Chinese New Year 2027: Year of the Goat Dates and Meaning
Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday, February 6, 2027. It starts the Year of the Goat, and more exactly a Fire Goat year. This lunar year lasts 354 days and runs from February 6, 2027 to January 25, 2028.
If you were born on or after February 6, 2027 and before January 26, 2028, you are a Goat. A baby born in January or early February 2027, before the 6th, still belongs to the Horse, because the Fire Horse year of 2026 has not ended yet. Not sure which side of the line you are on? The calculator checks the exact date for you.
Key dates for the 2027 New Year season
| Date | What it is |
|---|---|
| Friday, February 5, 2027 | New Year's Eve. Families traditionally gather for a reunion dinner. |
| Saturday, February 6, 2027 | Chinese New Year, the first day of the Goat year. |
| Saturday, February 20, 2027 | The Lantern Festival, on the 15th day of the first lunar month (counting February 6 as day one). It closes the New Year season. |
| Tuesday, January 25, 2028 | The last day of the Goat year. Chinese New Year 2028 is Wednesday, January 26, 2028. |
These dates come from the same table as our Chinese New Year dates guide, which we checked against the Hong Kong Observatory's calendar conversion table.
Why the date keeps moving
Chinese New Year follows the moon, so it slides around the Gregorian calendar. A lunar year of 12 months lasts about 354 days, which is 11 days shorter than a calendar year. That is why the date moves about 11 days earlier each year: February 17 in 2026, February 6 in 2027, and January 26 in 2028.
Then it jumps. The 2028 lunar year has 384 days because it includes an extra leap month, so Chinese New Year 2029 lands on February 13, 18 days later in the calendar. If you only remember one rule, remember this: never assume your sign from the calendar year alone.
Goat, sheep or ram?
The Chinese character for this sign, 羊 (yáng), covers goats, sheep and rams. That is why you will see the sign called the Goat, the Sheep or the Ram. China Highlights explains the same point. Goat is the most common choice in English, and it is the name this site uses. The sign and the years are identical whichever word you prefer.
Every Goat year
The Goat comes around every 12 years. Here are the Goat years from 1931 on, with the date each one began.
| Goat year | Element | Began on | Around age in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Metal | February 17, 1931 | 96 |
| 1943 | Water | February 5, 1943 | 84 |
| 1955 | Wood | January 24, 1955 | 72 |
| 1967 | Fire | February 9, 1967 | 60 |
| 1979 | Earth | January 28, 1979 | 48 |
| 1991 | Metal | February 15, 1991 | 36 |
| 2003 | Water | February 1, 2003 | 24 |
| 2015 | Wood | February 19, 2015 | 12 |
| 2027 | Fire | February 6, 2027 | 0 |
Notice that the Goat years walk through all five elements in order: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, then Metal again. That means the same Fire Goat only returns every 60 years, in 1967, 2027 and 2087. Now look at the "Began on" column before you decide you are a Goat. Someone born on January 20, 1991 is not a 1991 Goat. The 1991 year started on February 15, so that birthday belongs to the Horse year of 1990.
Is 2027 your own sign year?
If you were born in any Goat year above, 2027 is your own sign year, called your běnmìngnián. That means people born in 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955, 1943 and 1931 are all in theirs. Tradition treats it as a year that needs a little extra care, and many people wear red through it for protection. Our guide to the běnmìngnián explains where the custom comes from and what it does and does not claim.
From Fire Horse to Fire Goat
Elements run in pairs of years, so 2026 and 2027 are both Fire years. The Fire Horse of 2026 is the yang half and the Fire Goat of 2027 is the yin half. The last time this pair came around was 1966 and 1967, and the next is 2086 and 2087. If the Fire Horse reputation worried you, read our guide to the Fire Horse superstition for what it really says.
Who the Goat gets along with
In the traditional chart, the Goat's best match is the Horse, its secret friend. The Goat also does well with the Rabbit and the Pig, which share its affinity triangle. Its hardest match is the Ox, and it has a milder friction with the Rat. You can see each pairing on its page:
The Goat profile covers the sign as a whole.
If you are planning a baby around the Goat year
Parents often ask whether the Goat year is a good one to have a baby. Tradition does not rank years as lucky or unlucky to be born in. Every animal has strengths and weaknesses, and the 2027 page says the same. For the record, a baby born from February 6, 2027 through January 25, 2028 will be a Fire Goat. A baby born on January 26, 2028 or later is an Earth Monkey instead (see 2028). Please treat the calendar as a curiosity only. When a baby is born is a decision for you and your doctor.
What this page does not do
You will not find a prediction for 2027 here. The Chinese zodiac is a tradition, and nothing in it can tell you how your year will go. We can tell you the dates, the cutoffs and what the traditional chart says about a pairing, and we try to say clearly which is which.
Last checked: October 2026. This page is for entertainment and general interest. It is not advice about relationships, health, money or any other decision.