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Chinese New Year 2031
Thursday, 23 January 2031. It opens the Year of the Metal Pig, 辛亥, which runs until 10 February 2032.
- New Year's Eve22 January 2031
- New Year's Day23 January 2031
- Lantern Festival6 February 2031
- Animal and elementMetal Pig 金猪, Yin
- Year ends10 February 2032; the next new year is 11 February 2032
What the Pig year carries
The Pig
Generous, easy-going and sincere. The Pig closes the cycle with abundance; it is the sign of enjoying what has been earned.
A pig under a roof is the character 家, home: a household was counted complete when it kept one.
Metal 金
Metal years are associated with resolve and clarity: the edge of a blade, the ring of a bell. Metal years favour decisiveness and finishing: clean cuts, clear words, things brought to a conclusion.
The pairing of stem and branch, 辛亥, returns once every sixty years; the last Metal Pig year was 1971, the next is 2091.
How the festival is kept
New Year's Eve, 22 January 2031
The reunion dinner (年夜饭): the whole family at one table, dumplings in the north, fish everywhere because 鱼 sounds like "surplus". Red couplets go up on the door, and the house is already cleaned so bad luck is not swept out in the new year.
New Year's Day, 23 January 2031
Red envelopes (红包) from elders to children, visits to relatives in order of seniority, new clothes, and the first words of the year chosen with care: 新年快乐, happy new year, and 恭喜发财, wishing you prosperity.
Lantern Festival, 6 February 2031
The fifteenth night, the first full moon of the year: lanterns, riddles hung on them, and sweet rice balls (汤圆) whose round shape stands for the family together. It closes the season.
Chinese New Year in other years
The second new moon after the winter solstice, so it moves between 21 January and 20 February.
- 202410 February 2024, Wood Dragon
- 202529 January 2025, Wood Snake
- 202617 February 2026, Fire Horse
- 20276 February 2027, Fire Goat
- 202826 January 2028, Earth Monkey
- 202913 February 2029, Earth Rooster
- 20303 February 2030, Metal Dog
- 203211 February 2032, Water Rat
- 203331 January 2033, Water Ox
- 203419 February 2034, Wood Tiger
- 20358 February 2035, Wood Rabbit
Questions
When is Chinese New Year 2031?
Thursday, 23 January 2031. New Year's Eve is 22 January 2031, and the Lantern Festival that closes the celebrations is 6 February 2031.
What animal is 2031 in the Chinese zodiac?
The Pig. From 23 January 2031 to 10 February 2032 it is the year of the Metal Pig (辛亥). Before 23 January 2031, the year still belongs to the previous animal.
Why does the date change every year?
The festival falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, so it moves between 21 January and 20 February on the Western calendar.
How long does Chinese New Year last?
Fifteen days, from New Year's Day to the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth of the first lunar month. Most people have a week of public holiday in mainland China.
Born in a Pig year?
Your animal depends on the exact date, not the calendar year.
Find your animal
Enter your birthday and we count it by the lunar calendar: the animal, its element, your lunar birth date and your next zodiac year.
Chinese zodiac calculatorWant the Pig in ink on your wall? The zodiac poster sets the animal above your name and lunar birthday. Giving a Chinese name this new year? Three real names, free.