The Chinese Zodiac is a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by an animal sign. Unlike the Western Zodiac, your sign is determined by your birth year, not your birth month.
The Lunar Calendar
The key difference is that the Chinese Zodiac is based on the lunar calendar, so the start of the year (Chinese New Year) changes every year, usually falling between late January and mid-February. Your portal's calculator automatically accounts for this, ensuring you are assigned the correct animal sign even if you were born in January or February.
Prime and Enemy Years
In this system, you experience a "Prime Year" when the calendar year's animal is the same as your own. This is a very auspicious year for new beginnings. Conversely, each animal sign has an opposite or "Enemy" sign. A year ruled by your Enemy sign is generally considered a challenging time to start new ventures, advising a focus on existing projects instead.