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Chinese zodiac calculator: your animal and element

Your Chinese zodiac animal, element and yin or yang, worked out from the exact Lunar New Year date for your birth year. January and February birthdays are handled correctly.

The 60-year cycle: 12 animals × 5 elements

The animals repeat every 12 years, and the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) each last two years, so the elements repeat every 10. A full combination returns only when 12 and 10 line up: every 60 years. Pick an animal and see which elements it can pair with. Each animal meets only five of the ten stem years, because odd and even years never mix.

1984Wo Rat
1985Wo Ox
1986Fi Tig
1987Fi Rab
1988Ea Dra
1989Ea Sna
1990Me Hor
1991Me Goa
1992Wa Mon
1993Wa Roo
1994Wo Dog
1995Wo Pig
1996Fi Rat
1997Fi Ox
1998Ea Tig
1999Ea Rab
2000Me Dra
2001Me Sna
2002Wa Hor
2003Wa Goa
2004Wo Mon
2005Wo Roo
2006Fi Dog
2007Fi Pig
2008Ea Rat
2009Ea Ox
2010Me Tig
2011Me Rab
2012Wa Dra
2013Wa Sna
2014Wo Hor
2015Wo Goa
2016Fi Mon
2017Fi Roo
2018Ea Dog
2019Ea Pig
2020Me Rat
2021Me Ox
2022Wa Tig
2023Wa Rab
2024Wo Dra
2025Wo Sna
2026Fi Hor
2027Fi Goa
2028Ea Mon
2029Ea Roo
2030Me Dog
2031Me Pig
2032Wa Rat
2033Wa Ox
2034Wo Tig
2035Wo Rab
2036Fi Dra
2037Fi Sna
2038Ea Hor
2039Ea Goa
2040Me Mon
2041Me Roo
2042Wa Dog
2043Wa Pig

One full cycle, 1984–2043. Highlighted: every Dragon year (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water, 12 years apart).

Chinese zodiac years chart

AnimalRecent yearsTraditional traits
Rat1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020resourceful, quick-witted, good with money
Ox1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021patient, dependable, hard to rush
Tiger1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022brave, competitive, magnetic
Rabbit1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023gentle, tactful, quietly lucky
Dragon1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024confident, ambitious, larger than life
Snake1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025wise, composed, intuitive
Horse1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026energetic, free-spirited, sociable
Goat1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027creative, kind, needs calm
Monkey1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028clever, playful, a natural problem-solver
Rooster1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029observant, punctual, outspoken
Dog1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030loyal, honest, protective
Pig1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031generous, easy-going, loves life's pleasures

Each year starts at Lunar New Year (between 21 January and 20 February), not 1 January.

Lunar New Year dates

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Questions people ask

How do I find my Chinese zodiac animal?

Find the Chinese year you were born in, which starts at Lunar New Year, not 1 January. Then count the 12-year cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. 2020 was a Rat year, so 2024 was a Dragon year and 2026 is a Horse year.

I was born in January. What is my Chinese zodiac?

Anyone born before that year's Lunar New Year belongs to the previous year's animal. For example, someone born on 20 January 1990 is an Earth Snake (1989), not a Metal Horse, because the 1990 new year began on 27 January.

What is my Chinese zodiac element?

The element follows the last digit of the Chinese year: 0–1 Metal, 2–3 Water, 4–5 Wood, 6–7 Fire, 8–9 Earth. Even years are yang, odd years yin.

What is the Chinese zodiac for 2026?

2026 is the year of the Fire Horse, starting on 17 February 2026 and running until 5 February 2027.