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Chinese zodiac

Chinese zodiac calculator: what's my Chinese zodiac sign?

Enter your birth date to find your Chinese zodiac animal and element. We work out Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) from the real new moon in Beijing time, so a birthday in January or February lands in the right year.

Your birth date

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How the Chinese year is counted

The Chinese calendar follows both the Moon and the Sun. Each month begins on the day of a new moon, and the year begins with the new moon that opens the first month: Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year. It falls between 21 January and 20 February. The animal changes on that day, not on 1 January.

The twelve animals belong to the twelve Earthly Branches. Together with ten Heavenly Stems, which carry the five elements in yin and yang form, they make a cycle of 60 years. Each element covers two years in a row, first yang, then yin.

Animals of the zodiac appear in Chinese tombs as early as the sixth century, as in this set of figures.

Twelve grey earthenware tomb figures from the 6th century, seated figures with animal heads standing in a row
Mortuary Figures of the Zodiac Signs, 500s (Northern Wei dynasty, 386–534 CE). Gray earthenware with traces of slip. Cleveland Museum of Art, The Norweb Collection. View at the museum · Public Domain (CC0, open access)

The five elements

Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water each cover two years in a row, yang first, then yin. In Chinese tradition the elements also relate to each other in two cycles: in one each element gives rise to the next, in the other each overcomes another.

Generating cycle Wood → Fire → Earth → Metal → Water → Wood

Overcoming cycle Wood → Earth → Water → Fire → Metal → Wood

Why January and February birthdays go wrong

Many tables list one animal per calendar year. That works for most birthdays, but not for people born before Chinese New Year, who still belong to the previous animal. Someone born on 15 January 1990 belongs to the Year of the Snake, not the Year of the Horse, because the Year of the Horse began on 27 January 1990.

Another common mix-up is to start the year on a fixed date such as 4 February (Lìchūn, the Beginning of Spring). That is the year used in BaZi astrology, not the animal year used in popular astrology. We show both rules and say which one we used.

How we calculate

We compute the real new moons and the position of the Sun with Astronomy Engine. Chinese New Year is the new moon that opens month 1, counted on the calendar day in Beijing time (UTC+8). Leap months and solar terms follow the rules of the Chinese calendar.

We checked the calculation against the Hong Kong Observatory's Gregorian-Lunar conversion tables for 1901 to 2100. All dates agree except a handful of moments that fall within minutes of midnight in Beijing, where sources can differ by a day; the calculator points those out. It covers 31 January 1900 to 31 December 2100.

The twelve animals

The descriptions summarise traditional associations from Chinese folk tradition. They are not science, and tellings differ from source to source.

Twelve small jade figures of the Chinese zodiac animals: seated figures with animal heads, in three rows
Twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, 18th–19th century. Jade (nephrite). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902. View at the museum · Public Domain (CC0, open access)

  • 鼠 Rat

    shǔ

    In tradition the Rat stands for cleverness, charm and thrift. It is the first of the twelve animals; a well-known folk tale says it won that place by riding on the Ox's back.

    Birth years: Year of the Rat

    • 28 January 1960 – 14 February 1961 · Metal 庚子
    • 15 February 1972 – 2 February 1973 · Water 壬子
    • 2 February 1984 – 19 February 1985 · Wood 甲子
    • 19 February 1996 – 6 February 1997 · Fire 丙子
    • 7 February 2008 – 25 January 2009 · Earth 戊子
    • 25 January 2020 – 11 February 2021 · Metal 庚子

  • 牛 Ox

    niú

    The Ox is associated with diligence, patience and reliability.

    Birth years: Year of the Ox

    • 15 February 1961 – 4 February 1962 · Metal 辛丑
    • 3 February 1973 – 22 January 1974 · Water 癸丑
    • 20 February 1985 – 8 February 1986 · Wood 乙丑
    • 7 February 1997 – 27 January 1998 · Fire 丁丑
    • 26 January 2009 – 13 February 2010 · Earth 己丑
    • 12 February 2021 – 31 January 2022 · Metal 辛丑

  • 虎 Tiger

    hǔ

    The Tiger is associated with courage, strength and a bold spirit.

    Birth years: Year of the Tiger

    • 5 February 1962 – 24 January 1963 · Water 壬寅
    • 23 January 1974 – 10 February 1975 · Wood 甲寅
    • 9 February 1986 – 28 January 1987 · Fire 丙寅
    • 28 January 1998 – 15 February 1999 · Earth 戊寅
    • 14 February 2010 – 2 February 2011 · Metal 庚寅
    • 1 February 2022 – 21 January 2023 · Water 壬寅

  • 兔 Rabbit (Hare)

    tù

    The Rabbit is associated with gentleness, tact and a love of peace. In Vietnam the Cat takes its place.

    Birth years: Year of the Rabbit

    • 25 January 1963 – 12 February 1964 · Water 癸卯
    • 11 February 1975 – 30 January 1976 · Wood 乙卯
    • 29 January 1987 – 16 February 1988 · Fire 丁卯
    • 16 February 1999 – 4 February 2000 · Earth 己卯
    • 3 February 2011 – 22 January 2012 · Metal 辛卯
    • 22 January 2023 – 9 February 2024 · Water 癸卯

  • 龍 龙 Dragon

    lóng

    The Dragon stands for power, good fortune and energy. It is the only mythical animal of the twelve.

