Chinese Zodiac 2024: What Does Your Sign Say About You?

2024: The Year of the Wood Dragon and Your Zodiac Sign

The Chinese animal signs are a 12-year cycle used for dating the years. They represent a cyclical concept of time, rather than the western linear concept of time. The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon and is constructed in a different fashion than the western solar calendar.

In the lunar calendar, the beginning of the year falls somewhere between late January and early February. The Chinese adopted the western calendar in 1911, but the lunar calendar is still used for festive occasions, such as Lunar New Year.

A popular folk method which reflected this cyclical method of recording years are the twelve animal signs. Every year is assigned an animal name or “sign” according to a repeating cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Therefore, the same animal’s name or “sign” would reappear every twelve years. The essence and spirit of each animal helps us to see one angle of who we are. All of these signs are connected, all signs can learn from and influence one another.

We’re about to enter the Year of the Wood Dragon. The Dragon is the luckiest animal in the zodiac, and a sign of mystery, flexibility, and transformation, so all signs are in for a treat! In addition, the element Wood signifies growth, promise, and fast action. So get ready for a wild ride with the Dragon at the helm!

Read the interpretations below to see how your animal sign will fare in 2024!

Rat

1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020

People born in the Year of the Rat are intelligent, energetic, creative, charming, resourceful, thrifty, and above all, extremely organized. Ambitious Rats are likely to be perfectionists. They work hard to achieve their goals and acquire possessions, and are often very successful. They love to gossip and have a tendency to get easily angered. But when a Rat takes a risk, it usually pays off. Quick-witted Rat can be sly and is usually able to devise clever ways to get out of predicaments.

Rat in 2023

Rats benefited from their mother (Rat) and child (Rabbit) relationship throughout 2023. Rat’s unending support of Rabbit led to luck and good fortune.

Rat in 2024

Rats always thinks about the future. By preparing in advance, Rats ensure they will always have what they need. Regardless of what they face in life, Rats are fearless. Their clever nature allows them to turn any situation into a positive.

Throughout 2024, Rats may need to be reminded of their flexible nature. Knowing that the future is promised by nature will help Rats to have more faith in their decisions. The addition of the wood element in 2024 will energetically help Rats receive more intuitive information. Their challenge is to use this information to make their lives more flexible.

Ox:

1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021

People born in the Year of the Ox are reliable, loyal, and hardworking. They are modest and cautious, and often keep their emotions bottled up. Patience is one of their key attributes, and they often inspire confidence in others; however, they are known for their stubbornness and become very set in their ways once they decide on a course of action. Although they are not big talkers, Ox are quite eloquent when they take the risk. On the flip side, Ox tends to be eccentric, is easily angered, and hates to fail or be opposed.

Ox in 2023

Ox had a harmonious 2023 full of self-exploration. Ox had the ability to develop their self-awareness and see situations from multiple perspectives. This gave them the opportunity to develop respect and appreciation for those around them.

Ox in 2024

Throughout 2024, the Dragon’s flexibility can help Ox shift their stubborn ways. Ox has the opportunity to see new perspectives, take risks, and transform weakness into strength.

Tiger:

1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022

People born in the Year of the Tiger are charming, magnetic, unpredictable, adventurous, strong, trustworthy, and independent. Historically, these natural-born leaders were held on a pedestal and viewed in the same light as emperors. Tigers often do what they please, sometimes to the detriment of those around them, yet people still flock to their sides. They tend to be intelligent, yet arrogant, and like to show off their many accomplishments.

Tiger in 2023

In 2023, Tigers had luck and prosperity on their side. While Tigers faced challenges throughout the year, they learned to persevere and put themselves in a position to succeed.

Tiger in 2024

The Tiger is flexible and independent. But when paired with the Dragon’s mysterious nature, the Tiger has the ability to transform. Although Tigers can create a lot of fear or hesitation, Dragon teaches Tigers to control their unpredictable nature and patiently wait for the right time and place to show their strength.

Rabbit:

1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023

People born in the Year of the Rabbit are gentle, caring, creative, and playful, yet conservative. In business, Rabbits are talented and conscientious, and seldom lose their temper. While fond of gossip, Rabbits are trusted and admired for their tact. Over the past few years, Rabbits found themselves lucky in love and business; the same good fortunes will continue this year. While Rabbits are most compatible with Dog, Pig, and Sheep, their kind and nurturing nature draws many people near. Self-care is a priority for Rabbits, so they don’t over-extend and wear themselves too thin.

Rabbit in 2023

In 2023, Rabbits moved past challenges and worked toward their goals. Their relationships helped open their eyes to their own tendencies, creating an awareness that led to surprises and good fortune.

