Chinese horoscope
The Chinese horoscope counts time in years, not months. Each lunar year belongs to one of twelve animals, and the animal of the year you were born in says a good deal about your temperament, the way you love and how you handle work and money. Add one of five elements and you get a cycle that comes full circle every 60 years, which is why a grandmother and her grandson can share the same animal and still feel nothing alike.
How did the animals get their order? The best-known story tells of a great race called by the Jade Emperor. The animals had to cross a wide river, and the first twelve to reach the far bank would each receive a year. The clever Rat hitched a ride on the Ox's back and, just before the finish, jumped ahead to win. Behind them came the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Rooster, the Dog and finally the Pig. A popular addition says the Cat asked the Rat to wake it on race day, the Rat forgot, and cats have chased rats ever since.
Which Chinese sign are you?
Your animal follows the Chinese lunar year, not the calendar one. The lunar year begins on Chinese New Year, which falls on a new moon somewhere between January 21 and February 20. If you were born in January or early February, check the date first. A baby born on February 5, 2027, is still a Horse, because the Goat year begins only on February 6.
| Rat | 1912 | 1924 | 1936 | 1948 | 1960 | 1972 | 1984 | 1996 | 2008 | 2020 |
| Ox | 1913 | 1925 | 1937 | 1949 | 1961 | 1973 | 1985 | 1997 | 2009 | 2021 |
| Tiger | 1914 | 1926 | 1938 | 1950 | 1962 | 1974 | 1986 | 1998 | 2010 | 2022 |
| Rabbit | 1915 | 1927 | 1939 | 1951 | 1963 | 1975 | 1987 | 1999 | 2011 | 2023 |
| Dragon | 1916 | 1928 | 1940 | 1952 | 1964 | 1976 | 1988 | 2000 | 2012 | 2024 |
| Snake | 1917 | 1929 | 1941 | 1953 | 1965 | 1977 | 1989 | 2001 | 2013 | 2025 |
| Horse | 1918 | 1930 | 1942 | 1954 | 1966 | 1978 | 1990 | 2002 | 2014 | 2026 |
| Goat | 1919 | 1931 | 1943 | 1955 | 1967 | 1979 | 1991 | 2003 | 2015 | 2027 |
| Monkey | 1920 | 1932 | 1944 | 1956 | 1968 | 1980 | 1992 | 2004 | 2016 | 2028 |
| Rooster | 1921 | 1933 | 1945 | 1957 | 1969 | 1981 | 1993 | 2005 | 2017 | 2029 |
| Dog | 1922 | 1934 | 1946 | 1958 | 1970 | 1982 | 1994 | 2006 | 2018 | 2030 |
| Pig | 1923 | 1935 | 1947 | 1959 | 1971 | 1983 | 1995 | 2007 | 2019 | 2031 |
When does the year change? These are the Chinese New Year dates for the recent and coming years.
| Chinese New Year | Animal | Element |
|---|---|---|
| January 25, 2020 | Rat | Metal |
| February 12, 2021 | Ox | Metal |
| February 1, 2022 | Tiger | Water |
| January 22, 2023 | Rabbit | Water |
| February 10, 2024 | Dragon | Wood |
| January 29, 2025 | Snake | Wood |
| February 17, 2026 | Horse | Fire |
| February 6, 2027 | Goat | Fire |
| January 26, 2028 | Monkey | Earth |
| February 13, 2029 | Rooster | Earth |
| February 3, 2030 | Dog | Metal |
| January 23, 2031 | Pig | Metal |
The five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water
Every year also carries one of five elements, and you can read it straight from the last digit of the lunar year: 0 and 1 are Metal, 2 and 3 Water, 4 and 5 Wood, 6 and 7 Fire, 8 and 9 Earth. Even years are yang, outgoing and active; odd years are yin, receptive and inward. So 1987 is a Fire Rabbit year and 1990 a Metal Horse year. Twelve animals times five elements make a cycle of 60 years. Each animal also keeps a fixed element of its own, listed under every sign below, and the year element colors that base: a Fire Ox and a Water Ox share the same steady core but show it differently.
