Lunar New Year 2027 begins on Saturday, February 6, and it welcomes the Year of the Goat. In Chinese the animal is 羊 (yáng), one character that covers goats, sheep and rams, which is why English calendars use all three names. This worksheet starts with 羊 itself, six simple strokes that still look like a horned head, then builds the words families use all season: 羊年 (yáng nián, Year of the Goat), 山羊 (shān yáng, goat), 绵羊 (mián yáng, sheep), 小羊 (xiǎo yáng, lamb), 属羊 (shǔ yáng, born in a Goat year) and the blessings 三羊开泰 (sān yáng kāi tài), 喜气洋洋 (xǐ qì yáng yáng) and 羊年大吉 (yáng nián dà jí). Each word sits above 田字格 (tián zì gé) tracing grids with pinyin, so children trace the gray strokes first and then write on their own. For an extra challenge, find the goat hiding inside 美 (měi), 洋 (yáng) and 鲜 (xiān). Print it free or save the PDF for class, and say each word aloud as you write.
Goat-year words
Year of the Goat words| Chinese | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|
| 羊 | 羊 | yáng | goat; sheep |
| 羊年 | 羊年 | yáng nián | Year of the Goat |
| 山羊 | 山羊 | shān yáng | goat |
| 绵羊 | 綿羊 | mián yáng | sheep |
| 小羊 | 小羊 | xiǎo yáng | lamb; kid |
| 属羊 | 屬羊 | shǔ yáng | born in the Year of the Goat |
| 丁未年 | 丁未年 | dīng wèi nián | the Dingwei year (2027) |
| 三羊开泰 | 三羊開泰 | sān yáng kāi tài | a Goat-year blessing for a good start |
| 喜气洋洋 | 喜氣洋洋 | xǐ qì yáng yáng | full of joy |
| 羊年大吉 | 羊年大吉 | yáng nián dà jí | great luck in the Year of the Goat |
Find the goat: characters with 羊 (yáng) inside
The goat, 羊 (yáng), hides in many characters, sometimes for its meaning and sometimes for its sound.
Characters that contain 羊 (yáng)| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Where the goat is |
|---|
| 美 | měi | beautiful | 9 | 羊 on top of 大. Old dictionaries explain it as a big, fine sheep. |
| 善 | shàn | good; kind | 12 | 羊 sits at the top; the older form 譱 also contained 言 (speech). |
| 洋 | yáng | ocean | 9 | Water 氵 plus 羊, which gives the sound yáng. |
| 样 | yàng | shape; way | 10 | Tree 木 plus 羊 for the sound. |
| 群 | qún | group; flock | 13 | 羊 plus 君, which gives the sound: a flock of sheep came to mean any group. |
| 鲜 | xiān | fresh | 14 | Fish 鱼 plus 羊; a popular explanation is that fish and mutton taste best fresh. |
Which years are Goat years?
A zodiac year starts at Lunar New Year, not on January 1. If you were born in January or February before the date below, your animal is the Horse.
Goat years and the day each one began| Year | Goat year begins | Stem-branch | Element |
|---|
| 1931 | Tuesday, February 17, 1931 | 辛未 | Metal Goat |
| 1943 | Friday, February 5, 1943 | 癸未 | Water Goat |
| 1955 | Monday, January 24, 1955 | 乙未 | Wood Goat |
| 1967 | Thursday, February 9, 1967 | 丁未 | Fire Goat |
| 1979 | Sunday, January 28, 1979 | 己未 | Earth Goat |
| 1991 | Friday, February 15, 1991 | 辛未 | Metal Goat |
| 2003 | Saturday, February 1, 2003 | 癸未 | Water Goat |
| 2015 | Thursday, February 19, 2015 | 乙未 | Wood Goat |
| 2027 | Saturday, February 6, 2027 | 丁未 | Fire Goat |
| 2039 | Monday, January 24, 2039 | 己未 | Earth Goat |
More Chinese New Year worksheets
- Chinese New Year worksheets: Lunar New Year 2027 is on Saturday, February 6, and opens the Year of the Goat, 羊年 (yáng nián), also called the Year of the Sheep or Ram. Free printable sheets for every age, with pinyin and English.
- New Year for Kindergarten: Eighteen big, simple characters for preschool and kindergarten, from 年 (nián), 春 (chūn) and 福 (fú) to 人 (rén), 山 (shān) and 水 (shuǐ). 年 春 福 红
- New Year Greetings: The spoken New Year wishes, from 新年快乐 (xīn nián kuài lè) and 恭喜发财 (gōng xǐ fā cái) to 身体健康 (shēn tǐ jiàn kāng) for grandparents. 新年快乐 春节快乐 过年好 恭喜发财
- Zodiac Animals: Write 生肖 (shēng xiào) and all twelve zodiac animals in order, from the Rat, 鼠 (shǔ), to the Pig, 猪 (zhū). 生肖 鼠 牛 虎
- Fu Character & Spring Couplets: Write 福 (fú) and the parts of a spring couplet, then copy a traditional door couplet line by line. 福 春联 对联 上联
- Chinese New Year Words: Twenty Spring Festival words: the reunion dinner, red envelopes, lanterns, firecrackers and New Year food. 春节 新年 除夕 年夜饭
- Lantern Festival: Words for 元宵节 (yuán xiāo jié), the night of lanterns: 汤圆 (tāng yuán), 花灯 (huā dēng), 灯谜 (dēng mí) riddles and the first full moon of the year. 元宵节 元宵 汤圆 正月十五
- Yuan Ri (元日): Copy Wang Anshi's 元日 (yuán rì), the classic Chinese New Year poem, line by line with pinyin. 爆竹声中一岁除 春风送暖入屠苏 千门万户曈曈日 总把新桃换旧符
Frequently asked questions
Is 2027 the Year of the Goat, Sheep or Ram?
All three: the Chinese animal 羊 (yáng) means goat, sheep or ram, so calendars translate it differently. The Goat year begins on Saturday, February 6, 2027 and runs until the Year of the Monkey starts on January 26, 2028.
Which years are Goat years?
Recent Goat years began in 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 and 2027; the next is 2039. Each one starts at Lunar New Year, so someone born in January 1991, before February 15, is a Horse. The table on this page lists the exact start dates.
What does 三羊开泰 (sān yáng kāi tài) mean?
三羊开泰 (sān yáng kāi tài) is a Goat-year blessing for a lucky, peaceful start. It puns on the old saying 三阳开泰 (sān yáng kāi tài), 'three yang lines bring peace', because 羊 (yáng, goat) and 阳 (yáng, yang) sound the same.
How do you write 羊 (yáng) in Chinese?
羊 (yáng) has six strokes. Write the two short strokes at the top first, then the three horizontal strokes from top to bottom, and finish with the long vertical stroke through the middle. The top strokes look like horns: the character began as a goat's head.
Is this worksheet free to print?
Yes. The Year of the Goat worksheet is free to print or save as a PDF, with no account or email needed, and you can print as many copies as you like for a class. Choose A4 or US Letter before you press Print or Save PDF.