Year of the Goat (Sheep / Ram)
羊 Yáng
The Goat is the eighth animal of the Chinese zodiac and the sign of gentleness. In Chinese tradition, people born in a Goat year are seen as calm, kind and creative, with a gift for harmony and a dislike of pressure. English sites also call it the Sheep or the Ram.
- gentle
- calm
- creative
- kind
- shy
- easygoing
Are You a Goat?
Enter your birth date to check, down to the exact Lunar New Year.
Month and day are optional. Add them if you were born in January or February. See January and February Chinese zodiac.
Goat at a Glance
- Order
- 8th of 12
- Chinese
- 羊 yáng, branch 未 wèi
- Yin or Yang
- Yin
- Own element
- Earth
- Best matches
- Rabbit, Pig, Horse
- Clashes with
- Ox
- Recent years
- 1991, 2003, 2015
- Next Goat year
- 2027, from Feb 6, 2027
Goat Zodiac Years
A Goat year comes every 12 years and begins on Lunar New Year, between January 21 and February 20. Born in January or early February? Compare your birthday with the start date. If it came first, you belong to the sign before: the Horse.
- 1907Fire GoatFeb 13, 1907 to Feb 1, 1908
- 1919Earth GoatFeb 1, 1919 to Feb 19, 1920
- 1931Metal GoatFeb 17, 1931 to Feb 5, 1932
- 1943Water GoatFeb 5, 1943 to Jan 24, 1944
- 1955 Chinese zodiacWood GoatJan 24, 1955 to Feb 11, 1956
- 1967 Chinese zodiacFire GoatFeb 9, 1967 to Jan 29, 1968
- 1979 Chinese zodiacEarth GoatJan 28, 1979 to Feb 15, 1980
- 1991 Chinese zodiacMetal GoatFeb 15, 1991 to Feb 3, 1992
- 2003 Chinese zodiacWater GoatFeb 1, 2003 to Jan 21, 2004
- 2015 Chinese zodiacWood GoatFeb 19, 2015 to Feb 7, 2016
- 2027 Chinese zodiacFire GoatFeb 6, 2027 to Jan 25, 2028Next
Goat Zodiac Personality and Traits
In Chinese tradition the Goat is calm, kind and creative. Goats are gentle company, love beauty and peace and dislike being pushed. The same softness can make them hesitant and quick to retreat under pressure.
Strengths
- Kindness. Gentle and caring toward others.
- Creativity. Has taste and a gift for the arts.
- Calm. Brings a settling presence to a room.
- Harmony. Smooths over disputes and avoids fights.
- Generosity. Shares what it has.
Weaknesses
- Indecision. Slow to choose and slow to commit.
- Shyness. Holds back in unfamiliar company.
- Worry. Can be pessimistic when under pressure.
- Dependence. Leans on others to take the lead.
- Sensitivity. Takes criticism hard.
The Goat Man and the Goat Woman
These are sketches from tradition, not rules.
The Goat Man
The Goat man is pictured as gentle, thoughtful and artistic. He avoids conflict, listens well and prefers a quiet routine to a loud one. His lesson is to say what he wants.
The Goat Woman
The Goat woman is described as graceful, warm and imaginative. She makes the people around her feel comfortable and is loyal to her family. She does best with a partner who is patient and steady.
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water Goats
The last digit of your birth year sets your element, which is different from the Goat’s own element (always Earth). Born in January or early February? If your birthday came before Lunar New Year, use the year before. The cycle repeats every 60 years.
Wood Goat
Years ending in 4 or 51955, 2015
Wood makes the Goat more creative and sociable. Said to be generous and open-minded, and the best at working with others.
Fire Goat
Years ending in 6 or 71907, 1967, 2027
Fire adds warmth and nerve. The Fire Goat is described as the boldest and most outgoing of the five, and the least willing to take a back seat.
Earth Goat
Years ending in 8 or 91919, 1979
Earth is the Goat’s own element. The Earth Goat is pictured as the steadiest of the five: patient, practical and dependable.
Metal Goat
Years ending in 0 or 11931, 1991
Metal sharpens the Goat. Determined and disciplined, the Metal Goat is said to be the most ambitious of the five, with a firm will under a gentle manner.
Water Goat
Years ending in 2 or 31943, 2003
Water deepens the Goat’s sensitivity. The Water Goat is described as the most intuitive of the five, and the most adaptable.
Goat Compatibility: Best and Worst Matches
Tradition gives the Goat three best matches: the Rabbit and Pig, its trine group, and the Horse, its Secret Friend. The hardest are the Ox, directly opposite on the zodiac wheel, and the Rat, a harm pair. These come from fixed rules, not opinion.