- Wood (years ending in 4 and 5): growth, generosity and plans that reach far ahead. Wood people build things meant to last, though they spread themselves thin when every idea looks like a seedling worth watering.
- Fire (6 and 7): warmth, passion and courage. Fire brings momentum and a gift for lifting the mood of a room. The flip side is impatience and a short fuse.
- Earth (8 and 9): steadiness, common sense and care. Earth types know where the spare fuses are kept; they plan, save and keep promises, but they can resist change for too long.
- Metal (0 and 1): determination, precision and a firm sense of right and wrong. Metal gives a clear head and sometimes a streak that refuses to bend.
- Water (2 and 3): intuition, communication and flexibility. Water finds a way around obstacles, reads moods and persuades gently, yet it can drift or keep its true feelings hidden.
Year of the Fire Goat 2027
The Year of the Fire Goat, ding wei in Chinese, begins with Chinese New Year on February 6, 2027, the same day as an annular solar eclipse, and ends on January 25, 2028. Until then the Fire Horse year is still running with its quick changes and constant travel. After that the pace slows. The Goat is the animal of home, care and beautiful things, and the fire of its year is yin, more stove than bonfire: it warms without burning. It favors family, gardens, studios, cooking for friends and slow work that shows the maker's hand. Money comes through patience and good relationships, not through a risky leap.
The Goat's traditional relationships hint at who will have an easier time. The Rabbit and the Pig form its harmony trine and the Horse is its secret friend, so these three go through the year with the wind at their backs. The Ox sits opposite the Goat on the wheel and faces a clash year, which Chinese tradition calls offending tai sui, the ruler of the year. According to the six harms the Goat quietly undermines the Rat, and the Ox, the Goat and the Dog make up a punishment trio, so Dogs should tread carefully too. Goats themselves live through their own year, ben ming nian, traditionally a demanding one, and wear something red for luck.
Goat years over the last hundred years: 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 and now 2027. If you were born in January or early February, mind the Chinese New Year date: anyone born before it still belongs to the previous animal.
Chinese horoscope 2027 for every sign
Rat
For the Rat, the Goat year is full of small losses that only show up in hindsight. An agreed discount vanishes from the receipt, a colleague passes off your idea as theirs, a friend pays back a loan six months late. Tradition says the Goat harms the Rat, so it pays to read the small print and never lend money without something in writing. In love, misunderstandings grow out of trifles such as an unanswered message, and they are best sorted out straight away rather than in the evening. Work goes well wherever numbers count. Your best month is December, your own month.
Ox
The Ox stands opposite the Goat, so this is its clash year. Plans change without its say-so: the bathroom refit gets redone three times because the family wants different tiles after all, and at work a reorganization arrives that nobody asked for. Stubborn resistance won't help this time; bending like grass in the wind and sitting it out will. Your partner will long for tenderness and small gestures rather than yet another plan, so flowers for no reason will do more than a new shelf. Keep money aside and postpone big investments. Relief comes in September.
Tiger
After the Horse year, when the Tiger galloped alongside its ally, comes a slowdown that will grate. The Goat year doesn't punish, it simply has no patience for leaps. In a meeting where everyone agrees slowly and cautiously you'll want to bang the table, but speak last and more people will listen. In love, tenderness works better than grand gestures: cooking together rather than a weekend in the Lake District. Don't hand in your notice in a temper this year; money comes from teamwork. Your best months fall in spring, March above all.
Rabbit
The Rabbit belongs to the Goat's trine and can expect one of the kindest years of the whole cycle. Home, beauty and calm, everything it loves, now take priority. One weekend with a paint chart and new curtains turns the living room into a place friends keep coming back to. Singles meet someone at a family party or through friends, and couples set up home together. Design, advice and caring work do well, and regular clients bring calm, steady money. March brings the most luck.