Rabbit in 2024

On their own, Rabbits are sweet and gentle. They are often not flexible enough to see future possibilities and potential. With Dragon’s influence throughout 2024, Rabbits have the opportunity to shift their perspectives and change their characteristics. Those who do so will feel calmer and more peaceful as a result.

Dragon:

1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024

People born in the Year of the Dragon are decisive, driven, confident, and charismatic. They are also short-tempered, stubborn, and easily excitable. They often seek out adventure and excitement, but through their honesty and bravery, Dragons inspire confidence and trust in others. Dragons are the most eccentric sign of the zodiac, and while they are often loud and prominent, Dragons tend to be soft-hearted, giving others room to take advantage.

Dragon in 2023

Dragons were faced with some challenges and many new opportunities in 2023. Those who were able to weigh the pros and cons of a situation, stay true to their decisive nature, and surround themselves with high-achieving supporters were treated to luck and good fortune.

Dragon in 2024

2024 is the Year of the Dragon! Dragons bring a mysterious intrigue to all other signs of the zodiac. Throughout this year, Dragons will be able to push past obstacles and embrace change, even when risk is involved. Their kind-hearted nature allows all others to see the good in themselves. Dragons have the gift of experiencing both the visible and invisible sides of life. As this year’s guide, all signs will look to Dragon as their teacher to help them experience life in a more flexible and profound manner.

Snake:

1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025

People born in the Year of the Snake are wise, watchful, and tenacious. They are financially fortunate and never have to worry about money. Snakes say little and possess great wisdom. Although Snakes may seem cold at first, they are intense, passionate, and loving to those they get close to. Snakes have a negative quality, too—laziness. They also have a tendency to be quite vain, selfish, devious, and a bit stingy, yet they have tremendous sympathy for others and try to help those less fortunate. Snake people tend to overdo, since they have doubts about other people’s judgement and prefer to rely on themselves. Determined in whatever they do, Snakes hate to fail.

Snake in 2023

In 2023, Snake’s lessons were all about balance—in work, at home, and in relationships. These many experiences helped them develop a more keen level of self-awareness which they carried with them throughout the year.

Snake in 2024

While Snakes are naturally flexible, the Wood Dragon’s influence allows them to connect to their innate gifts. Snakes that have a tendency to become stubborn have the opportunity to see how they are acting against their nature. 2024 is a great opportunity for Snake to discover their innate capabilities and exercise this flexibility in how they move, think, interact with, and respond to others.

Horse:

1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014

People born in the Year of the Horse are driven, lively, independent, honest, and exuberant. They enjoy their freedom and look for unique forms of self-expression. Cheerful and skilled with money, Horses are popular and generally perceptive. However, they are also impatient and hot-blooded, and often disregard advice from others.

Horse in 2023

Horses were forced to step outside of their comfort zone in 2023. By relying on their strong sense of self, trusting the advice of others, and making confident decisions, Horses had luck on their side.

Horse in 2024

Horse and Dragon have a supportive relationship. While Horse nurtures Dragon, Dragon in turn cheers on Horse. Learning a little bit of Dragon’s mystery will help Horse to achieve great things in 2024.

Sheep:

1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015

People born in the Year of the Sheep are idealistic, nurturing, sensitive, elegant, and kind. Sheep are also quietly persuasive and tend to hold their emotions. They are passionate about the arts and life in general, and always follow through with what they believe in.

Sheep in 2023

2023 brought its share of challenges for Sheep. Fortunately, resilience and grit helped Sheep navigate tough obstacles and move forward with a greater sense of awareness and inner peace.

Sheep in 2024

Sheep are limited in their outlook. Although they are not known for their flexibility, these qualities may be hidden inside them. With Dragon’s wisdom and guidance, Sheep can make the decision to pull out the best  of themselves and develop their hidden intuition.

Monkey:

1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016

Clever, scheming, and playful, people born in the Year of the Monkey like to buck the system. Their inquisitive, fun-loving, and adaptable nature—paired with their engaging personality—helped them through some difficult times in the past. Monkeys are remarkably inventive and have the ability to solve the most difficult problems with ease. While they are successful in most, if not all, of their chosen ventures, they have a discerning habit of being too agreeable. Their impatience can leave them feeling discouraged and can cause them to abandon their projects. While strong-willed, Monkeys are quick to cool down and move past the issue at hand.

Monkey in 2023

Monkey was able to overcome minor adversities in 2023 with the help of friends and family.  Learning to approach a situation with patience was Monkey’s key to success.

