Chinese Zodiac Calculator
Enter a date of birth to see the animal, element and yin or yang of the Chinese year, and the date Chinese New Year fell that year.
Dates run from 1930 to 2100. Chinese New Year is on a different date each year, between 21 January and 20 February.
Worked examples
2026
Born 18 October 2026
Fire Horse, yang
Chinese New Year was 17 February 2026.
Before New Year
Born 9 February 2024
Rabbit
Chinese New Year 2024 was 10 February, so this is still the year of the Rabbit.
After New Year
Born 10 February 2024
Wood Dragon, yang
The first day of the Dragon year.
About Chinese Zodiac Calculator
The Chinese zodiac repeats every 12 years, with one animal for each year: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The Chinese year starts at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January, and that falls on a different date each year between 21 January and 20 February. Anyone born in January or early February may therefore belong to the animal of the year before. This calculator checks the actual date of Chinese New Year for your birth year.
Each year also has an element, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water, which repeats every two years, and is yin or yang, which alternates. Combined with the animal they give a 60 year cycle, so 2026 is the Fire Horse. You see your animal, element and polarity, the date of Chinese New Year for your birth year, a table of the other years of your animal, and a table of the coming years. It covers 1930 to 2100 and is a cultural calendar, not a prediction.
How to use Chinese Zodiac Calculator
- Enter a date of birth from 1930 to 2100.
- Read your animal, element and yin or yang.
- Check the date of Chinese New Year if you were born in January or February.
- Use the tables to find other years of your animal and the coming years.
Common uses
- Finding your own or a family member's animal
- Choosing a card or gift for Chinese New Year
- Checking the animal of a baby born in January or February
- Planning around the date of Chinese New Year
Frequently asked questions
Why is my animal different from what I expected?
If you were born before Chinese New Year in your birth year, your animal is that of the previous year. The result tells you which case applies.
When is Chinese New Year in 2026?
It falls on 17 February 2026, the start of the year of the Horse. In 2027 it is on 6 February.
What is the element of a year?
It follows the last digit of the year: 0 and 1 are Metal, 2 and 3 are Water, 4 and 5 are Wood, 6 and 7 are Fire, 8 and 9 are Earth.
How is Chinese New Year worked out?
It is the day of the new moon, in China, that begins the first month. The page uses the Chinese calendar data of your device, checked against the new moon time.
Does it cover dates before 1930?
No. The calendar used for those years was based on different local times, so dates are limited to 1930 to 2100.