Questions and bridges

What Is My Chinese Zodiac Sign If I Was Born in January?

If you were born in January, your sign is usually the one from the previous Chinese year. The traditional Chinese year begins at Lunar New Year, which falls between 21 January and 20 February. For a precise answer, check the exact date for your birth year.

Short answer

Most people born in January have the animal of the previous Chinese year. The Chinese calendar does not turn over on 1 January. It starts at Lunar New Year, which usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice and so lands between 21 January and 20 February.

For example, if you were born on 10 January and Lunar New Year that year was on 29 January, your animal belongs to the year before. If you were born in late January, check the exact date for your year, as the new year can sometimes arrive near the end of the month.

Why the date moves

The calendar is tied to the Moon and its phases. The new moon falls on a different day each year, so the start of the Chinese year drifts within roughly a month. The fact that our calendar year starts on 1 January is simply a matter of convention.

How to check your sign

Find the date of Lunar New Year in your birth year and compare it with your birthday. If you were born before it, take the animal of the previous year. More about the cycle of twelve animals is in the Chinese horoscope and Chinese sign by date articles.

A little context

In Chinese tradition the twelve animals rotate in a cycle which, combined with five elements, forms a 60-year cycle. This is a cultural tradition offered for inspiration and reflection, not science and not a prediction.

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