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2024: Year of the Dragon – Chinese Animal Signs

February 10, 2024 is the Lunar New Year and the start of the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac.

Traditional Chinese Dragon parades at the Lunar New Year Festival in Chinatown, New York, USA on Feb 2, 2014.

The Year of the Dragon begins on February 10, 2024.

©iStockphoto.com/Ultima_Gaina

The dragon is one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac (Shēngxiào, or 生肖), which is based on a 12-year cycle. The Year of the Dragon begins on the Chinese New Year, ending the Year of the Rabbit.

People born in the Year of the Dragon are traditionally thought to be enthusiastic, intelligent, lively, energetic, and innovative.

2025: Year of the Snake

The following year in the Chinese zodiac is the Year of the Snake, which starts on January 29, 2025 and ends on February 16, 2026, when the Year of the Horse begins.

What Year Is Which Animal?

The zodiac starts with the Year of the Rat and cycles continuously through the 12 signs.

Chinese Zodiac Rat

Zi (Rat)

Imaginative, generous, successful, popular, curious

Chinese Zodiac Bull

Chou (Ox)

Confident, honest, patient, conservative, strong

Chinese Zodiac Tiger

Yin (Tiger)

Sensitive, tolerant, brave, active, resilient

Chinese Zodiac Rabbit

Mao (Rabbit)

Affectionate, kind, gentle, compassionate, merciful

Chinese Zodiac Dragon

Chen (Dragon)

Enthusiastic, intelligent, lively, energetic, innovative

Chinese Zodiac Snake

Si (Snake)

Charming, intuitive, romantic, highly perceptive, polite

Chinese Zodiac Horse

Wu (Horse)

Diligent, friendly, sophisticated, talented, clever

Chinese Zodiac Sheep

Wei (Sheep)

Artistic, calm, reserved, happy, kind

Chinese Zodiac Monkey

Shen (Monkey)

Witty, lively, flexible, humorous, curious

Chinese Zodiac Rooster

You (Rooster)

Shrewd, honest, communicative, motivated, punctual

Chinese Zodiac Dog

Xu (Dog)

Loyal, honest, responsible, courageous, warm-hearted

Chinese Zodiac Pig

Hai (Boar/Pig)

Sincere, tolerant, hard-working, honest, optimistic

12 Animals and 5 Elements

Each of the 12 years in the Chinese zodiac cycle is represented by an animal and is associated with one of five elemental signs: wood, earth, fire, water, and metal.

The Year of the Dragon in 2024 is associated with wood.

Zodiac and Human Connections

According to the Chinese zodiac, your birth year tells you more than just your age. Not only is one's personality affected by the animal associated with their birth year, but the compatibility of their relationships also depends on their zodiac.

Starts with the Spring Festival

In China, the start of a new year is celebrated with a Spring Festival, the biggest holiday of the year. Traditionally, people give their house a thorough spring clean and hang couplets on their doors. Couplets are poetic lines about spring and prosperity written in gold or black on red paper.

Setting off firecrackers is hugely popular, and children get hongbao, little red gifts with money inside, from older family members.

The Chinese Calendar

The animal signs in the Chinese zodiac are calculated in accordance with the Chinese calendar, which is lunisolar and is based on astronomical observances of the Sun's longitude and the Moon's phases.

This calendar is older than the Gregorian calendar, which is used by most countries today. In fact, the Chinese calendar's origins can be traced as far back as the 14th century BCE.

Leap years in the Chinese calendar happen approximately every three years when a leap month is added.

What Is My Chinese Zodiac?

The Chinese year, which is based on a lunisolar calendar, begins and ends in January or February of the Gregorian calendar.

