DayReckon

How many days until Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 20, on a new moon. Here is the countdown to the next one and the dates and zodiac animals for the years ahead.

Chinese New Year is on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

Chinese New Year is the first day of the Chinese lunisolar calendar: the second new moon after the winter solstice, between January 21 and February 20.

Chinese New Year dates for the coming years

YearDateWeekdayYear of the
Chinese New Year 2027February 6, 2027SaturdayGoat
Chinese New Year 2028January 26, 2028WednesdayMonkey
Chinese New Year 2029February 13, 2029TuesdayRooster
Chinese New Year 2030February 3, 2030SundayDog
Chinese New Year 2031January 23, 2031ThursdayPig
Chinese New Year 2032February 11, 2032WednesdayRat
Chinese New Year 2033January 31, 2033MondayOx

How the date is set

Chinese New Year is the first day of the first month of the traditional Chinese calendar, which follows both the moon and the sun. In most years it is the second new moon after the winter solstice. The exact day is fixed by astronomical calculation in Beijing time, so in a few years the date can differ by a day in countries far to the east or west.

The Spring Festival

In mainland China the public holiday (Spring Festival) lasts about a week, and the celebrations run for 15 days, ending with the Lantern Festival on the first full moon. The weeks around the holiday see the largest annual human migration on Earth, as hundreds of millions of people travel home. Lunar New Year is also a major holiday in Vietnam (Tết), South Korea (Seollal), Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The zodiac animals

Each year is linked to one of twelve animals in a fixed cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The animal changes on New Year’s Day, not on January 1, so someone born in January or early February belongs to the previous year’s animal.

Questions people ask

Why does Chinese New Year change date?

It begins on a new moon, and lunar months are about 29.5 days long, so the date moves within a 30-day window from January 21 to February 20.

What zodiac animal is next year?

The table above lists the animal for each coming year. The new animal begins on Chinese New Year’s Day.

How long is the holiday?

In mainland China the official public holiday is usually around eight days. Elsewhere, such as in Singapore and Malaysia, it is two days.

Reviewed October 24, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.