Year of the Dragon: Chinese Zodiac Dragon Years, Traits and Matches
The short answer
Dragon years come every 12 years and begin at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. The most recent ran from 10 February 2024 to 28 January 2025, and the next begins on 28 January 2036.
Dragon years come every 12 years and begin at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. The most recent ran from 10 February 2024 to 28 January 2025, and the next begins on 28 January 2036.
The Dragon is the only mythical creature in the cycle, and traditionally the most celebrated: Dragon years have long been seen as lucky years to be born. Tradition describes Dragon people as charismatic, ambitious and energetic, with big plans and the confidence to announce them.
Strengths and challenges
Strengths: Charismatic, Ambitious, Energetic, Visionary. Challenges: Proud, Demanding, Impatient, Can overreach.
The Dragon in love
In love the Dragon is generous and dramatic, fond of the grand gesture. It needs admiration and a partner secure enough not to compete for the spotlight.
The Dragon at work
At work the Dragon sets the vision. It suits leadership, founding, performing and any role where a big idea needs a big personality behind it.
Best and hardest matches
Traditionally the Dragon works best with the Rat and Monkey (its trine) and has a quiet ally in the Rooster. Its opposite is the Dog, the pairing tradition calls a clash.
Every Dragon year, 1924 to 2044
| Year | Element and animal | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Earth Dragon | 23 January 1928 | 9 February 1929 |
| 1940 | Metal Dragon | 8 February 1940 | 26 January 1941 |
| 1952 | Water Dragon | 27 January 1952 | 13 February 1953 |
| 1964 | Wood Dragon | 13 February 1964 | 1 February 1965 |
| 1976 | Fire Dragon | 31 January 1976 | 17 February 1977 |
| 1988 | Earth Dragon | 17 February 1988 | 5 February 1989 |
| 2000 | Metal Dragon | 5 February 2000 | 23 January 2001 |
| 2012 | Water Dragon | 23 January 2012 | 9 February 2013 |
| 2024 | Wood Dragon | 10 February 2024 | 28 January 2025 |
| 2036 | Fire Dragon | 28 January 2036 | 14 February 2037 |
Branch: 辰 Chén · Fixed element: Earth · Yang · Hours: 7am to 9am
How the dates are worked out
Each Chinese New Year here is worked out from the sky, not copied from a list. A lunar month starts on the day of a New Moon in China Standard Time (UTC+8, or Beijing local time before 1929). The month holding the December solstice is the 11th month. When 13 New Moons fall between two of those months, the first month with no principal solar term (the Sun reaching a multiple of 30 degrees) is a leap month. New Year is the first day of the 1st month, which is why it moves between 21 January and 20 February. New Moons and solar terms follow Jean Meeus's Astronomical Algorithms. The rules follow the Chinese calendar.