The Snake is sixth in the traditional twelve-animal Chinese zodiac order.
The standard sequence begins Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, and then Snake. Snake is followed by Horse, making it the midpoint sign when the twelve animals are listed in their conventional order.
The order is used for years, months, days, and traditional double-hours. It is also connected with the earthly branches: Snake corresponds to Si, the sixth branch. The animal order should not be confused with the order of the five elements, which follow a separate cycle and combine with the animals to form the 60-year system.
Different countries may use slightly different animal names or local substitutions. Vietnam, for example, traditionally uses Cat where the Chinese system uses Rabbit, but the Chinese sequence itself places Snake sixth. The Dragon remains fifth and Horse seventh in the standard Chinese ordering.