Chinese Zodiac Calculator
Enter your birth date to find your Chinese zodiac animal and element. This calculator correctly handles the Lunar New Year cutoff, so if you were born in January or early February, your sign is determined by whether you arrived before or after Chinese New Year that year.
🐎 Your 2026 Outlook (Year of the Fire Horse)
How the Chinese Zodiac Works
The Chinese zodiac assigns one of twelve animals to each year in a repeating cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each animal carries distinct personality traits and governs specific years.
Each year also has one of five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), creating a 60-year cycle before the combination of animal and element repeats exactly. Your element is determined by the last digit of your Chinese birth year.
Important note on early-year births: The Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 20 each year. If you were born in January or early February, you may belong to the previous year's animal, not the current calendar year's animal. This calculator uses accurate Lunar New Year dates to determine the correct sign.
The 12 Animals and Recent Years
Related Monthly Forecast by Sign
Explore the current monthly reflection for each animal. These are offered as gentle prompts for self-reflection rather than fixed predictions. For a wider look at the year, read our Chinese zodiac guide for 2026.
Related: Life Path Compatibility Full Reading