Year of the Snake
The snake (蛇, shé) is the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac's 12-year cycle. Recent snake years include 1989, 2001, 2013 and 2025; the most recent snake year ran from Jan 29, 2025 to Feb 16, 2026, and the next begins on Feb 15, 2037. A snake year always opens on Chinese New Year, never on January 1.
Exact snake year dates
Each snake year starts on Chinese New Year and ends the day before the next Chinese New Year.
| snake year | Gregorian date range |
|---|---|
| 1953 | Feb 14, 1953 – Feb 2, 1954 |
| 1965 | Feb 2, 1965 – Jan 20, 1966 |
| 1977 | Feb 18, 1977 – Feb 6, 1978 |
| 1989 | Feb 6, 1989 – Jan 26, 1990 |
| 2001 | Jan 24, 2001 – Feb 11, 2002 |
| 2013 | Feb 10, 2013 – Jan 30, 2014 |
| 2025 | Jan 29, 2025 – Feb 16, 2026 |
Born in January or February? Check the boundary
The 2025 snake year did not begin until Jan 29, 2025: anyone born between January 1, 2025 and Jan 28, 2025 is a dragon, not a snake. In the other direction, the snake year kept running into 2026, so babies born between January 1, 2026 and Feb 16, 2026 are still snakes rather than horses. Any January or early-February birthday needs the exact Chinese New Year date from the table above.
This site uses the Chinese New Year boundary convention — read how the zodiac year boundary works on the calculator page.
Am I a snake?
Enter your full birth date and the calculator will apply the exact Chinese New Year boundary for your birth year.
Check my zodiac animalThe snake in Chinese culture
In folk taxonomy the snake is called 小龙, the "little dragon" — a creature that shares the dragon's mystery without its imperial pomp. Because snakes shed their skin, they came to stand for renewal, and their quiet, watchful nature made them symbols of wisdom and intuition rather than brute force.
The best-known snake in Chinese culture is Madame White Snake (白蛇), the heroine of the Legend of the White Snake (白蛇传), one of China's four great folk tales, in which a snake spirit takes human form for love. People born in snake years are traditionally described as wise, intuitive and private — these are cultural beliefs about the sign, not facts about any individual.
Snake idioms (成语) featuring 蛇
画蛇添足 huà shé tiān zú
Literally: draw a snake and add feet.
to ruin something by overdoing it — the moral of an old fable in which a man loses a wine-drinking contest because he wastes time adding legs to his finished snake.
杯弓蛇影 bēi gōng shé yǐng
Literally: a bow's reflection in the cup looks like a snake.
to be frightened by shadows; to mistake a trick of the mind for a real threat.
灵蛇之珠 líng shé zhī zhū
Literally: the pearl of the magic snake.
a rare and precious gift; used to praise exceptional talent or writing.
Year of the Snake FAQ
Was 2025 the year of the snake?
Yes, from Jan 29, 2025. The snake year ran from Jan 29, 2025 to Feb 16, 2026. Anyone born in January 2025, before Chinese New Year, is a dragon rather than a snake.
I was born in January 2013 — am I a snake or a dragon?
It depends on the day. Chinese New Year 2013 fell on Feb 10, 2013: born on or after it you are a snake, born between January 1 and Feb 9, 2013 you are a dragon. The calculator on this site applies the exact boundary for you.
When is the next year of the snake?
The next snake year is 2037, beginning on Chinese New Year, Feb 15, 2037, and running until Feb 3, 2038. Snake years repeat every 12 years: 1989, 2001, 2013 and 2025.
Why is the snake called the little dragon in Chinese culture?
The snake is traditionally nicknamed 小龙 ("little dragon") because it was seen as the dragon's earthly cousin — sharing its association with wisdom and mystery on a smaller scale. The Legend of the White Snake (白蛇传), in which a snake spirit takes human form, made the snake one of the most storied animals in Chinese folklore.