Dragon
The Dragon loves grand gestures, but the Goat year prefers small things done well. Instead of a lavish birthday party you'll host dinner for six at home, and that is the evening people will remember longest. In love it pays to listen more and perform less: your partner wants to hear a question, not another plan. Your career gains from projects with an artistic side, such as architecture, film or design, where the Dragon doesn't have to share the spotlight. Skip spending on glitter this year. April is one of your strongest months.
Snake
The quiet Goat year suits Snakes. The Snake's fire, like the year's, is inward: it smolders rather than flares. This is a good time for study and work out of the limelight, and a pottery or calligraphy class you attend every Tuesday without telling anyone will calm you more than a whole holiday. In love, try to show the warmth you carry inside, because your partner often can't see it from the outside. Patient savings and long-term investments pay off. You'll feel best in May, your own month.
Horse
Horses lived through their own year in 2026, so the Goat, their secret friend, brings them a breather. For the first time in ages you stay home at the weekend, bake bread and find you enjoy it. In love, Horses settle down: a relationship that survived a hectic year now gets peace and perhaps a shared address. At work it helps to team up with someone who minds the details while you bring the ideas. Money leaks away less than last year if you set yourself a monthly limit. Your best time is early summer.
Goat
Goats live through ben ming nian, their own year, which tradition treats as demanding. You'll be more visible but also under more pressure, so wear something red: a scarf, socks or a thread round the wrist from your grandmother. Let big decisions such as a move or a mortgage signature sit for an extra week. In love you need security, and a partner who gives it without words is worth gold right now. Creative work earns praise, but save rather than spend. March and November, the months of your allies, feel the most pleasant.
Monkey
The Goat year feels slow to the Monkey, which is exactly why it can serve as preparation for its own year in 2028. Weekend tinkering at the kitchen table turns into an online shop for a friend's handmade jewelry, or an app people will be talking about a year from now. In love, go easy on the teasing: a sensitive partner takes jokes more personally this year. You'll earn from ideas that join technology and art, and a well-sold idea brings in more than overtime. Your strongest period is August, the Monkey's month.
Rooster
The Rooster is meticulous and the Goat year is soft, so this year rewards tact more than precision. You may end up organizing your sister's wedding or a big family celebration with a to-do list three pages long. You'll manage it, as long as you let others add their own ideas even when they're not in the plan. In love, praise before you correct and your partner will blossom. Event planning and budget management go well, and money holds as long as you don't spend it on keeping up appearances. September brings your best results.
Dog
The Dog belongs with the Ox and the Goat in the punishment trio, so this year it gets drawn easily into disputes over principles, paperwork and fairness. A row with the neighbor about the fence or an overgrown tree is better settled over coffee in the garden than by recorded delivery. Read contracts twice and stay out of other people's quarrels. In love, stop keeping score: your partner needs forgiveness more than the truth. Money lent to family comes back slowly. Your calmest month is October, ruled by your own sign.
Pig
The Pig is part of the Goat's trine, and its year will be generous, full of food and people. You finally buy a bigger dining table because more and more guests turn up on Sundays. In love there's talk of a wedding, children or a shared house, and singles do best wherever people cook and celebrate. Work in food, hospitality and caring for others bears fruit. Money comes easily, but be wary of lending to people who have let you down before. November brings the most joy.
Rat: the quick-witted strategist
Years: 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, next 2032 · Fixed element: Water, yang · Best matches: Dragon, Monkey, Ox · Hardest match: Horse
Personality
The Rat won the great race by riding on someone else's back, and that tells you plenty. Rats spot chances other people walk past: the bargain on the bottom shelf, the job opening a friend mentions in passing. They are sociable, curious and quick to read a room, often knowing who is annoyed with whom before the drinks arrive. Behind the easy smile sits a planner who likes a full pantry, a little money put aside and a plan B in the back pocket. They have many acquaintances but trust only a handful of people, and to those few they are remarkably generous.
Strengths and weaknesses
Rats are sharp, resourceful and hard to fool. They keep their heads in a crisis and can turn almost nothing into something useful. Their weak spot is nerves: when things slip out of their control they turn restless, critical and biting, and a talent for steering people can tip into manipulation.