    Birth years: Year of the Dragon

    • 13 February 1964 – 1 February 1965 · Wood 甲辰
    • 31 January 1976 – 17 February 1977 · Fire 丙辰
    • 17 February 1988 – 5 February 1989 · Earth 戊辰
    • 5 February 2000 – 23 January 2001 · Metal 庚辰
    • 23 January 2012 – 9 February 2013 · Water 壬辰
    • 10 February 2024 – 28 January 2025 · Wood 甲辰

  • 蛇 Snake

    shé

    The Snake is associated with wisdom, intuition and reserve.

    Birth years: Year of the Snake

    • 2 February 1965 – 20 January 1966 · Wood 乙巳
    • 18 February 1977 – 6 February 1978 · Fire 丁巳
    • 6 February 1989 – 26 January 1990 · Earth 己巳
    • 24 January 2001 – 11 February 2002 · Metal 辛巳
    • 10 February 2013 – 30 January 2014 · Water 癸巳
    • 29 January 2025 – 16 February 2026 · Wood 乙巳

  • 馬 马 Horse

    mǎ

    The Horse is associated with freedom, energy and independence.

    Birth years: Year of the Horse

    • 21 January 1966 – 8 February 1967 · Fire 丙午
    • 7 February 1978 – 27 January 1979 · Earth 戊午
    • 27 January 1990 – 14 February 1991 · Metal 庚午
    • 12 February 2002 – 31 January 2003 · Water 壬午
    • 31 January 2014 – 18 February 2015 · Wood 甲午
    • 17 February 2026 – 5 February 2027 · Fire 丙午

  • 羊 Goat (Sheep, Ram)

    yáng

    The Goat (also called Sheep or Ram) is associated with gentleness, creativity and a caring nature.

    Birth years: Year of the Goat

    • 9 February 1967 – 29 January 1968 · Fire 丁未
    • 28 January 1979 – 15 February 1980 · Earth 己未
    • 15 February 1991 – 3 February 1992 · Metal 辛未
    • 1 February 2003 – 21 January 2004 · Water 癸未
    • 19 February 2015 – 7 February 2016 · Wood 乙未
    • 6 February 2027 – 25 January 2028 · Fire 丁未

  • 猴 Monkey

    hóu

    The Monkey is associated with wit, curiosity and inventiveness.

    Birth years: Year of the Monkey

    • 30 January 1968 – 16 February 1969 · Earth 戊申
    • 16 February 1980 – 4 February 1981 · Metal 庚申
    • 4 February 1992 – 22 January 1993 · Water 壬申
    • 22 January 2004 – 8 February 2005 · Wood 甲申
    • 8 February 2016 – 27 January 2017 · Fire 丙申
    • 26 January 2028 – 12 February 2029 · Earth 戊申

  • 雞 鸡 Rooster

    jī

    The Rooster is associated with punctuality, confidence and hard work.

    Birth years: Year of the Rooster

    • 17 February 1969 – 5 February 1970 · Earth 己酉
    • 5 February 1981 – 24 January 1982 · Metal 辛酉
    • 23 January 1993 – 9 February 1994 · Water 癸酉
    • 9 February 2005 – 28 January 2006 · Wood 乙酉
    • 28 January 2017 – 15 February 2018 · Fire 丁酉
    • 13 February 2029 – 2 February 2030 · Earth 己酉

  • 狗 Dog

    gǒu

    The Dog is associated with loyalty, honesty and a sense of justice.

    Birth years: Year of the Dog

    • 6 February 1970 – 26 January 1971 · Metal 庚戌
    • 25 January 1982 – 12 February 1983 · Water 壬戌
    • 10 February 1994 – 30 January 1995 · Wood 甲戌
    • 29 January 2006 – 17 February 2007 · Fire 丙戌
    • 16 February 2018 – 4 February 2019 · Earth 戊戌
    • 3 February 2030 – 22 January 2031 · Metal 庚戌

  • 豬 猪 Pig

    zhū

    The Pig is associated with generosity, warmth and enjoyment of life.

    Birth years: Year of the Pig

    • 27 January 1971 – 14 February 1972 · Metal 辛亥
    • 13 February 1983 – 1 February 1984 · Water 癸亥
    • 31 January 1995 – 18 February 1996 · Wood 乙亥
    • 18 February 2007 – 6 February 2008 · Fire 丁亥
    • 5 February 2019 – 24 January 2020 · Earth 己亥
    • 23 January 2031 – 10 February 2032 · Metal 辛亥

Each range runs from Chinese New Year to the day before the next one (Beijing dates).

Sources

  • Hong Kong Observatory: Gregorian-Lunar Calendar Conversion Table (1901 to 2100) and the 24 Solar Terms.
  • Astronomy Engine (Don Cross), used for the new moons and the position of the Sun.
  • Names of the animals and elements: the Wikipedia articles on the Chinese zodiac in each language.