Monkey in 2024

While Monkey is physically flexible, their thought process does not always follow suit. This year, Dragon will encourage Monkeys to look at situations from different angles. Instead of always looking for materialized things, Monkeys will be able to better understand the source of their Qi.

Rooster:

1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017

People born in the Year of the Rooster are reliable, honest, passionate, precise, efficient, and most notably, hardworking. These deep thinkers are capable and talented, and like to be kept busy at all times. Although they outwardly appear adventurous, Roosters are timid at heart, and often have a hard time maintaining quality relationships. They can be emotional at times and careless with money. Roosters can also be outspoken and appear selfish, but they always bring an interesting viewpoint. When they argue their position, they are most always correct.

Rooster in 2023

Rooster came face-to-face with some challenges in 2023, which led them to prioritize responsibilities, become more team-oriented, and courageously face their fears. Learning to lean on meditation and self-reflection was key to their success.

Rooster in 2024

Roosters are an example of rising Earth energy. They already intuitively know and experience energy. Roosters may face some challenges this year, but Dragon’s mysterious lens will give them the opportunity to become flexible and see things differently.

Dog:

1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018

People born in the Year of the Dog possess the best traits of human nature, making them strong and efficient leaders that others admire greatly. Dogs are honest, empathetic, protective, affectionate, and resourceful. They have a deep sense of loyalty and inspire confidence in others. But Dogs are also selfish, stubborn, eccentric, and impetuous. They don’t care much about finances, but they always seem to be financially stable.

Dog in 2023

Dog navigated many twists and turns and ups and downs throughout 2023. Dogs found adventure by learning to step out of their comfort zone.

Dog in 2024

Dogs are sensitive and often worry about the needs and feelings of others. Throughout 2024, Dogs will have the opportunity to learn how to use nature’s consciousness and energy to enhance who they are.

Pig:

1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

People born in the Year of the Pig are kind, honest, patient, generous, loyal, sociable, clever, and enduring. They take on projects with tremendous fortitude, honesty, and loyalty. Pigs have a small circle of friends, but these friends will stay beside them for life. With their great thirst for knowledge, Pigs are studious and well-informed. Still, Pigs do not like to debate and shy away from arguments. While Pigs have an impulsive side, they always try their best to work out a problem quickly and efficiently, keeping kindness at the forefront.

Pig in 2023

2023 brought many surprises for Pigs—most of them pleasant—which led to a state of balance and peace. Most major decisions Pigs made this past year came with a dose of good luck!

Pig in 2024

Pigs are stubborn but are very intelligent. They contain many gifts. Their motto is eat, sleep, enjoy life! But if Pigs can embrace Dragon’s wisdom and learn how to be flexible, many new opportunities will arise for them in 2024.

January or February Birthdays

Chinese New Year falls between January 21st – February 20th each year. If your birthday falls in January or February, check the exact dates below to determine your animal sign. The listings below also detail the sign as it relates to one of the five elements in Nature: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. Your element adds further meaning to your zodiac sign.

OX

January 24, 1925 to February 12, 1926 (wood)
February 11, 1937 to January 30, 1938 (fire)
January 29, 1949 to February 16, 1950 (earth)
February 15, 1961 to February 4, 1962 (metal)
February 3, 1973 to January 22, 1974 (water)
February 20, 1985 to February 8, 1986 (wood)
February 7, 1997 to January 27, 1998 (fire)
January 26, 2009 to February 13, 2010 (earth)
February 12, 2021 to January 31, 2022 (metal)

TIGER

January 25, 1914 to February 12, 1915 (wood)
February 13, 1926 to February 1, 1927 (fire)
January 31, 1938 to February 18, 1939 (earth)
February 17, 1950 to February 5, 1951 (metal)
February 5, 1962 to January 24, 1963 (water)
January 23, 1974 to February 10, 1975 (wood)
February 9, 1986 to January 28, 1987 (fire)
January 28, 1998 to February 15, 1999 (earth)
February 14, 2010 to February 2, 2011 (metal)
February 1, 2022 to January 21, 2023 (water)

RABBIT

February 13, 1915 to February 2, 1916 (wood)
February 2, 1927 to January 22, 1928 (fire)
February 19, 1939 to February 7, 1940 (earth)
February 1951 to January 26, 1952 (metal)
January 25, 1963 to February 12, 1964 (water)
February 11, 1975 to January 30, 1976 (wood)
January 29, 1987 to February 16, 1988 (fire)
February 16, 1999 to February 4, 2000 (earth)
February 3, 2011 to January 22, 2012 (metal)

January 22, 2023 to February 9, 2024 (water)