Love and relationships
In love the Rat is attentive and playful, the partner who remembers your coffee order and plans a surprise weekend down to the train times. The Dragon gives them courage and the Monkey matches their wit, while the Ox, their secret friend, offers the calm loyalty Rats quietly crave. The Horse is the hardest pairing: the Rat wants security, the Horse wants open road, and both end up pulling in opposite directions.
Work and money
Rats do well wherever quick judgment and good contacts pay off: trade, sales, finance, journalism, research or a small business of their own. They are natural savers who spot a good deal early, but they tend to chase too many at once.
Trust your sense of timing, and let a few more people close.
Ox: the patient builder
Years: 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, next 2033 · Fixed element: Earth, yin · Best matches: Snake, Rooster, Rat · Hardest match: Goat
Personality
The Ox carried the Rat across the river without a word of complaint and still came in second, which sums up its character: steady, strong and hard to knock off course. Oxen are the people who wake before the alarm, finish the fence they started last spring and know exactly where the tape measure is. They trust routine and hard work more than luck, and when an offer looks too easy their inner voice says there's a catch somewhere. Quiet in company, they open up slowly, but once an Ox calls you a friend, the friendship lasts for decades.
Strengths and weaknesses
Patience, reliability and stamina are the Ox's great gifts; few signs can carry a heavy load for as long. The other side is stubbornness. An Ox who has made up its mind rarely changes course, dislikes surprises and can hold on to anger long after everyone else has moved on. Pride makes them turn down help even when they need it.
Love and relationships
Oxen don't do grand gestures. They show love by fixing the dripping faucet, keeping the car serviced and turning up every single time. They are faithful and expect the same. The Snake and the Rooster share their sense of order and make excellent partners, and the Rat, their secret friend, brings the spark and humor an Ox might otherwise miss. The Goat is the trickiest match: its moods and dreamy spending leave a practical Ox baffled.
Work and money
Farming, construction, engineering, manufacturing, accounting and any craft that rewards precision suit the Ox. They climb slowly but surely, and their money grows the same way: through regular saving, solid property and very few gambles.
Tiger: the brave rebel
Years: 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, next 2034 · Fixed element: Wood, yang · Best matches: Horse, Dog, Pig · Hardest match: Monkey
Personality
Tigers walk into life the way they walk into a room: fast, upright and impossible to ignore. They are brave, warm and full of energy, the friend who speaks up when a waiter is being treated badly or when the boss blames the wrong person. Rules strike them as suggestions, especially rules they didn't write. Routine bores them, risk wakes them up, and they would rather try and fail than wonder for years what might have been. Under the stripes beats a soft heart, and a Tiger protects its own fiercely.
Strengths and weaknesses
Courage, generosity and a strong sense of justice make Tigers natural leaders and loyal defenders. Impatience is the price. They act before they think, start quarrels they could have avoided and find it hard to take orders.
Love and relationships
Love with a Tiger is passionate and never dull: sudden road trips, big declarations, the occasional slammed door followed by an even bigger apology. They need a partner who gives them room and doesn't try to tame them. The Horse shares their appetite for adventure, the Dog shares their ideals, and the Pig, their secret friend, offers a soft landing after every storm. The Monkey is the most difficult match, because its teasing and tactics push every one of the Tiger's buttons.
Work and money
Tigers shine as leaders, founders, officers, rescuers and campaigners, and in any job with movement and a hint of danger. Money comes and goes quickly; they earn well when inspired and spend just as fast, so an automatic savings plan is a Tiger's best friend.
Choose one battle worth fighting and give it everything you have.
Rabbit: the gentle diplomat
Years: 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, next 2035 · Fixed element: Wood, yin · Best matches: Goat, Pig, Dog · Hardest match: Rooster
Personality
Rabbits are the diplomats of the Chinese zodiac. They feel the tension at the dinner table before anyone has said a word, and by dessert they have usually smoothed it over. They love comfort and beauty: soft lamplight, a well-set table, a home that feels like a burrow lined with good books. Kind, tactful and perceptive, they read people well and sense hidden motives quickly. In Vietnam this sign is the Cat, and the feline grace fits. What Rabbits want most is peace and a safe place to come home to.
