How to use
- 1Enter your full date of birth, including day and month.
- 2Read your animal, element and yin or yang, with the start and end of your Chinese year.
- 3See your traditional allies, your “secret friend” and the animal that clashes with yours.
- 4Browse the list of years for each of the 12 animals.
How the Chinese zodiac works
The Chinese zodiac assigns each year one of 12 animals in a fixed order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Each year also has one of five elements, wood, fire, earth, metal or water, and is either yang or yin. Elements change every two years, and yang and yin alternate each year, so the full combination of animal and element repeats every 60 years. Years ending in 4 or 5 are wood, 6 or 7 fire, 8 or 9 earth, 0 or 1 metal and 2 or 3 water.
Born in January or February?
The Chinese year does not begin on January 1 but at Chinese New Year, which falls between January 21 and February 20. If you were born before the new year, your animal is the one of the previous year. Many simple charts ignore this. The calculator uses a table of actual Chinese New Year dates from 1900 to 2100, tells you when the earlier animal applies and shows the exact start and end dates of your Chinese year.
Traditional compatibility
Traditionally, the 12 animals form four groups of three allies that are said to get along well, for example Rat, Dragon and Monkey. Each animal also has a “secret friend”, such as Rat and Ox, and one opposite animal six years away with which it is said to clash, such as Rat and Horse. The calculator shows all three for your animal. Like Western astrology, the Chinese zodiac is a cultural tradition with no scientific basis, so enjoy it as folklore and entertainment.
Frequently asked questions
What is my Chinese zodiac animal?
Enter your date of birth above. The animal depends on your Chinese year, which starts at Chinese New Year rather than on January 1.
I was born in January. Which animal am I?
If you were born before that year’s Chinese New Year, you belong to the previous year’s animal. The calculator checks the exact date for you.
What is my Chinese element?
It comes from the last digit of your Chinese year: 4–5 wood, 6–7 fire, 8–9 earth, 0–1 metal, 2–3 water. The calculator shows it along with yin or yang.
Which Chinese zodiac animals are compatible?
Traditionally, the three animals of the same affinity group and the “secret friend” pair. The animal six places away is considered the clashing one.
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