2012 Chinese Zodiac
2012 is the Year of the Yang Water Dragon.
This Dragon year begins on Chinese New Year, January 23, 2012, and runs until the eve of the next lunar new year.
Born in January or early February 2012?
The zodiac animal changes on Chinese New Year, not January 1. If you were born before January 23, 2012, your sign is actually the Rabbit (the previous lunar year) — not the Dragon.
The element of 2012
💧 Yang Water — Water is intuition, empathy, and flexibility. It deepens an animal's emotional intelligence and persuasive charm, helping it flow around obstacles rather than through them. Water types connect easily, but can be impressionable and prone to drift.
People born in the Year of the Dragon
The Dragon is the only mythical animal in the cycle, and it carries that exception like a birthright. Dragons are larger than life — visionary, proud, and electric with self-belief. They aim high, dream loud, and expect the world to make room. Luck seems to follow them, though it is usually the residue of their nerve. A Dragon's presence fills a space; their enthusiasm is contagious and their disappointment seismic. They are generous when admired and impossible when bored.
Read the full Dragon profile →
Dragon lucky colors & numbers
| Lucky colors | Gold, Silver, Grey |
|---|---|
| Lucky numbers | 1, 6, 7 |
| Native guardian (本命佛) | Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (普贤菩萨) |
Other Years of the Dragon
Frequently asked questions
What Chinese zodiac animal is 2012?
2012 is the year of the Dragon — more precisely the Yang Water Dragon. The Dragon year begins on Chinese New Year, January 23, 2012.
If I was born in January 2012, what is my sign?
If you were born before January 23, 2012, you are actually a Rabbit (the previous lunar year), not a Dragon. The animal only changes on Chinese New Year's Day.
What element is 2012?
The 2012 year carries the Yang Water element, drawn from the year's Heavenly Stem in the sexagenary cycle. That makes it a Yang Water Dragon.