Strengths and weaknesses
Taste, tact and intuition are the Rabbit's gifts, along with a knack for making others feel at ease. The cost is caution. Rabbits avoid conflict at almost any price, may hide behind a polite white lie and can freeze when a firm decision is needed. Their wish for calm sometimes turns into fear of change.
Love and relationships
In love Rabbits are gentle, romantic and devoted to family; they remember birthdays and keep photos from every vacation. They want a quiet evening that stays quiet, not drama. The Goat shares their love of home and beauty, the Pig brings warmth and humor, and the Dog, their secret friend, gives them the loyalty and protection they long for. The Rooster is the hardest match: its blunt remarks feel like sandpaper on a Rabbit's sensitive skin.
Work and money
Rabbits do well in design, art, interior decorating, counseling, diplomacy, law and teaching, and in anything that needs a careful eye. They handle money sensibly, buy quality that lasts and prefer a steady salary to risky ventures.
Dragon: the born leader
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, next 2036 · Fixed element: Earth, yang · Best matches: Rat, Monkey, Rooster · Hardest match: Dog
Personality
In China the Dragon is no monster but a bringer of rain, luck and power, and people born in its year often carry a little of that magic. Dragons are big personalities. They sketch whole business plans on a napkin, talk strangers into joining their projects and somehow make an ordinary Tuesday feel like a parade. Confident, intelligent and ambitious, they have an energy that fills any space they enter. Small talk bores them, and so does anyone who thinks small.
Strengths and weaknesses
Dragons have vision, courage and a talent for finishing what matters, and people follow them gladly. Their weak points are pride and impatience. They hate hearing no, act on impulse and regret it later, and their open, trusting nature makes them easier to fool than they would like to admit.
Love and relationships
Dragons are adored and know it. Admirers come easily, yet a Dragon gives its whole heart only to someone who can stand beside it rather than behind it. The Rat brings cleverness, the Monkey fun and ingenuity, and the Rooster, their secret friend, admires the Dragon's dreams while keeping the practical details in order. The Dog is the hardest partner: it questions the grand plans and refuses to be dazzled, which a Dragon finds very hard to forgive.
Work and money
Dragons belong where they can lead and be seen: management, politics, entrepreneurship, the stage, architecture and large projects. They earn well and spend big, so one cautious advisor they actually listen to is worth a lot.
Dream big, then let someone else read the small print.
Snake: the quiet sage
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, next 2037 · Fixed element: Fire, yin · Best matches: Ox, Rooster, Monkey · Hardest match: Pig
Personality
In Asia the Snake is respected for its wisdom, and Snake people live up to it. They sit at the edge of the party, say little, then offer one sentence that settles the argument everyone else has been shouting about for an hour. They are elegant, private and thoughtful, fond of good books, good clothes and long conversations about ideas. They trust their own intuition above anyone's advice, though they love giving advice themselves. A Snake never shows all its cards, and its silence is never empty.
Strengths and weaknesses
Wisdom, intuition and calm judgment are the Snake's strengths, together with a feel for the right moment; they rarely make a move they can't take back. The weaknesses are suspicion, secrecy and jealousy, plus a habit of brooding over old hurts in private instead of talking them through.
Love and relationships
Snakes are seductive, devoted and possessive. They flirt with style and choose slowly, but once committed they want all of you, and they will notice when a text goes unanswered. The Ox gives them security, the Rooster shares their taste for order and refinement, and the Monkey, their secret friend, keeps them amused and curious. The Pig is the hardest match: its open, trusting nature looks naive to the Snake, and the Snake's secrets look cold to the Pig.
Work and money
Research, psychology, finance, law, analysis, writing and consulting suit the Snake, as does any work that rewards a cool head. With money they are careful and shrewd, and they often build wealth quietly, so nobody notices until it's already there.
