Years Corresponding to Chinese Zodiac Signs:

Rat

1900

1912

1924

1936

1948

1960

1972

1984

1996

2008

2020

Ox

1901

1913

1925

1937

1949

1961

1973

1985

1997

2009

2021

Tiger

1902

1914

1926

1938

1950

1962

1974

1986

1998

2010

2022

Rabbit

1903

1915

1927

1939

1951

1963

1975

1987

1999

2011

2023

Dragon

1904

1916

1928

1940

1952

1964

1976

1988

2000

2012

2024

Snake

1905

1917

1929

1941

1953

1965

1977

1989

2001

2013

2025

Horse

1906

1918

1930

1942

1954

1966

1978

1990

2002

2014

2026

Sheep

1907

1919

1931

1943

1955

1967

1979

1991

2003

2015

2027

Monkey

1908

1920

1932

1944

1956

1968

1980

1992

2004

2016

2028

Rooster

1909

1921

1933

1945

1957

1969

1981

1993

2005

2017

2029

Dog

1910

1922

1934

1946

1958

1970

1982

1994

2006

2018

2030

Boar

1911

1923

1935

1947

1959

1971

1983

1995

2007

2019

2031

Below are the Chinese Zodiac signs, and the characteristics that correspond to each one.

Rat:
Element: Water
Partners well with: Dragon and Monkey
Characteristics: Intelligent, adaptable, quick-witted, charming,
artistic, sociable (2008 was the year of the Rat, click here for
more information about this on my blog)
Ox:
Element: Earth
Partners well with: Snake and Rooster
Characteristics: Loyal, reliable, thorough, strong, reasonable,
steady, determined
Bull Symbolic Meaning here.
Tiger:
Element: Wood
Partners well with: Horse and Dog
Characteristics: Enthusiastic, courageous, ambitious,
leadership, confidence, charismatic
Click here for more Chinese symbolic meanings for Tiger.
Rabbit:
Element: Wood
Partners well with: Sheep and Boar
Characteristics: Trustworthy, empathic, modest, diplomatic,
sincere, sociable, caretakers
Dragon:
Element: Earth
Partners well with: Rat and Monkey
Characteristics: Lucky, flexible, eccentric, imaginative,
artistic, spiritual, charismatic
More on Chinese Dragon Symbolism here.
Snake:
Element: Fire
Partners well with: Rooster and Ox
Characteristics: Philosophical, organized, intelligent, intuitive,
elegant, attentive, decisive

Symbolism of Snake here.

Horse:
Element: Fire
Partners well with: Dog and Tiger
Characteristics: Adaptable, loyal, courageous, ambitious,
intelligent, adventurous, strong
(see also Horse symbolic meanings.
Sheep:
Element: Earth
Partners well with: Boar and Rabbit
Characteristics: Tasteful, crafty, warm, elegant, charming,
intuitive, sensitive, calm
Monkey:
Element: Metal
Partners well with: Dragon and Rat
Characteristics: Quick-witted, charming, lucky, adaptable,
bright, versatile, lively, smart
Rooster:
Element: Metal
Partners well with: Snake and Ox
Characteristics: Honest, energetic, intelligent, flamboyant,
flexible, diverse, confident. For more information on Rooster
Symbol meanings, click here.
Dog:
Element: Earth
Partners well with: Tiger and Horse
Characteristics: Loyal, sociable, courageous, diligent, steady,
lively, adaptable, smart
Boar:
Element: Water
Partners well with: Sheep and Rabbit
Characteristics: Honorable, philanthropic, determined,
optimistic, sincere, sociable

Name Symbol

Symbol represents

Meaning of symbol

Sun

Solar symbol (circled dot)

Divine spirit (circle) surrounding seed of potential

Moon

A crescent moon

Mind or evolving human spirit (crescent)

Mercur
y

Mercury's winged helmet and caduceus

Mind (crescent) poised over divine spirit (circle) and matter (cross)

Venus

Venus's hand mirror.

Divine spirit (circle) over matter (cross)

Earth

Earth; also a Solar symbol (sun cross)

Earth the cardinal directions

Mars

Mars's shield and spear.

Drive/aim/force (arrow) over divine spirit (circle)

Ceres

Scythe (handle down), emblematic

of Ceres as goddess of grain.

A stylized sickle, a crescent of receptivity resting on a cross of

matter.

Jupiter

Jupiter's thunderbolt or eagle

Mind (crescent) rising above the horizon of matter (cross)

Saturn

Saturn's sickle or scythe

Matter (cross) taking precedence over mind or human spirit

(crescent)

H in symbol taken from discoverer's last

name,Herschel

The circle of spirit and a dominant cross of matter, in form of an

antenna that uses matter as a way to insight.

Uranus
Derived from a combination of the Mars Astronomical glyph often used astrologically. Drive/aim/force over a
and Sun symbols
divine spirit (circle) surrounding seed of potential

Neptune

Neptune's trident

Mind or human spirit (crescent) transcending matter (cross)

Modification of Neptune's astrological

symbol

Mind (crescent) transcending matter (cross) to reach for divine spirit

(circle)

PL monogram for Pluto and Percival

Lowell

Astronomical symbol often used astrologically

Pluto

[edit]Signs of the zodiac

Further information: Zodiac and Astrological sign
Unicode:

Symbo
l

Name

Meaning

Symbol Represents

Aries

Ram

Face and horns of ram

Taurus

Bull

Face and horns of bull

Gemini

Twins

Companion

Cancer

Crab

Crab's claws

Leo

Lion

Lion's head and mane

Virgo

Virgin

Sheaf of barley

Libra

Scale

Scales

Scorpio

Scorpion

Stinger of a scorpion

Sagittarius

Archer

Arrow of the centaur

Capricorn[26]

Sea-goat

Body and head of a goat with the tail of a fish.

