Chinese New Year 2022: What Chinese Zodiac Animal Am I?

The date of Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, changes each year, but still always falls in January or February. It falls later than our New Year because it follows the lunar calendar, as opposed to the Gregorian calendar most commonly used in the UK, which is based on tracking the Sun.

When is Chinese New Year 2022?

This year, the Chinese New Year falls on February 1st. Typically the celebrations last for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year’s Eve (January 31st) until February 15th. Thus, Chinese people will often try and take seven days off work. The Lantern Festival always marks the final day of the celebrations.

How to say Happy New Year in Chinese

The two most prominent ways of pronouncing words in Chinese are in Mandarin and Cantonese. However, these are not written and read in the same way as the English language. Take for example.

The most common way to wish close friends and loved ones a happy New Year is, “Xīnnián hǎo”, which is written 新年好. Xīnnián hǎo literally translates as ‘New Year Goodness’, similar to having a nice NEW YEAR. Read as ‘sshin-nyen haoww’ in Mandarin while ‘sen-nin haow’ in Cantonese.

What is the Chinese zodiac and what are Chinese New Year animals?

Similar to how each month of the Gregorian calendar is linked to zodiac signs, the Chinese calendar is also linked to 12 zodiac animals. The twelve animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster,Dog,Pig.

The animals are assigned in cycles of twelve years. Interestingly, the cycle is based on an old folk tale called the Great Race. All twelve animals take part in a race to reach the Jade Emperor. Each year is named based on the order or rank they completed in the race.

The Rat won out against the bigger animals by catching a ride on the back of the Ox and then jumping off its back at the last minute. This means the Ox, who had been due to win the race, had to settle for second place and the others fill in the places behind, with the Pig coming last.

What is the Chinese New Year animal?

2022 is the Year of the Tiger. The tiger is known as the King of all beasts in China. It comes third in the Chinese zodiac. The qualities associated with the tiger are competitive, self-confident, brave, willpower, and strength.

What Chinese zodiac animal am I?

You can work out your own Chinese zodiac animal by counting through the list above. We are currently on the third Chinese zodiac animal, the Tiger, which last fell in 2010, 1986, 1974, 1962, and so on. Next year, you can see it will be the Year of the Rabbit, then the Dragon, and so on throughout the cycle.