Chinese zodiac: your animal sign by birth year

Start with your birth year and match it to the twelve-year animal cycle. If you were born in January or early February, check that year's exact Chinese New Year date because your sign may belong to the previous lunar year.

No. The zodiac year changes at Chinese New Year, which falls between late January and mid-February. That is why the birth date matters near the beginning of the Gregorian year.

Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water add another layer to the animal cycle. A year's element is separate from the fixed element traditionally associated with each earthly branch.