Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Horse 2026
February 17, 2026 is the Lunar New Year and the start of the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac.
This calligrapher adorns a Spring Festival couplet, or Chunlian, with the Chinese character for “horse.”
©iStockphoto.com/PonyWang
The horse is one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac (Shēngxiào, or 生肖), which is based on a 12-year cycle. The Year of the Horse begins on the Chinese New Year, ending the Year of the Snake.
People born in the Year of the Horse are traditionally thought to be diligent, friendly, sophisticated, talented, and clever.
2027: Year of the Sheep
The following year in the Chinese zodiac is the Year of the Sheep, which starts on February 6, 2027 and ends on January 26, 2028, when the Year of the Monkey begins.
What Year Is Which Animal?
The zodiac starts with the Year of the Rat and cycles continuously through the 12 signs.
Zi (Rat)
Imaginative, generous, successful, popular, curious
Chou (Ox)
Confident, honest, patient, conservative, strong
Yin (Tiger)
Sensitive, tolerant, brave, active, resilient
Mao (Rabbit)
Affectionate, kind, gentle, compassionate, merciful
Chen (Dragon)
Enthusiastic, intelligent, lively, energetic, innovative
Si (Snake)
Charming, intuitive, romantic, highly perceptive, polite
Wu (Horse)
Diligent, friendly, sophisticated, talented, clever
Wei (Sheep)
Artistic, calm, reserved, happy, kind
Shen (Monkey)
Witty, lively, flexible, humorous, curious
You (Rooster)
Shrewd, honest, communicative, motivated, punctual
Xu (Dog)
Loyal, honest, responsible, courageous, warm-hearted
Hai (Boar/Pig)
Sincere, tolerant, hard-working, honest, optimistic
12 Animals and 5 Elements
Each of the 12 years in the Chinese zodiac cycle is represented by an animal and is associated with one of five elemental signs: wood, earth, fire, water, and metal.
The Year of the Horse in 2026 is associated with fire.
Zodiac and Human Connections
According to the Chinese zodiac, your birth year tells you more than just your age. Not only is one's personality affected by the animal associated with their birth year, but the compatibility of their relationships also depends on their zodiac.
Starts with the Spring Festival
In China, the start of a new year is celebrated with a Spring Festival, the biggest holiday of the year. Traditionally, people give their house a thorough spring clean and hang couplets on their doors. Couplets are poetic lines about spring and prosperity written in gold or black on red paper.
Setting off firecrackers is hugely popular, and children get hongbao, little red gifts with money inside, from older family members.
The Chinese Calendar
The animal signs in the Chinese zodiac are calculated in accordance with the Chinese calendar, which is lunisolar and is based on astronomical observances of the Sun's longitude and the Moon's phases.
This calendar is older than the Gregorian calendar, which is used by most countries today. In fact, the Chinese calendar's origins can be traced as far back as the 14th century BCE.
Why did humans invent calendars?
Leap years in the Chinese calendar happen approximately every three years when a leap month is added.
What Is My Chinese Zodiac?
The Chinese year, which is based on a lunisolar calendar, begins and ends in January or February of the Gregorian calendar.
