🐉 Chinese Zodiac Calculator
The Chinese zodiac repeats every 12 years with 12 animals, and every 60 years when combined with the 5 elements.
How the Chinese Zodiac Calculator works
The animal comes from the year's position in the 12-year cycle (1900, 1912 … 2020 were Rat years). The element follows the last digit of the year. The Chinese year starts at Lunar New Year (between January 21 and February 20), so early-year birthdays may belong to the previous animal.
Step-by-step calculation
- 1Enter your birth year.
- 2Find the animal from the 12-year cycle.
- 3Find the element from the year's last digit.
Worked example
1990 → (1990 − 4) mod 12 = 6 → Horse; last digit 0 → Metal. 1990 is the year of the Metal Horse.
Chinese Zodiac Calculator examples
| Birth year | Your Chinese zodiac |
|---|---|
| 1970 | Metal Dog |
| 1980 | Metal Monkey |
| 1985 | Wood Ox |
| 1990 | Metal Horse |
| 1995 | Wood Pig |
Other inputs kept at the calculator's default values. Results calculated by this calculator.
Why use a Chinese Zodiac Calculator?
Learn your Chinese zodiac animal for Lunar New Year and fun.
Important factors that can affect your results
- January and early February birthdays may belong to the previous year.
- Lunar New Year falls between January 21 and February 20.
- Different traditions name some animals differently (Goat/Sheep).
Frequently asked questions
I was born in January. Which animal am I?
If you were born before that year's Lunar New Year, you belong to the previous year's animal.
What does yin and yang mean here?
Even-numbered years are yang and odd-numbered years are yin.
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Last reviewed November 2026 · How we build and check our tools · Report a problem