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- Your sign follows the Chinese lunar year, which starts at Chinese New Year in late January or February, not on January 1.
- Enter a birth date to get your animal, element, Yin or Yang and the Chinese New Year date of your birth year.
- People born in January or early February may belong to the previous animal.
- The animals repeat every 12 years. With the five elements, the full cycle is 60 years.
How to use the Chinese zodiac calculator
Enter the date of birth
Use the regular calendar date. Years from 1900 to 2100 are supported.
Read your sign
The headline shows the element and animal, for example Earth Tiger.
Check the New Year date
See when your Chinese year began. If your birthday is before it, the previous animal applies.
Look at your animal years
The table lists the years of your animal every 12 years, with the element of each.
How the Chinese zodiac is calculated
The calculator first finds the Chinese year of your birth date using the Chinese calendar built into your browser. The year number is the calendar year in which that Chinese year begins. The animal and element then follow from fixed 12-year and 10-year cycles.
Chinese zodiac formulas
Animal = (Chinese year − 4) mod 12, counting Rat = 0, Ox = 1, Tiger = 2 and so on to Pig = 11
Element = (Chinese year − 4) mod 10, in pairs: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water
Yang or Yin = even or odd position in the 10-year cycle
If you were born before Chinese New Year, the Chinese year is the one before your calendar birth year.
Chinese zodiac examples
Example 1: born May 14, 1998
The Chinese year 1998 started on January 28, 1998.
- Chinese year 1998
- Sign Earth Tiger
- Yin or Yang Yang
A May birthday is well after Chinese New Year, so the calendar year and the Chinese year match.
Example 2: born January 15, 1990
Chinese New Year in 1990 fell on January 27, so this birthday is earlier.
- Chinese year 1989 (started February 6, 1989)
- Sign Earth Snake
A calendar-year 1990 baby born this early belongs to the Snake, not the Horse.
Example 3: the day before and the day of New Year
Chinese New Year in 1996 fell on February 19.
- February 18, 1996 Wood Pig
- February 19, 1996 Fire Rat
One day can change the animal.
Chinese zodiac animals and their years
The next years for each animal.
- Rat 2008, 2020, 2032
- Ox 2009, 2021, 2033
- Tiger 2010, 2022, 2034
- Rabbit 2011, 2023, 2035
- Dragon 2012, 2024, 2036
- Snake 2013, 2025, 2037
- Horse 2014, 2026, 2038
- Goat 2015, 2027, 2039
- Monkey 2016, 2028, 2040
- Rooster 2017, 2029, 2041
- Dog 2018, 2030, 2042
- Pig 2019, 2031, 2043
These are Chinese years. A birthday before Chinese New Year counts toward the earlier year.
Where a Chinese zodiac calculator helps
Lunar New Year greetings
Know the animal of the new year and of the people you are greeting.
Gifts and cards
Pick zodiac-themed gifts for family and friends.
Family and friends
Find the sign of parents, children and colleagues in seconds.
Traditions and planning
Plan celebrations around the Chinese New Year date of the year.
Zodiac traditions differ across cultures. The Vietnamese zodiac, for example, has a Cat in the place of the Rabbit. This tool follows the Chinese calendar. Related tools: Korean Age Calculator, Age Calculator and Half Birthday Calculator.
Chinese zodiac calculator FAQ
What is my Chinese zodiac sign?
Enter your date of birth. The sign is the animal of the Chinese year in which you were born, together with the element of that year, such as Earth Tiger.
Why is my sign different from my birth year?
The Chinese year begins at Chinese New Year, between January 21 and February 20. If you were born before that date, you belong to the previous animal year.
What is the Chinese zodiac for 2026?
2026 is the year of the Fire Horse. The Chinese year began on February 17, 2026.
How often does the same sign return?
The animal returns every 12 years. The same animal and element return every 60 years.
What are the five elements?
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Each element covers two years in a row, one Yang and one Yin.
Is the zodiac the same as the Western zodiac?
No. The Chinese zodiac assigns an animal to each year, while the Western zodiac assigns a sign to each part of the year, based on your birth date.