Chinese New Year 2026: the Year of the Horse

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival (春节), is the biggest and most notable festival in China. It marks the start of a New Year and symbolizes new beginnings and fresh starts.

When is Chinese New Year 2026?

Chinese New Year 2025 falls on Wednesday, Feb 17th, 2026 and it marks the beginning of the zodiac year of the Horse.

Officially, the public holiday runs for 7-8 days. For Chinese New Year 2025, it’s from February 17th to February 23rd. Unofficially, celebrations last up to 16 days from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the first lunar month). In 2026, it’s from Feb 29th to March 3rd.

The most important dates of Chinese New Year 2026 are:

What is the Chinese New Year 2026 Animal? —— Horse

Chinese New Year 2026 animal is Horse, which means 2026 is the Year of the Horse according to the Chinese zodiac. By the way, Chinese New Year 2027 animal will be Goat.

The recent and incoming years of the Horse are 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, and 2038. If you were born in one of these years, you were probably born under the Chinese zodiac sign of the Horse.

People born in the Year of the Horse are said to be full of passion, pursuing freedom, straightforward and honest, but sometimes impulsive and lacking patience..

There are 12 Chinese new year animals signs on the Chinese zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. You can check out our Chinese zodiac page to find your own zodiac animal sign.

When is Chinese New Year?

You may wonder why Chinese New Year is always on a different date each year. Because the date of Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese Lunar Calender rather than the Gregorian calendar.

Chinese New Year, aka Lunar New Year, is the first day of the second new Moon after the Winter Solstice, usually falling between January 21 and February 20.

How Long is Chinese New Year 2026?

Traditionally, Chinese people celebrate Chinese New Year for 16 days. It starts from Chinese New Year’s Eve and ends with the rise of the first full Moon of the lunar calendar two weeks later which also happens to be the Lantern Festival. Celebrations of Chinese New Year 2025 is from Jan 28th to Feb 12th.

But China’s public holiday for Chinese New Year is 8 days from Chinese New Year to the 7th day of the first lunar month. So, in 2025, that is from January 28th to February 4th.

Different from mainland China, public holiday for Chinese New Year in Hong Kong and Macao is 3 days.

How to Wish Someone a Happy Chinese New Year 2026?

1. 新年好

Instead of saying 你好 (nǐ hǎo), Chinese people usually greet one another saying “xīn nián hǎo” during Chinese New Year. It’s the most commonly used Chinese New Year greeting in Mandarin, meaning “good new year” essentially.

2. 新年快乐

You may also hear Chinese people say “xīn nián kuài lè” to wish someone a happy Chinese New Year. It’s a more formal greeting than “xīn nián hǎo”. This greeting literally means “New Year happiness”. You can also use it during the regular Jan 1st New Year.

3. 恭喜发财

“Gong hei fat choy” is the most common Chinese New Year greeting in Cantonese, which means wishing you happiness and prosperity. This greeting is commonly spoken in Hong Kong, parts of southern China, and wherever the Cantonese dialect is spoken, such as Chinatowns.

Chinese New Year Greetings for 2026 Horse Year

As the Chinese New Year animal 2026 is Horse, Chinese people love using near homophones with the Chinese word for snake to greet people. Here are some of the most popular greetings for the year of the Horse 2026.

1. 马到成功

2. 一马当先

3. 龙马精神

When is the next Chinese New Year 2027?

Chinese New Year 2027 will fall on Tuesday, February 6, 2027 and it will mark the start of the year of Goat.

Chinese New Year Calender & Dates in 2026, 2027 and more

The table below showcases when Chinese New Year is from 2021 to 2032 and what the Chinese New Year animal signs are for each year respectively.

Where to Celebrate Chinese New Year 2026

Popular Chinese New Year Tour

★ 14-day Lunar New Year tour to Guizhou with various cultural activities and grand celebration

Further Reading about Chinese New Year