Chinese zodiac
Hidden card – fill in your birth data to reveal it
Chinese zodiac calculator: what is my animal sign?
Your Chinese zodiac sign is the animal of the Chinese lunar year you were born in, from a 12-year cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The year begins at Chinese New Year, which falls between January 21 and February 20, so people born in January or early February often belong to the previous year's animal. 2026 is the year of the Fire Horse (from February 17, 2026) and 2027 the year of the Fire Goat (from February 6, 2027).
Hidden card – fill in your birth data to reveal it
- Updated
- How we calculate it
- Computed on your device
Enter your full date of birth – not just the year. We check it against the exact lunar new year date for that year and show your animal, its element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water) and whether the year is yin or yang.
Born in January or February? The result says clearly whether your birthday falls before or after Chinese New Year, and what that means for your sign.
Lunar New Year and animal, 2020–2030
| Year | New Year (China time) | Animal | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2020-01-25 | Rat | Metal (Yang) |
| 2021 | 2021-02-12 | Ox | Metal (Yin) |
| 2022 | 2022-02-01 | Tiger | Water (Yang) |
| 2023 | 2023-01-22 | Rabbit | Water (Yin) |
| 2024 | 2024-02-10 | Dragon | Wood (Yang) |
| 2025 | 2025-01-29 | Snake | Wood (Yin) |
| 2026 | 2026-02-17 | Horse | Fire (Yang) |
| 2027 | 2027-02-06 | Goat | Fire (Yin) |
| 2028 | 2028-01-26 | Monkey | Earth (Yang) |
| 2029 | 2029-02-13 | Rooster | Earth (Yin) |
| 2030 | 2030-02-03 | Dog | Metal (Yang) |
How the calculation works
Chinese New Year is the second new Moon after the December solstice in most years (with a rare exception around leap months), dated in China Standard Time (UTC+8). We compute the new Moons and the solstice with Astronomy Engine, then compare the result with the Hong Kong Observatory's published calendar tables.
The animal follows a 12-year cycle and the element a 10-year cycle (each element covers two consecutive years, first yang, then yin). Combined they repeat every 60 years. A handy rule: the last digit of the Gregorian year gives the element – 0–1 Metal, 2–3 Water, 4–5 Wood, 6–7 Fire, 8–9 Earth – as long as the date is after that year's Chinese New Year.
Some traditions, such as the Four Pillars (BaZi), start the year at Lichun, the "start of spring" around February 4, instead of at the new year. Our calculator uses the lunar new year, the convention most people mean by "Chinese zodiac".
Chinese New Year dates 2020–2030
2020 Jan 25 (Metal Rat) · 2021 Feb 12 (Metal Ox) · 2022 Feb 1 (Water Tiger) · 2023 Jan 22 (Water Rabbit) · 2024 Feb 10 (Wood Dragon) · 2025 Jan 29 (Wood Snake) · 2026 Feb 17 (Fire Horse) · 2027 Feb 6 (Fire Goat) · 2028 Jan 26 (Earth Monkey) · 2029 Feb 13 (Earth Rooster) · 2030 Feb 3 (Metal Dog).
Questions
What is my Chinese zodiac animal?
It is the animal of the lunar year you were born in. Enter your full birth date above; if you were born before that year's Chinese New Year, your animal is the previous year's.
What is the Chinese zodiac for 2026?
The Horse – specifically the Fire Horse, a yang year. It runs from February 17, 2026 to February 5, 2027.
What is the Chinese zodiac for 2027?
The Goat (also translated as Sheep or Ram), a yin Fire year, from February 6, 2027 to January 25, 2028.
How do I find my Chinese zodiac element?
Use the last digit of your birth year (adjusted for births before Chinese New Year): 0 or 1 Metal, 2 or 3 Water, 4 or 5 Wood, 6 or 7 Fire, 8 or 9 Earth.
Why does my Chinese sign differ between websites?
Most often because a site uses only the birth year and ignores the new year date, which mislabels many January and February birthdays. Some sites also use Lichun (around February 4) instead.
Sources
- Hong Kong Observatory – Gregorian–Lunar calendar conversion tables
- Hong Kong Observatory – the Chinese calendar and the length of the lunar month
- Astronomy Engine (Don Cross) – source code and documentation, MIT license
- British Library, International Dunhuang Programme – Animals of the Chinese zodiac
- Encyclopaedia Britannica – Chinese zodiac
Astrology, numerology and the Chinese zodiac are offered for entertainment and self-reflection. They are not scientifically validated and are not a substitute for professional advice (medical, psychological, legal or financial). Astronomical positions are calculated precisely; interpretations are traditional symbolism, not predictions.