| Chinese Year |
Year range (Gregorian calendar) |
Chinese zodiac | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 – January 25, 2028 | Wei (Sheep) | Fire |
| 2026 | Feb 17, 2026 – Feb 5, 2027 | Wu (Horse) | Fire |
| 2025 | Jan 29, 2025 – Feb 16, 2026 | Si (Snake) | Wood |
| 2024 | Feb 10, 2024 – Jan 28, 2025 | Chen (Dragon) | Wood |
| 2023 | Jan 22, 2023 – Feb 9, 2024 | Mao (Rabbit) | Water |
| 2022 | Feb 1, 2022 – Jan 21, 2023 | Yin (Tiger) | Water |
| 2021 | Feb 12, 2021 – Jan 31, 2022 | Chou (Ox) | Metal |
| 2020 | Jan 25, 2020 – Feb 11, 2021 | Zi (Rat) | Metal |
| 2019 | Feb 5, 2019 – Jan 24, 2020 | Hai (Boar/Pig) | Earth |
| 2018 | Feb 16, 2018 – Feb 4, 2019 | Xu (Dog) | Earth |
| 2017 | Jan 28, 2017 – Feb 15, 2018 | You (Rooster) | Fire |
| 2016 | Feb 8, 2016 – Jan 27, 2017 | Shen (Monkey) | Fire |
| 2015 | Feb 19, 2015 – Feb 7, 2016 | Wei (Sheep) | Wood |
| 2014 | Jan 31, 2014 – Feb 18, 2015 | Wu (Horse) | Wood |
| 2013 | Feb 10, 2013 – Jan 30, 2014 | Si (Snake) | Water |
| 2012 | Jan 23, 2012 – Feb 9, 2013 | Chen (Dragon) | Water |
| 2011 | Feb 3, 2011 – Jan 22, 2012 | Mao (Rabbit) | Metal |
| 2010 | Feb 14, 2010 – Feb 2, 2011 | Yin (Tiger) | Metal |
| 2009 | Jan 26, 2009 – Feb 13, 2010 | Chou (Ox) | Earth |
| 2008 | Feb 7, 2008 – Jan 25, 2009 | Zi (Rat) | Earth |
| 2007 | Feb 18, 2007 - Feb 6, 2008 | Hai (Boar/Pig) | Fire |
| 2006 | Jan 29, 2006 – Feb 17, 2007 | Xu (Dog) | Fire |
| 2005 | Feb 9, 2005 – Jan 28, 2006 | You (Rooster) | Wood |
| 2004 | Jan 22, 2004 – Feb 8, 2005 | Shen (Monkey) | Wood |
| 2003 | Feb 1, 2003 – Jan 21, 2004 | Wei (Sheep) | Water |
| 2002 | Feb 12, 2002 – Jan 31, 2003 | Wu (Horse) | Water |
| 2001 | Jan 24, 2001 – Feb 11, 2002 | Si (Snake) | Metal |
| 2000 | Feb 5, 2000 – Jan 23, 2001 | Chen (Dragon) | Metal |
| 1999 | Feb 16, 1999 – Feb 4, 2000 | Mao (Rabbit) | Earth |
| 1998 | Jan 28, 1998 – Feb 15, 1999 | Yin (Tiger) | Earth |
| 1997 | Feb 7, 1997 – Jan 27, 1998 | Chou (Ox) | Fire |
| 1996 | Feb 19, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997 | Zi (Rat) | Fire |
| 1995 | Jan 31, 1995 - Feb 18, 1996 | Hai (Boar/Pig) | Wood |
| 1994 | Feb 10, 1994 – Jan 30, 1995 | Xu (Dog) | Wood |
| 1993 | Jan 23, 1993 – Feb 9, 1994 | You (Rooster) | Water |
| 1992 | Feb 4, 1992 – Jan 22, 1993 | Shen (Monkey) | Water |
| 1991 | Feb 15, 1991 – Feb 3, 1992 | Wei (Sheep) | Metal |
| 1990 | Jan 27, 1990 – Feb 14, 1991 | Wu (Horse) | Metal |
| 1989 | Feb 6, 1989 – Jan 26, 1990 | Si (Snake) | Earth |
