5 of 12 · Chen 辰

Chinese zodiac Dragon: year of the Dragon

Chinese zodiac Dragon: years, element, personality traits and compatibility for people born in the year of the Dragon.

Position
5 of 12
Earthly branch
Chen 辰
Polarity
Yang
Fixed element
Earth
Hours
7 – 9 am
Solar month
Apr 5 – May 5
Next year
2036

Chinese zodiac Dragon years

The year of the Dragon returns every 12 years. It begins at Lunar New Year, so people born in January or early February belong to the previous animal if they were born before the new year.

Years of the Dragon, 1924–2043
YearElementDates
1928Earth DragonJan 23, 1928 – Feb 9, 1929
1940Metal DragonFeb 8, 1940 – Jan 26, 1941
1952Water DragonJan 27, 1952 – Feb 13, 1953
1964Wood DragonFeb 13, 1964 – Feb 1, 1965
1976Fire DragonJan 31, 1976 – Feb 17, 1977
1988Earth DragonFeb 17, 1988 – Feb 5, 1989
2000Metal DragonFeb 5, 2000 – Jan 23, 2001
2012Water DragonJan 23, 2012 – Feb 9, 2013
2024Wood DragonFeb 10, 2024 – Jan 28, 2025
2036Fire DragonJan 28, 2036 – Feb 14, 2037

Dragon personality

The Dragon is the only mythical animal in the cycle and a symbol of imperial power and good fortune. Dragon years are considered especially lucky, and birth rates in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore have risen measurably in Dragon years.

Traditional traits: ambitious, energetic, charismatic, confident.

Leadership, politics, entrepreneurship and the arts are traditionally linked with the Dragon.

Dragon compatibility

Element variations

Each Dragon year also carries one of the five elements, so there are five kinds of Dragon: Earth Dragon, Metal Dragon, Water Dragon, Wood Dragon, Fire Dragon. The element is set by the last digit of the year.

Other animals

Chinese zodiac calculator · The 2026 Chinese zodiac year

Updated · How we write and check this guide