The Chinese Zodiac is based on a twelve year cycle, each year represented by an animal and each zodiac signs represents a different type of personality.
If you want to know your sign in the Chinese zodiac, remember that the Chinese Zodiac goes by the lunar calendar. The Chinese lunar New Year usually falls in late January or early February, so the first month will be included in the year before.
The following are the twelve zodiac signs and their signs in order and their characteristics.
Rat:generous,social,insecure,prone to laziness;1936.1948.1960.1972.1996.2008.
Ox/Cow:stubborn,conservative,patient;1937.1949.1961.1973.1985.1997.2009.
Tiger: creative,brave,overbearing;1938.1950.1962.1974.1986.1998.2010.
Rabbit :timid,amicable,affectionate;1939.1951.1963.1975.1987.1999.2011.
Dragon: egotistical,storng,intelligent;1940.1952.1964.1976.1988.2000.2012.
Snake: luxury seeking,secretive,friendly;1941.1953.1965.1977.1989.2001.2013.
Horse: emotional,clever,quick thinker;1942.1954.1966.1978.1990.2002.2014.
Goat :charming,good with money,indecisive;1943.1955.1967.1979.1991.2003.2015.
Monkey :confident,humorous,fickle;1944.1956.1968.1980.1992.2004.2016.
Rooster: diligent,imaginaitive,need attention;1945.1957.1996.1981.1993.2005.2017.
Dog: umble,responsible,patient;1946.1958.1970.1982.1994.2006.2018.
Pig :materialistic,loyal,honest;1947.1959.1971.1983.1995.2007.2019.
Legend
According to Chinese legend, the twelve animals quarreled one day as to who was to head the cycle of years. The gods were asked to decide and they held a contest: whoever was to reach the opposite bank of the river would be first, and the rest of the animals would receive their years according to their finish.
All the twelve animals gathered at the river bank and jumped in. Unknown to the ox, the rat had jumped upon his back. As the ox was about to jump ashore, the rat jumped off the ox's back, and won the race. The pig, who was very lazy, ended up last. That is why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second, and the pig last.