| 1988 | Feb 17, 1988 – Feb 5, 1989 | Chen (Dragon) | Earth |
| 1987 | Jan 29, 1987 – Feb 16, 1988 | Mao (Rabbit) | Fire |
| 1986 | Feb 9, 1986 – Jan 28, 1987 | Yin (Tiger) | Fire |
| 1985 | Feb 20, 1985 – Feb 8, 1986 | Chou (Ox) | Wood |
| 1984 | Feb 2, 1984 – Feb 19, 1985 | Zi (Rat) | Wood |
| 1983 | Feb 13, 1983 - Feb 1, 1984 | Hai (Boar/Pig) | Water |
| 1982 | Jan 25, 1982 - Feb 12, 1983 | Xu (Dog) | Water |
| 1981 | Feb 5, 1981 – Jan 24, 1982 | You (Rooster) | Metal |
| 1980 | Feb 16, 1980 – Feb 4, 1981 | Shen (Monkey) | Metal |
| 1979 | Jan 28, 1979 – Feb 15, 1980 | Wei (Sheep) | Earth |
| 1978 | Feb 7, 1978 – Jan 27, 1979 | Wu (Horse) | Earth |
| 1977 | Feb 18, 1977 – Feb 6, 1978 | Si (Snake) | Fire |
| 1976 | Jan 31, 1976 – Feb 17, 1977 | Chen (Dragon) | Fire |
| 1975 | Feb 11, 1975 – Jan 30, 1976 | Mao (Rabbit) | Wood |
| 1974 | Jan 23, 1974 – Feb 10, 1975 | Yin (Tiger) | Wood |
| 1973 | Feb 3, 1973 – Jan 22, 1974 | Chou (Ox) | Water |
| 1972 | Feb 15, 1972 – Feb 2, 1973 | Zi (Rat) | Water |
| 1971 | Jan 27, 1971 - Feb 14, 1972 | Hai (Boar/Pig) | Metal |
| 1970 | Feb 6, 1970 – Jan 26, 1971 | Xu (Dog) | Metal |
| 1969 | Feb 17, 1969 – Feb 5, 1970 | You (Rooster) | Earth |
| 1968 | Jan 30, 1968 – Feb 16, 1969 | Shen (Monkey) | Earth |
| 1967 | Feb 9, 1967 – Jan 29, 1968 | Wei (Sheep) | Fire |
| 1966 | Jan 21, 1966 – Feb 8, 1967 | Wu (Horse) | Fire |
| 1965 | Feb 2, 1965 – Jan 20, 1966 | Si (Snake) | Wood |
| 1964 | Feb 13, 1964 – Feb 1, 1965 | Chen (Dragon) | Wood |
| 1963 | Jan 25, 1963 – Feb 12, 1964 | Mao (Rabbit) | Water |
| 1962 | Feb 5, 1962 – Jan 24, 1963 | Yin (Tiger) | Water |
| 1961 | Feb 15, 1961 – Feb 4, 1962 | Chou (Ox) | Metal |
| 1960 | Jan 28, 1960 – Feb 14, 1961 | Zi (Rat) | Metal |
| 1959 | Feb 8, 1959 – Jan 27, 1960 | Hai (Boar/Pig) | Earth |
| 1958 | Feb 18, 1958 – Feb 8, 1959 | Xu (Dog) | Earth |
| 1957 | Jan 31, 1957 – Feb 17, 1958 | You (Rooster) | Fire |
| 1956 | Feb 12, 1956 – Jan 30, 1957 | Shen (Monkey) | Fire |
| 1955 | Jan 24, 1955 – Feb 11, 1956 | Wei (Sheep) | Wood |
| 1954 | Feb 3, 1954 – Jan 23, 1955 | Wu (Horse) | Wood |
| 1953 | Feb 14, 1953 – Feb 2, 1954 | Si (Snake) | Water |
| 1952 | Jan 27, 1952 – Feb 13, 1953 | Chen (Dragon) | Water |
| 1951 | Feb 6, 1951 – Jan 26, 1952 | Mao (Rabbit) | Metal |
| 1950 | Feb 17, 1950 – Feb 5, 1951 | Yin (Tiger) | Metal |
| 1949 | Jan 29, 1949 – Feb 16, 1950 | Chou (Ox) | Earth |
| 1948 | Feb 10, 1948 – Jan 28, 1949 | Zi (Rat) | Earth |