Chinese zodiac sign calculator
Enter a birth year to discover the associated Chinese zodiac animal, its element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and its Yin/Yang polarity. Calculation entirely local, nothing is sent to a server.
How it works
The Chinese zodiac repeats a cycle of 12 animals (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig) paired with a cycle of 5 elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, each lasting two consecutive years, alternating Yang then Yin). This tool calculates the position of the entered year in these two cycles to deduce the corresponding animal, element, and polarity.
Why can a birth in January or February give an incorrect result?
Chinese New Year doesn't fall on January 1st but follows the lunar calendar, falling somewhere between January 21 and February 20 depending on the year. A person born on January 10, 1994, for example, actually still belongs to the Year of the Rooster (1993) and not the Dog, because Chinese New Year 1994 didn't occur until February 10. This calculator uses the simple Gregorian year: for a birth in late January or February, check the exact date of Chinese New Year for the year in question before concluding.
What do the elements and the Yin/Yang polarity represent?
In traditional Chinese astrology, each animal sign is also associated with one of the five elements (which change every two years) and a Yin or Yang polarity (which alternates each year), giving a complete cycle of 60 unique combinations before repeating — for example "Yang Metal - Monkey" or "Yin Water - Rabbit".
No data entered here is sent to a server: the calculation is performed directly by your browser.