Do you know which Chinese Lunar New Year animal you are? This week’s new moon, on Wednesday, Jan. 29, will signal the beginning of the Lunar New Year, which is this year called the “Year of the Snake.” It takes over from the “Year of the Dragon” in 2024 and precedes the “Year of the Horse” in 2026.
A 15-day celebration, Chinese Lunar New Year that continues until the full “Snow Moon” signals the beginning of the Lantern Festival on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. However, the Year of the Snake will continue until Sunday, Feb. 16, 2026. Lunar New Year, sometimes called Spring Festival, is celebrated in Vietnam as Tết, Losar in Tibet, and Solnal in Korea.
Here’s why the moon, your precise birth date, and even the planet Jupiter determine your Chinese zodiac identity.
Why Your ‘Birth Moon’ Matters
Working out your Chinese Lunar New Year animal might seem simple—you just match your birth year to the animal in the 12-year cycle. You’ll often read things like, “If you were born in 2010, your Chinese zodiac animal is the tiger.”
That’s not necessarily true. The Chinese calendar is based on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, which uses the moon’s phases and the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Since the moon’s phases don’t align with the solar calendar, if you were born in January or February, your zodiac animal might not match the animal associated with that Gregorian year.
Calculating Your Lunar New Year Animal
The exact date of the Chinese Lunar New Year changes each year, so those born early in the Gregorian year should check the exact date of Chinese New Year in their birth year. For example, Jan. 30, 1976, was in the Year of the Rabbit, while Jan. 31, 1976, was the Year of the Dragon.
Below is a rough guide from the BBC, but those born in January or February should consult a China Travel Guide’s excellent Chinese Zodiac Calculator.
- Year Of The Snake: 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
- Year Of The Horse: 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
- Year Of The Goat: 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
- Year Of The Monkey: 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
- Year Of The Rooster: 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
- Year Of The Dog: 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
- Year Of The Pig: 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
- Year Of The Ra:t 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
- Year Of The Ox: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
- Year Of The Tiger: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
- Year Of The Rabbit: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
- Year Of The Dragon: 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Each zodiac year also includes one of five elements—wood, fire, Earth, metal, or water—creating a unique 60-year cycle. For example, 2025 is the “Year of the Wood Snake,” last seen in 1965.
What Are The Next 12 Animals of The Chinese Zodiac?
- 2026: Year Of The Horse
- 2027: : Year Of The Goat
- 2028: Year Of The Monkey
- 2029: Year Of The Rooster
- 2030: Year Of The Dog
- 2031: Year Of The Pig
- 2032: Year Of The Rat
- 2033: Year Of The Ox
- 2034: Year Of The Tiger
- 2035: Year Of The Rabbit/Cat
- 2036: Year Of The Dragon
Jupiter’s And The Chinese Zodiac
Though the Chinese zodiac is based on the moon, it also has a connection to Jupiter. The giant planet takes 11.86 years to orbit the sun, almost mirroring the 12-year cycle of zodiac animals. So, each Chinese zodiac year corresponds to the constellation Jupiter occupies during that year. For example, Jupiter will spend most of 2025 in the constellation Taurus, which is, therefore, always symbolically linked to the Year of the Snake.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