Chinese
Year
Year range
(Gregorian calendar)
Chinese zodiacElement
2026Feb 17, 2026 – Feb 5, 2027Horse (Wu)Fire
2025Jan 29, 2025 – Feb 16, 2026Snake (Si)Wood
2024Feb 10, 2024 – Jan 28, 2025Dragon (Chen)Wood
2023Jan 22, 2023 – Feb 9, 2024Rabbit (Mao)Water
2022Feb 1, 2022 – Jan 21, 2023Tiger (Yin)Water
2021Feb 12, 2021 – Jan 31, 2022Ox (Chou)Metal
2020Jan 25, 2020 – Feb 11, 2021Rat (Zi)Metal
2019Feb 5, 2019 – Jan 24, 2020Boar/Pig (Hai)Earth
2018Feb 16, 2018 – Feb 4, 2019Dog (Xu)Earth
2017Jan 28, 2017 – Feb 15, 2018Rooster (You)Fire
2016Feb 8, 2016 – Jan 27, 2017Monkey (Shen)Fire
2015Feb 19, 2015 – Feb 7, 2016Sheep (Wei)Wood
2014Jan 31, 2014 – Feb 18, 2015Horse (Wu)Wood
2013Feb 10, 2013 – Jan 30, 2014Snake (Si)Water
2012Jan 23, 2012 – Feb 9, 2013Dragon (Chen)Water
2011Feb 3, 2011 – Jan 22, 2012Rabbit (Mao)Metal
2010Feb 14, 2010 – Feb 2, 2011Tiger (Yin)Metal
2009Jan 26, 2009 – Feb 13, 2010Ox (Chou)Earth
2008Feb 7, 2008 – Jan 25, 2009Rat (Zi)Earth
2007Feb 18, 2007 - Feb 6, 2008Boar/Pig (Hai)Fire
2006Jan 29, 2006 – Feb 17, 2007Dog (Xu)Fire
2005Feb 9, 2005 – Jan 28, 2006Rooster (You)Wood
2004Jan 22, 2004 – Feb 8, 2005Monkey (Shen)Wood
2003Feb 1, 2003 – Jan 21, 2004Sheep (Wei)Water
2002Feb 12, 2002 – Jan 31, 2003Horse (Wu)Water
2001Jan 24, 2001 – Feb 11, 2002Snake (Si)Metal
2000Feb 5, 2000 – Jan 23, 2001Dragon (Chen)Metal
1999Feb 16, 1999 – Feb 4, 2000Rabbit (Mao)Earth
1998Jan 28, 1998 – Feb 15, 1999Tiger (Yin)Earth
1997Feb 7, 1997 – Jan 27, 1998Ox (Chou)Fire
1996Feb 19, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997Rat (Zi)Fire
1995Jan 31, 1995 - Feb 18, 1996Boar/Pig (Hai)Wood
1994Feb 10, 1994 – Jan 30, 1995Dog (Xu)Wood
1993Jan 23, 1993 – Feb 9, 1994Rooster (You)Water
1992Feb 4, 1992 – Jan 22, 1993Monkey (Shen)Water
1991Feb 15, 1991 – Feb 3, 1992Sheep (Wei)Metal
1990Jan 27, 1990 – Feb 14, 1991Horse (Wu)Metal
1989Feb 6, 1989 – Jan 26, 1990Snake (Si)Earth
1988Feb 17, 1988 – Feb 5, 1989Dragon (Chen)Earth
1987Jan 29, 1987 – Feb 16, 1988Rabbit (Mao)Fire
1986Feb 9, 1986 – Jan 28, 1987Tiger (Yin)Fire
1985Feb 20, 1985 – Feb 8, 1986Ox (Chou)Wood
1984Feb 2, 1984 – Feb 19, 1985Rat (Zi)Wood
1983Feb 13, 1983 - Feb 1, 1984Boar/Pig (Hai)Water
1982Jan 25, 1982 - Feb 12, 1983Dog (Xu)Water
1981Feb 5, 1981 – Jan 24, 1982Rooster (You)Metal
1980Feb 16, 1980 – Feb 4, 1981Monkey (Shen)Metal
1979Jan 28, 1979 – Feb 15, 1980Sheep (Wei)Earth
1978Feb 7, 1978 – Jan 27, 1979Horse (Wu)Earth
1977Feb 18, 1977 – Feb 6, 1978Snake (Si)Fire
1976Jan 31, 1976 – Feb 17, 1977Dragon (Chen)Fire
1975Feb 11, 1975 – Jan 30, 1976Rabbit (Mao)Wood
1974Jan 23, 1974 – Feb 10, 1975Tiger (Yin)Wood
1973Feb 3, 1973 – Jan 22, 1974Ox (Chou)Water
1972Feb 15, 1972 – Feb 2, 1973Rat (Zi)Water
1971Jan 27, 1971 - Feb 14, 1972Boar/Pig (Hai)Metal
1970Feb 6, 1970 – Jan 26, 1971Dog (Xu)Metal
1969Feb 17, 1969 – Feb 5, 1970Rooster (You)Earth
1968Jan 30, 1968 – Feb 16, 1969Monkey (Shen)Earth
1967Feb 9, 1967 – Jan 29, 1968Sheep (Wei)Fire
1966Jan 21, 1966 – Feb 8, 1967Horse (Wu)Fire
1965Feb 2, 1965 – Jan 20, 1966Snake (Si)Wood
1964Feb 13, 1964 – Feb 1, 1965Dragon (Chen)Wood
1963Jan 25, 1963 – Feb 12, 1964Rabbit (Mao)Water
1962Feb 5, 1962 – Jan 24, 1963Tiger (Yin)Water
1961Feb 15, 1961 – Feb 4, 1962Ox (Chou)Metal
1960Jan 28, 1960 – Feb 14, 1961Rat (Zi)Metal
1959Feb 8, 1959 – Jan 27, 1960Boar/Pig (Hai)Earth
1958Feb 18, 1958 – Feb 8, 1959Dog (Xu)Earth
1957Jan 31, 1957 – Feb 17, 1958Rooster (You)Fire
1956Feb 12, 1956 – Jan 30, 1957Monkey (Shen)Fire
1955Jan 24, 1955 – Feb 11, 1956Sheep (Wei)Wood
1954Feb 3, 1954 – Jan 23, 1955Horse (Wu)Wood
1953Feb 14, 1953 – Feb 2, 1954Snake (Si)Water
1952Jan 27, 1952 – Feb 13, 1953Dragon (Chen)Water
1951Feb 6, 1951 – Jan 26, 1952Rabbit (Mao)Metal
1950Feb 17, 1950 – Feb 5, 1951Tiger (Yin)Metal
1949Jan 29, 1949 – Feb 16, 1950Ox (Chou)Earth
1948Feb 10, 1948 – Jan 28, 1949Rat (Zi)Earth