Horse: the free spirit
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, next 2038 · Fixed element: Fire, yang · Best matches: Tiger, Dog, Goat · Hardest match: Rat
Personality
Horses need room to run. They are the colleague who can't get through a meeting without tapping a foot, the friend who books a trip on Tuesday and leaves on Friday. Cheerful, talkative and quick, they chat with anyone about anything and leave people in a better mood than they found them. Freedom matters more to them than comfort. They will gladly trade a sure thing for a look at what lies over the next hill, and an open road feels like home.
Strengths and weaknesses
Horses have energy, charm and a talent for getting people moving. They learn fast and bounce back from setbacks within days. Their trouble is staying power: they start ten projects and finish three, lose patience with slow people and rarely take advice, even good advice.
Love and relationships
Love is everything to a Horse. When they fall, they fall hard and forget the rest of the world for a while. They need a partner who doesn't try to fence them in. The Tiger shares their daring and the Dog their honesty, while the Goat, their secret friend, gives a restless Horse a warm stable to come back to. The Rat is the most difficult match: it wants plans and savings, the Horse wants to leave now, and both feel misunderstood.
Work and money
Travel, sales, sports, media, tourism, public speaking and any job that keeps them on the move suit the Horse. They earn easily and spend just as easily, often on experiences rather than things, so a little structure around money goes a long way.
Keep your freedom, but pick a finish line before you set off.
Goat: the tender artist
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, next 2039 · Fixed element: Earth, yin · Best matches: Rabbit, Pig, Horse · Hardest match: Ox
Personality
The Goat, also called the Sheep, is the artist and caretaker of the Chinese zodiac. Goats notice how the afternoon light falls on a kitchen wall, keep fresh herbs on the windowsill and remember which friend takes milk in their tea. Gentle, imaginative and kind, they are happiest in a home full of soft blankets, music and good food. They don't like being rushed or pushed into competition. What they need is encouragement and a sense of belonging, and with those they bloom.
Strengths and weaknesses
Creativity, taste and empathy are the Goat's gifts, along with a talent for making others feel looked after. On a bad day the same sensitivity turns into worry: Goats fret, sulk, put decisions off for weeks and wait for someone else to take the wheel. What if it all goes wrong? is a question they learn to answer with a cup of tea and a plan.
Love and relationships
Goats are tender, romantic partners who can turn a rented apartment into a nest within a week. They need security and plenty of reassurance. The Rabbit shares their gentleness, the Pig their love of comfort, and the Horse, their secret friend, brings the courage and drive a Goat sometimes lacks. The Ox is the hardest match: its strict practicality and long silences leave a Goat feeling unloved, and the Goat's moods leave the Ox lost.
Work and money
Art, design, music, crafts, cooking, gardening and caring professions suit the Goat. They work best in a friendly team rather than under pressure, and money comes through patience and good allies rather than risk.
Monkey: the clever inventor
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, next 2028 · Fixed element: Metal, yang · Best matches: Rat, Dragon, Snake · Hardest match: Tiger
Personality
Monkeys are the inventors and entertainers of the zodiac. Give a Monkey a broken toaster, a paper clip and ten minutes, and you'll get toast plus a funny story about it. They are clever, curious and quick to learn, with a memory that stores everything from phone numbers to who said what at a wedding years ago. Their humor and charm win over almost anyone, and they love puzzles of every kind, people included. Behind the jokes there is usually a plan with three backup plans.
Strengths and weaknesses
Monkeys are inventive, adaptable and brilliant at cracking problems nobody else can solve. They are also easily bored. Their cleverness can slide into trickery, they may bend the truth when it suits a plan, and promises made on a whim are sometimes forgotten just as fast.
Love and relationships
Monkeys fall in love quickly and can cool down just as quickly, so the partner who keeps them is the one who keeps surprising them. They need wit, conversation and plenty of laughter. The Rat matches their cleverness, the Dragon their ambition, and the Snake, their secret friend, offers a depth that holds a Monkey's interest for years. The Tiger is the most difficult match: the Tiger's pride meets the Monkey's teasing, and neither will back down.
