 – Jan. 26, 1941
1952
Jan. 27, 1952 – Feb. 13, 1953
1964
Feb. 13, 1964 – Feb. 01, 1965
1976
Jan. 31, 1976 – Feb. 17, 1977
1988
Feb. 17, 1988 – Feb. 05, 1989
2000
Feb. 05, 2000 – Jan. 23, 2001
2012
Jan. 23, 2012 – Feb. 09, 2013
2024
Feb. 10, 2024 – Jan. 28, 2025
Snake 1929
Feb. 10, 1929 – Jan. 29, 1930
1941
Jan. 27, 1941 – Feb. 14, 1942
1953
Feb. 14, 1953 – Feb. 02, 1954
1965
Feb. 02, 1965 – Jan. 20, 1966
1977
Feb. 18, 1977 – Feb. 06, 1978
1989
Feb. 06, 1989 – Jan. 26, 1990
2001
Jan. 24, 2001 – Feb. 11, 2002
2013
Feb. 10, 2013 – Jan. 30, 2014
2025
Jan. 29, 2025 – Feb. 16, 2026
Horse 1930
Jan. 30, 1930 – Feb. 16, 1931
1942
Feb. 15, 1942 – Feb. 04, 1943
1954
Feb. 03, 1954 – Jan. 23, 1955
1966
Jan. 21, 1966 – Feb. 08, 1967
1978
Feb. 07, 1978 – Jan. 27, 1979
1990
Jan. 27, 1990 – Feb. 14, 1991
2002
Feb. 12, 2002 – Jan. 31, 2003
2014
Jan. 31, 2014 – Feb. 18, 2015
2026
Feb. 17, 2026 – Feb. 05, 2027
Sheep 1931
Feb. 17, 1931 – Feb. 05, 1932
1943
Feb. 05, 1943 – Jan. 24, 1944
1955
Jan. 24, 1955 – Feb. 11, 1956
1967
Feb. 09, 1967 – Jan. 29, 1968
1979
Jan. 28, 1979 – Feb. 15, 1980
1991
Feb. 15, 1991 – Feb. 03, 1992
2003
Feb. 01, 2003 – Jan. 21, 2004
2015
Feb. 19, 2015 – Feb. 07, 2016
2027
Feb. 06, 2027 – Jan. 25, 2028
Monkey 1932
Feb. 06, 1932 – Jan. 25, 1933
1944
Jan. 25, 1944 – Feb. 12, 1945
1956
Feb. 12, 1956 – Jan. 30, 1957
1968
Jan. 30, 1968 – Feb. 16, 1969
1980
Feb. 16, 1980 – Feb. 04, 1981
1992
Feb. 04, 1992 – Jan. 22, 1993
2004
Jan. 22, 2004 – Feb. 08, 2005
2016
Feb. 08, 2016 – Jan. 27, 2017
2028
Jan. 26, 2028 – Feb. 12, 2029
Rooster 1933
Jan. 26, 1933 – Feb. 13, 1934
1945
Feb. 13, 1945 – Feb. 01, 1946
1957
Jan. 31, 1957 – Feb. 17, 1958
1969
Feb. 17, 1969 – Feb. 05, 1970
1981
Feb. 05, 1981 – Jan. 24, 1982
1993
Jan. 23, 1993 – Feb. 09, 1994
2005
Feb. 09, 2005 – Jan. 28, 2006
2017
Jan. 28, 2017 – Feb. 15, 2018
2029
Feb. 13, 2029 – Feb. 02, 2030
Dog 1934
Feb. 14, 1934 – Feb. 03, 1935
1946
Feb. 02, 1946 – Jan. 21, 1947
1958
Feb. 18, 1958 – Feb. 07, 1959
1970
Feb. 06, 1970 – Jan. 26, 1971
1982
Jan. 25, 1982 – Feb. 12, 1983
1994
Feb. 10, 1994 – Jan. 30, 1995
2006
Jan. 29, 2006 – Feb. 17, 2007
2018
Feb. 16, 2018 – Feb. 04, 2019
2030
Feb. 03, 2030 – Jan. 22, 2031
Pig 1935
Feb. 04, 1935 – Jan. 23, 1936
1947
Jan. 22, 1947 – Feb. 09, 1948
1959
Feb. 08, 1959 – Jan. 27, 1960
1971
Jan. 27, 1971 – Feb. 14, 1972
1983
Feb. 13, 1983 – Feb. 01, 1984
1995
Jan. 31, 1995 – Feb. 18, 1996
2007
Feb. 18, 2007 – Feb. 06, 2008
2019
Feb. 05, 2019 – Jan. 24, 2020
2031
Jan. 23, 2031 – Feb. 10, 2032

Chinese Zodiac Signs’ Personality

Chinese zodiac animals have astrological and cultural meanings. Chinese people associate each animal sign with certain characteristics. It’s believed that people born in a given year have the personality of that year’s animal. 