Best Matches
- RabbitSame trine group 三合Rabbit and Goat compatibility
- PigSame trine group 三合Goat and Pig compatibility
- HorseSecret Friend 六合Horse and Goat compatibility
Hardest Matches
- OxOpposite sign (clash) 六冲Ox and Goat compatibility
- RatHarm pair 六害Rat and Goat compatibility
Rabbit and Pig
Same trine group. Gentle, kind and easygoing, the Rabbit and Pig share the Goat’s love of a peaceful home and its dislike of conflict.
Horse
The Goat’s Secret Friend, a traditional natural ally. The lively Horse draws the quiet Goat out, and the Goat gives the Horse somewhere calm to land.
Ox
Opposite the Goat on the wheel, a clash. The Ox wants a firm plan and the Goat prefers to stay flexible, so each can find the other rigid or vague.
Rat
A harm pair. The planning Rat and the easygoing Goat want different things from a day, and each can wear on the other.
The Goat in 2026 and 2027
For the full forecast, see the Goat horoscope for 2027 and the 2027 Year of the Goat.
2026, the Fire Horse Year
The Horse is the Goat’s Secret Friend, so tradition reads 2026 as a supportive year, good for friendships and for taking the first step on something new.
2027, the Fire Goat Year
2027 is the Goat’s own year, called běnmìngnián. Tradition treats it as a year to take care with big decisions, and many people wear something red for luck.
The Goat in Chinese Culture: Meaning and Symbols
The Goat took eighth place in the Great Race, the legend that set the order of the 12 animals. In a popular version the Goat, Monkey and Rooster found a raft and worked together to cross the river.
A Character Full of Good Things
The character 羊 (yáng) appears inside 美 (měi, beautiful), 善 (shàn, good) and 祥 (xiáng, auspicious). In Chinese writing the goat is linked with beauty, goodness and good fortune.
Three Yang Bring Prosperity
The phrase 三阳开泰 (sān yáng kāi tài) is a classic New Year greeting in Goat years. It puns on 羊 and 阳 (both yáng) and wishes prosperity as the year begins.
The Kneeling Lamb
A traditional image shows a lamb kneeling to drink its mother’s milk. It is used as a symbol of respect for parents (羊羔跪乳).
Afternoon and the Sixth Month
The Goat’s earthly branch, 未 (wèi), marks the sixth month of the traditional solar calendar, which starts around July 7, and the hours from 1 to 3 in the afternoon.
Goat Career, Money and Health
Traditional advice for the Goat is the same in every area: keep the gentleness, and speak up sooner.
Career
Goats do best in work that rewards creativity and care: the arts, design, teaching, counseling and healthcare. High-pressure jobs with little room for reflection are harder.
Money
Tradition describes the Goat as generous and a little casual about money. A useful habit is to automate savings, so the plan does not depend on remembering.
Health
Goats are described as gentle but prone to worry. Tradition links the Goat’s Earth element with the stomach and with anxiety. That is cultural symbolism, not medical advice. Regular meals and a calm routine help most.
Goat Zodiac FAQ
What years are the Year of the Goat?
Goat years include 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 and 2027. The next one starts on Feb 6, 2027. Each Goat year begins on Lunar New Year, so check the exact dates if you were born in January or February.
Is the Goat the same as the Sheep and the Ram?
Yes. The Chinese character 羊 (yáng) covers goats, sheep and rams, and the zodiac does not specify which. English sites use Goat, Sheep and Ram for the same sign, so the Year of the Goat and the Year of the Sheep are the same year.
I was born on February 10, 2015. Am I a Goat?
No. Lunar New Year 2015 fell on February 19, so births before that date belong to the Horse year that began in 2014. From February 19, 2015 on, you are a Goat.
What is the Goat's enemy sign?
The Ox. It sits opposite the Goat on the zodiac wheel, a pairing tradition calls a clash. The Rat is the other hard match, a harm pair. Both point to friction in style, not a ban on friendship or marriage.
Who should a Goat marry?
Tradition favors the Horse, Rabbit and Pig. The Rabbit and Pig share the Goat's trine group, and the Horse is its Secret Friend. The Ox and Rat are harder. Real couples depend more on the two people than on their signs.
Is 2027 a good year for the Goat?
2027 is the Goat's own year (běnmìngnián). Tradition treats it as a demanding year, one for careful choices rather than big leaps. Many people wear something red for luck.