The 12 Chinese zodiac signs, in order, are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Each one is an animal name attached to one of the twelve Earthly Branches, a cycle that BaZi (also called the Four Pillars of Destiny) uses to mark years, months, days and hours.
The table below lists all twelve with their Chinese branch, Five Element, Yin/Yang polarity and the two-hour period of the day each one marks.
The 12 Chinese zodiac signs at a glance
| Animal | Branch (pinyin) | Element | Yin/Yang | Hours of the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | 子 (Zi) | Water | Yang | 11 pm – 1 am |
| Ox | 丑 (Chou) | Earth | Yin | 1 – 3 am |
| Tiger | 寅 (Yin) | Wood | Yang | 3 – 5 am |
| Rabbit | 卯 (Mao) | Wood | Yin | 5 – 7 am |
| Dragon | 辰 (Chen) | Earth | Yang | 7 – 9 am |
| Snake | 巳 (Si) | Fire | Yin | 9 – 11 am |
| Horse | 午 (Wu) | Fire | Yang | 11 am – 1 pm |
| Goat | 未 (Wei) | Earth | Yin | 1 – 3 pm |
| Monkey | 申 (Shen) | Metal | Yang | 3 – 5 pm |
| Rooster | 酉 (You) | Metal | Yin | 5 – 7 pm |
| Dog | 戌 (Xu) | Earth | Yang | 7 – 9 pm |
| Pig | 亥 (Hai) | Water | Yin | 9 – 11 pm |
A few notes on naming. The eighth animal is often translated as Goat, Sheep or Ram; all three refer to the same branch, Wei (未). The last animal is the Pig in Chinese and English-language usage, while in Japan the same branch is traditionally pictured as a wild boar. Hours are approximate guides.
What each branch represents in BaZi
In BaZi, the animal is only the surface. Each branch is a symbol with a season, a direction, an element and a polarity. The short descriptions below follow the traditional reading of each branch.
- Rat (Zi), Water, Yang. Deep winter and the middle of the night. Calm on the outside, with a lot of stored energy and curiosity underneath.
- Ox (Chou), Earth, Yin. The turn from winter toward spring. Patience and steady, practical effort.
- Tiger (Yin), Wood, Yang. The start of spring, just before dawn. Initiative, courage and a pioneering streak.
- Rabbit (Mao), Wood, Yin. Spring and sunrise. Gentle, sensitive and artistic, with a talent for getting along with people.
- Dragon (Chen), Earth, Yang. The turn from spring toward summer. The only mythical creature in the cycle, associated with change, range and large possibilities.
- Snake (Si), Fire, Yin. The start of summer. Sharp intuition, wisdom, and the ability to recover and begin again.
- Horse (Wu), Fire, Yang. High summer and noon. Warm, energetic and independent.
- Goat (Wei), Earth, Yin. The turn from summer toward autumn. Kind and considerate, with quiet convictions and an artistic eye.
- Monkey (Shen), Metal, Yang. Late summer and evening. Quick-witted, adaptable and full of new ideas.
- Rooster (You), Metal, Yin. Autumn harvest and dusk. A keen sense of beauty, logical thinking and a taste for polish.
- Dog (Xu), Earth, Yang. The turn from autumn toward winter. Loyal, sincere and attached to a sense of fairness.
- Pig (Hai), Water, Yin. The start of winter. Straightforward, perceptive and wholehearted in what it does.
These are tendencies attached to symbols, not predictions about any one person. Most people find that a few of them fit and others do not.
Chinese zodiac vs. Western sun signs
The two systems answer different questions.
| Western sun sign | Chinese zodiac animal | BaZi (Four Pillars) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it uses | Where the Sun was on your birthday | The branch of your birth year | Year, month, day and hour pillars |
| Number of types | 12 signs | 12 animals | A chart of 8 characters |
| Cycle length | About one year | 12 years | 60-day, 60-month and 60-year cycles of stem-branch pairs |
| Time input | Birth date | Birth year | Birth date and birth time |
A sun sign is one placement, based on the month you were born. The Chinese zodiac animal is also just one piece: the branch of your year pillar. BaZi reads four pillars, each made of a Heavenly Stem and an Earthly Branch, so your animal sign is one of eight characters in the chart. If you want the full picture, start with BaZi and the Four Pillars explained.
When does your zodiac year start?
Many online charts change the animal on Lunar New Year, which falls between late January and mid-February. BaZi does not. It switches the year at Lichun (立春), the Start of Spring, which falls around February 4.
This matters for birthdays in January and early February. For example, someone born on February 6, 2024 is a Rabbit if you go by Lunar New Year (which fell on February 10 that year), but a Dragon in BaZi, because Lichun had already passed. If you were born in this window, check which convention a chart uses before relying on it. A BaZi chart calculated from your exact birth date and time handles this for you.
Your animal is only one part of the chart
Each of the Four Pillars has an Earthly Branch, so you carry four animals, not one:
- The year branch is the animal most people mean by "my zodiac sign."
- The month branch reflects the season you were born into and carries a lot of weight in the chart.
- The day branch sits beneath your Day Master (the Heavenly Stem of the day pillar) and is often read in connection with close relationships.
- The hour branch comes from your birth time.
Each branch also holds one to three "hidden stems," which add further Five Element detail. For the stems themselves, see Your Day Master explained.
FAQ
What are the 12 Chinese zodiac animals in order?
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. They correspond to the branches Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu and Hai.
Is the Chinese zodiac year based on Lunar New Year or Lichun?
Popular zodiac charts usually use Lunar New Year. BaZi uses Lichun, the Start of Spring, around February 4. People born between those two dates can have different animals depending on the system.
Does the animal have an element?
Yes. Each branch has its own element and polarity, shown in the table above. This is separate from the "Wood Dragon" or "Fire Horse" style names, which combine a year's animal with the element of that year's Heavenly Stem.
Is the Chinese zodiac the same as BaZi?
No. The zodiac animal comes from one part of one pillar. BaZi uses the year, month, day and hour pillars together, which is why it needs your birth time as well as your birth date.
Is the eighth animal a Goat, a Sheep or a Ram?
All three are used in English. They translate the same branch, Wei (未), so the choice does not change the meaning of the sign.
Can I use the zodiac sign alone to understand my personality?
You can use it as a starting point, but a single branch is a small part of the picture. Your Day Master and the balance of Five Elements across all four pillars usually say more. Treat any reading as a prompt for self-reflection rather than a verdict.