Three Ways to Name a Chinese Year

Chinese years can be identified in three traditional ways:

1. Traditional Chinese name (e.g., 甲子 jiǎzǐ)
2. Zodiac animal (e.g., Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rabbit)
3. Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch combination (the 60-year cycle, e.g., jiǎzǐ, yǐchǒu, etc.)

These systems are used together in the Chinese calendar for dating, astrology, and cultural purposes.