Chinese Zodiac Calculator
Find your Chinese zodiac animal, element, and personality traits from birth year.
Returns compatible animals, lucky numbers, and yearly cycle forecast.
How the Chinese Zodiac Is Calculated
The Chinese Zodiac assigns one of 12 animals to each year in a repeating cycle. Unlike Western astrology based on months, the Chinese system is based on the lunar year.
Basic Year Calculation:
Zodiac Index = (Year − 4) mod 12
The result maps to an animal (0 = Rat, 1 = Ox, 2 = Tiger, etc.)
The 12 Animals in Order: 0. Rat, 1. Ox, 2. Tiger, 3. Rabbit, 4. Dragon, 5. Snake, 6. Horse, 7. Goat, 8. Monkey, 9. Rooster, 10. Dog, 11. Pig
Worked Example: Birth year 1990:
- Index = (1990 − 4) mod 12 = 1986 mod 12 = 6 (since 1986 ÷ 12 = 165 remainder 6)
- Position 6 = Horse
Birth year 2024:
- Index = (2024 − 4) mod 12 = 2020 mod 12 = 8
- Position 8 = Dragon (the most auspicious sign)
Important: Lunar New Year Cutoff If born in January or early February, check the lunar calendar. Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 20. Someone born January 15, 1990 is actually a Snake (1989 sign) not a Horse.
The 60-Year Cycle: Each animal also combines with one of 5 elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), creating a full 60-year cycle. 2024 is the Year of the Wood Dragon, which last occurred in 1964.
Compatibility Highlights:
- Best matches: animals 4 years apart (same trine)
- Challenging: animals 6 years apart (direct opposites)