The Chinese use a lunar calendar, with the start of each month based on the cycles of the moon. The beginning of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February.
With a cycle of twelve years, the Chinese Lunar Calendar names each of year after an animal.
| Rat | 1924 | 1936 | 1948 | 1960 | 1972 | 1984 | 1996 | 2008 | |
| Ox | 1925 | 1937 | 1949 | 1961 | 1973 | 1985 | 1997 | 2009 | |
| Tiger | 1926 | 1938 | 1950 | 1962 | 1974 | 1986 | 1998 | 2010 | |
| Rabbit | 1927 | 1939 | 1951 | 1963 | 1975 | 1987 | 1999 | 2011 | |
| Dragon | 1928 | 1940 | 1952 | 1964 | 1976 | 1988 | 2000 | 2012 | |
| Snake | 1929 | 1941 | 1953 | 1965 | 1977 | 1989 | 2001 | 2013 | |
| Horse | 1930 | 1942 | 1954 | 1966 | 1978 | 1990 | 2002 | 2014 | |
| Sheep | 1931 | 1943 | 1955 | 1967 | 1979 | 1991 | 2003 | 2015 | |
| Monkey | 1932 | 1944 | 1956 | 1968 | 1980 | 1992 | 2004 | 2016 | |
| Rooster | 1933 | 1945 | 1957 | 1969 | 1981 | 1993 | 2005 | 2017 | |
| Dog | 1934 | 1946 | 1958 | 1970 | 1982 | 1994 | 2006 | 2018 | |
| Boar | 1935 | 1947 | 1959 | 1971 | 1983 | 1995 | 2007 | 2019 |