Aquarius

Waterbearer

Ripples of water; sometimes modernly viewed as bolts of lightning, waves of aether, or

electrically-charged water

Pisces

Fish

Two fish tied together yet swimming in opposite directions

[edit]Aspects
Further information: Astrological aspects

Name

Symbo
l

Explanation

0 angle/two or more planets in the same sign

Conjunction
A circle with a line implying two objects are in the same place (also, the starting point of an angle)
30 angle/One sign apart
Semisextile
The intersecting lines from the inner angles of the upper half of a hexagon (see Sextile)
45 angle (also known as the "octile" or "semiquartile")
Semi-square
The bisecting line of a right angle (see Square)
60 angle/Two signs apart
Sextile
The intersecting lines from the inner angles of a hexagon

Quintile

72 angle
90 angle (also known as the "quartile")/Three signs apart/Same modality

Square
A regular quadrilateral that represents the right angle
120 angle/Four signs apart/Same elemental triplicity
Trine
An equilateral triangle.
Sesquiquadrat
e

135 angle (also known as the "sesquisquare," "square-and-a-half," and/or "trioctile")

The glyph of the Semi-Square under the glyph of the Square, implying the sum of them both

Biquintile

144 angle
150 angle (also known as the "inconjunct")/Five signs apart

Quincunx
The intersecting lines from the inner angles of the lower half of a hexagon (see Sextile)
180 angle/Six signs apart
Opposition

The glyph of the Conjunction plus a circle on top of its line, implying two objects are in front (opposed) of
each other.

[edit]Lunar phases
Further information: Lunar phase and Lunation type

Name

Symbol[27][28]

Explanation

New moon

Denotes the new moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 0-45.

Crescent moon

Denotes a waxing crescent moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 45-90.

First quarter moon

Denotes a first quarter moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 90-135.

Gibbous moon

Denotes a waxing gibbous moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 135-180.

Full moon

Denotes a full moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 180-225.

Disseminating moon

Denotes a waning gibbous moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 225-270.

Last quarter moon

Denotes a last quarter moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 270-315.

Balsamic moon

Denotes a waning crescent moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 315-360.

[edit]Miscellaneous symbols
Symbol
represents

Explanation

Ascendant

Angle

The ascendant (also known as the "ascensum coeli") is the rising intersection of
the ecliptic with the celestial horizon at a particular moment in time; it is used in the
construction of a horoscope/natal chart

Midheaven

Angle

The midheaven (also known as the "medium coeli") is the point where the ecliptic
crosses the local meridian; it is used in the construction of a horoscope/natal chart

AscendingNode

Lunar node

DescendingNode

Lunar node

Name

Symbo
l

Not all astrologers use the lunar nodes; however, their usage is very important in Vedic
astrology. They are alternately known as the "Dragon's Head" (Rahu, Caput Draconis,
or Anabibazon) and the "Dragon's Tail" (Ketu, Cauda Draconis, or Catabibazon). The
two nodes together are most commonly referred to simply as the nodal axis, the lunar
nodes, or the Moon's nodes.

Black Moon
Lilith

Lunarapogee

The traditional Black Moon Lilith is the position of the mean lunar apogee as measured
from the geocenter; variants of the Black Moon include replacing the mean orbit with a
"true" osculating orbit or with an interpolated orbit; charting the empty focus of the
Moon's orbit instead of the apogee; and measuring the desired point's barycentric or
topocentric position instead of its geocentric position.[29]

Retrograde
motion

Apparent
retrograde
motion

Symbol represents the apparent retrograde motion of a planet in an astrological chart

Comet

Comet

Different comets often use different symbols, but the use of comets is not widespread in
mainstream astrology

2 Pallas

Asteroid

A spear (variant has triangle on top)

Alchemical symbol for sulfur (both variants) see also Asteroids in astrology)

A serpent coiled around Asclepius' rod

10 Hygiea

Asteroid
Two serpents coiled around the rod. (Alternative astrological symbol)

3 Juno

Asteroid

The scepter (of a queen, Juno is the Roman equivalent of Greek Hera) topped with a star

4 Vesta

Asteroid

The fire on the hearth or altar (Roman equivalent of Greek Hestia)

2060 Chiron

Centaur

Stylized body of a centaur (the circle is the horse part, the K-like glyph is the human
part)

Lot of fortune

Lot

Glyph for planet Earth rotated 45 degrees.

An Eye of Providence; proposed by astrologer Zane B. Stein[30]

The Hand of Eris; also used non-astrologically by Discordians[30]

Eris

Dwarf planet
In use by astrologers in Poland and by the astrology software Urania[30][31]

Based on the symbols for Pluto, Mars, and Venus; proposed by Henry Seltzer and used
in Time Passages[30][32]