Work and money
Science, technology, engineering, trading, marketing, comedy and journalism suit the Monkey, as does any job that serves up new problems daily. They make money cleverly, often in several ways at once, but get-rich-quick schemes are their trap.
Use your cleverness to build trust, and it will pay you back twice.
Rooster: the honest perfectionist
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, next 2029 · Fixed element: Metal, yin · Best matches: Ox, Snake, Dragon · Hardest match: Rabbit
Personality
The Rooster is up at dawn and wants everyone to know it. People of this sign are punctual, organized and well turned out, with polished shoes, a color-coded calendar and firm views on how the dishwasher should be loaded. They are hardworking and honest to the point of bluntness: ask a Rooster whether your new haircut suits you and you'll hear the truth. Proud and self-assured, they like to be noticed, yet underneath they are often kinder than their remarks suggest.
Strengths and weaknesses
Roosters are diligent, observant, brave and reliable; they catch the typo in a report that ten people missed. Their weak side is criticism. They say what they think without weighing the effect, can be vain about their looks and achievements, and find it very hard to say I was wrong.
Love and relationships
In love Roosters are loyal and attentive, but they have to work hard to win the person they want, and their frankness can wound without meaning to. They value a reliable, well-organized partner. The Ox shares their work ethic, the Snake their refinement, and the Dragon, their secret friend, answers their pride with grand style of its own. The Rabbit is the hardest match, because the Rooster's blunt words hurt the gentle Rabbit, who then retreats into silence.
Work and money
Accounting, administration, auditing, quality control, journalism, the military and fashion suit the Rooster, as does any job where detail matters. Money never drops into their lap like ripe fruit, but careful budgets and steady effort make them secure.
Dog: the loyal guardian
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, next 2030 · Fixed element: Earth, yang · Best matches: Tiger, Horse, Rabbit · Hardest match: Dragon
Personality
The Dog is the guardian of the zodiac. Dogs are the friends who pick up the phone at two in the morning, drive across town with jumper cables and never mention it again. Honest, loyal and dutiful, they have a sharp sense of right and wrong and can't bear to watch anyone being treated unfairly. They listen well, which is why people tell them everything. Status and flashy success mean little to them; what they want is a clear conscience and people they can trust.
Strengths and weaknesses
Faithfulness, honesty and a strong sense of justice are the Dog's virtues. They are dependable in a crisis and fair in a quarrel. Their weak spot is worry: Dogs expect trouble, keep an anxious eye on the door and can turn pessimistic or stubborn. They also put their own needs last far too often.
Love and relationships
In love Dogs are devoted and open-hearted, sometimes so open that they pay dearly for it. They need honesty above all and a partner they can be proud of. The Tiger shares their ideals, the Horse their sincerity, and the Rabbit, their secret friend, gives them tenderness and calm. The Dragon is the hardest match: the Dog sees straight through the Dragon's showmanship, and the Dragon can't stand being doubted.
Work and money
Law, social work, teaching, the police, nursing, public service, charity work and security suit the Dog, and so does any job with a mission. They aren't careerists, but they are trusted, and trust brings promotion. With money they are careful for themselves and generous to anyone in need.
Guard your people, and let someone guard you for a change.
Pig: the generous host
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, next 2031 · Fixed element: Water, yin · Best matches: Rabbit, Goat, Tiger · Hardest match: Snake
Personality
The Pig came last in the great race, and in many retellings it stopped for a meal and a nap on the way, which Pig people would say shows sound priorities. They are warm, generous hosts who always cook too much, leave the door open and make every guest feel like family. Sincere and good-natured, they love food, comfort and laughter, but don't mistake them for lazy: Pigs are curious, intelligent and finish what they start. Their circle is wide, yet a few friends stay for life.