Rat: quick-witted, resourceful, versatile, kind.

Ox: diligent, dependable, strong, determined.

Tiger: quick-witted, resourceful, versatile, kind.

Rabbit: quiet, elegant, kind, responsible.

Dragon: confident, intelligent, enthusiastic.

Snake: enigmatic, intelligent, wise.

Horse: animated, active, energetic.

Goat: calm, gentle, sympathetic.

Monkey: sharp, smart, curious.

Rooster: observant, hardworking, courageous.

Dog: lovely, honest, prudent.

Pig: compassionate, generous, diligent.

Chinese Zodiac Signs’ Lucky/Unlucky Things

Lucky Things

Chinese Zodiac Sign Lucky Numbers Lucky Colors Lucky Flowers Lucky Directions
Rat 2, 3 blue, gold, green lily, African violet west, northwest and southwest
Ox 1, 4 white, yellow, green tulip, peach blossom north, south
Tiger 1, 3, 4 blue, gray, orange yellow lily, cineraria east, north, south
Rabbit 3, 4, 6 red, pink, purple, blue plantain lily, jasmine east, south and northwest
Dragon 1, 6, 7 gold, silver, grayish white bleeding-heart glory bower, dragon flowers east, north, south
Snake 2, 8, 9 black, red, and yellow orchid and cactus east, west, and southwest
Horse 2, 3, 7 yellow and green calla lily and jasmine east, west, and south
Goat 2, 7 brown, red, and purple carnations and primroses north
Monkey 4, 9 white, blue, gold chrysanthemum, crape myrtle north, northwest, west
Rooster 5, 7, 8 gold, brown, and yellow gladiola, cockscomb south, southeast
Dog 3, 4, 9 red, green, and purple rose, cymbidium orchids east, south, and northeast
Pig 2, 5, 8 yellow, gray, brown, gold hydrangea and daisy east and southwest

Unlucky Things

Chinese Zodiac Sign Unlucky Numbers Unlucky Colors Unlucky Directions
Rat 5, 9 yellow, brown south and southeast
Ox 5, 6 blue southwest
Tiger 6, 7, 8 brown southwest
Rabbit 1, 7, 8 dark brown, dark yellow, white north, west, and southwest
Dragon 3, 8 blue, green northwest
Snake 1, 6, 7 brown, gold, white northeast and northwest
Horse 1, 5, 6 blue, white north and northwest
Goat 4, 9 blue and black southwest
Monkey 2, 7 red, pink south, southeast
Rooster 1, 3, 9 red east
Dog 1, 6, 7 blue, white, gold southeast
Pig 1, 7, red, blue, green southeast

Chinese Zodiac Sign Compatibility

Regarding the principle of the zodiac animals’ compatibility, I have checked a lot of English stuff, and most of them are wrong and inconsistent with the traditional Chinese saying, and there are large deviations.
The Chinese zodiac animals are divided into 2 cases, one is the simple theory of 3-6 (Better match and best match), and the other is related to the five elements properties (this method is very complicated, so I will not express it in this article).
In this article, we will only briefly describe the phases of the zodiac from 3-6 theory.

Please see the illustration below to check if you and your partner are compatible!

Zodiac Animal Better Match Best Match
Rat Dragon, Monkey Ox
Ox Snake, Rooster Rat
Tiger Dragon, Horse Pig
Rabbit Sheep, Pig Dog
Dragon Rat, Monkey Rooster
Snake Ox, Rooster Monkey
Horse Tiger, Dog Sheep
Sheep Rabbit, Pig Horse
Monkey Rat, Dragon Snake
Rooster Ox, Snake Dragon
Dog Tiger, Horse Rabbit
Pig Rabbit, Sheep Tiger