DRAGON

February 3, 1916 to January 22, 1917 (fire)
January 23, 1928 to February 9, 1929 (earth)
February 8, 1940 to January 26, 1941 (metal)
January 27, 1952 to February 13, 1953 (water)
February 13, 1964 to February 1, 1965 (wood)
January 31, 1976 to February 17, 1977 (fire)
February 17, 1988 to February 5, 1989 (earth)
February 5, 2000 to January 23, 2001 (metal)
January 23, 2012 to February 9, 2013 (water)

February 10, 2024 to January 28, 2025 (wood)

SNAKE

January 23, 1917 to February 10, 1918 (fire)
February 10, 1929 to January 29, 1930 (earth)
January 27, 1941 to February 14, 1942 (metal)
February 14, 1953 to February 2, 1954 (water)
February 2, 1965 to January 20, 1966 (wood)
February 18, 1977 to February 6, 1978 (fire)
February 6, 1989 to January 26 1990 (earth)
January 24, 2001 to February 11, 2002 (metal)
February 10, 2013 to January 30, 2014 (water)

HORSE

February 11, 1918 to January 31, 1919 (earth)
January 30, 1930 to February 16, 1931 (metal)
February 15, 1942 to February 4, 1943 (water)
February 3, 1954 to January 23, 1955 (wood)
January 21, 1966 to February 8, 1967 (fire)
February 7, 1978 to January 27, 1979 (earth)
January 27, 1990 to February 14, 1991 (metal)
February 12, 2002 to January 31, 2003 (water)
January 31, 2014 to February 18, 2015 (wood)

SHEEP

February 1, 1919 to February 19, 1920 (earth)
February 17, 1931 to February 5, 1932 (metal)
February 5, 1943 to January 24, 1944 (water)
January 24, 1955 to February 11, 1956 (wood)
February 9, 1967 to January 29, 1968 (fire)
January 28, 1979 to February 15, 1980 (earth)
February 15, 1991 to February 3, 1992 (metal)
February 1, 2003 to January 21, 2004 (water)
February 19, 2015 to February 7, 2016 (wood)

MONKEY

February 20, 1920 to February 7, 1921 (metal)
February 6, 1932 to January 25, 1933 (water)
January 25, 1944 to February 12, 1945 (wood)
February 12, 1956 to January 30, 1957 (fire)
January 30, 1968 to February 16, 1969 (earth)
February 16, 1980 to February 4, 1981 (metal)
February 4, 1992 to January 22, 1993 (water)
January 22, 2004 to February 8, 2005 (wood)
February 8, 2016 to January 27, 2017 (fire)

ROOSTER

February 8, 1921 to January 27, 1922 (metal)
January 26, 1933 to February 13, 1934 (water)
February 13, 1945 to February 1, 1946 (wood)
January 31, 1957 to February 17, 1958 (fire)
February 17, 1969 to February 5, 1970 (earth)
February 5, 1981 to January 24, 1982 (metal)
January 23, 1993 to February 9, 1994 (water)
February 9, 2005 to January 28, 2006 (wood)
January 28, 2017 to February 15, 2018 (fire)

DOG

January 28, 1922 to February 15, 1923 (water)
February 14, 1934 to February 3, 1935 (wood)
February 2, 1946 to January 21, 1947 (fire)
February 18, 1958 to February 7, 1959 (earth)
February 6, 1970 to January 26, 1971 (metal)
January 25, 1982 to February 12, 1983 (water)
February 10, 1994 to January 30, 1995 (wood)
January 29, 2006 to February 17, 2007 (fire)
February 16, 2018 to February 4, 2019 (earth)

PIG

February 16, 1923 to February 4, 1924 (water)
February 4, 1935 to January 23, 1936 (wood)
January 22, 1947 to February 9, 1948 (fire)
February 8, 1959 to January 27, 1960 (earth)
January 27, 1971 to February 14, 1972 (metal)
February 13, 1983 to February 1, 1984 (water)
January 31, 1994 to February 18, 1996 (wood)
February 18, 2007 to February 6, 2008 (fire)
February 5, 2019 to January 24, 2020 (earth)

RAT

February 5, 1924 to January 23, 1925 (wood)
January 24, 1936 to February 10, 1937 (fire)
February 10, 1948 to January 28, 1949 (earth)
January 28, 1960 to February 14, 1961 (metal)
February 15, 1972 to February 2, 1973 (water)
February 2, 1984 to February 19, 1985 (wood)
February 19, 1996 to February 6, 1997 (fire)
February 7, 2008 to January 25, 2009 (earth)
January 25, 2020 to February 11, 2021 (metal)