Strengths and weaknesses
Pigs are kind, honest, diligent and forgiving; they hold no grudges and hand out second chances freely. That good nature is also their weak spot. They trust too quickly, find it hard to say no and can be used by people with sharper elbows. Too much of a good thing is the other Pig temptation.
Love and relationships
Pigs love wholeheartedly and show it through care: breakfast in bed, a warm coat waiting in the hallway, a plate kept warm when you come home late. They want a partner who is honest and affectionate. The Rabbit shares their gentleness, the Goat their love of a cozy home, and the Tiger, their secret friend, protects their soft heart. The Snake is the hardest match: its secrets and calculation unsettle the open Pig.
Work and money
Hospitality, food, retail, charity work, education, crafts and any role that serves people suit the Pig. They are dutiful and hardworking, and money tends to find them, though they spend it freely on pleasures and on the people they love.
Compatibility of the Chinese signs
Chinese astrology groups the twelve animals into four trines of allies, signs four years apart that think alike: Rat, Dragon and Monkey; Ox, Snake and Rooster; Tiger, Horse and Dog; Rabbit, Goat and Pig. Each sign also has one secret friend, a quieter but very strong bond: Rat and Ox, Tiger and Pig, Rabbit and Dog, Dragon and Rooster, Snake and Monkey, Horse and Goat. The six clashes are signs opposite each other on the wheel, six years apart: Rat and Horse, Ox and Goat, Tiger and Monkey, Rabbit and Rooster, Dragon and Dog, Snake and Pig. A clash doesn't doom a couple; it only asks for more patience and more talking. For a fuller picture of a relationship, compare your western signs too in our relationship horoscope.
| Sign | Best matches | Hardest match |
|---|---|---|
| Rat | Dragon, Monkey, Ox | Horse |
| Ox | Snake, Rooster, Rat | Goat |
| Tiger | Horse, Dog, Pig | Monkey |
| Rabbit | Goat, Pig, Dog | Rooster |
| Dragon | Rat, Monkey, Rooster | Dog |
| Snake | Ox, Rooster, Monkey | Pig |
| Horse | Tiger, Dog, Goat | Rat |
| Goat | Rabbit, Pig, Horse | Ox |
| Monkey | Rat, Dragon, Snake | Tiger |
| Rooster | Ox, Snake, Dragon | Rabbit |
| Dog | Tiger, Horse, Rabbit | Dragon |
| Pig | Rabbit, Goat, Tiger | Snake |
Chinese or western horoscope? Read both
The western zodiac follows the Sun through twelve signs over the course of a year, so it describes how you shine, what you want and how you go after it. The Chinese horoscope follows the years, so it says more about your temperament and the generation you grew up with. Neither cancels the other. Put them together and the portrait gets sharper: a Leo Dragon is twice the showman and needs an audience, while a Virgo Dragon keeps the same big dreams but checks every figure. Look up your Sun sign on our zodiac signs page and read the two side by side.
Questions about the Chinese horoscope
How do I find my sign if I was born in January or February? Check the Chinese New Year date for your birth year. If you were born before it, you belong to the previous year's animal. A baby born on February 5, 2027, is a Horse; one born on February 6 is a Goat.
What is my element? Look at the last digit of your lunar birth year: 0 or 1 is Metal, 2 or 3 Water, 4 or 5 Wood, 6 or 7 Fire, 8 or 9 Earth. Someone born in 1987 is a Fire Rabbit, someone born in 1990 a Metal Horse.
Which signs suit each other? Signs from the same trine, such as Rat, Dragon and Monkey, get along best, and so do the six secret-friend pairs. Signs six years apart, like the Rat and the Horse, clash most often.
What is ben ming nian? It's your own year, the year of your animal, which returns every 12 years. Tradition treats it as a time to take extra care, and many people wear something red during it for luck. In 2027 it's the Goats' turn.
Is 2027 the Year of the Goat or the Horse? The Fire Horse year lasts until February 5, 2027. The Fire Goat year starts on February 6, 2027, and runs until January 25, 2028, so most of 2027 belongs to the Goat.