Chinese Zodiac Query — Animal, Element & Birth Year
Enter a birth date to find the zodiac animal, with age-to-zodiac and zodiac-to-year lookup, plus a full reference table.
2026 year animal · 2027 next year animal
Those born in **2026** (lunar **丙午** year) are **马**; those born in **2027** (lunar **丁未** year) are **羊**. The zodiac is bounded at the Start of Spring — births before it in the same Gregorian year still belong to the previous zodiac.
Common ages → zodiac (as of 2026): 24 y/o ≈ born 2002, zodiac 🐴马28 y/o ≈ born 1998, zodiac 🐯虎30 y/o ≈ born 1996, zodiac 🐭鼠36 y/o ≈ born 1990, zodiac 🐴马
Popular year quick-check: 1990 (庚午) zodiac 🐴马2000 (庚辰) zodiac 🐉龙2010 (庚寅) zodiac 🐯虎2020 (庚子) zodiac 🐭鼠
How to Read the Result
The result card shows the zodiac’s element, earthly branch, sexagenary year and Na Yin. The element and branch follow a fixed mapping (Zi/Rat is Water, Chou/Ox is Earth, etc.); the stem-branch and Na Yin are derived from the traditional calendar, helping you learn your folk-culture profile.
How the Zodiac Is Calculated (Principle & Formula)
This tool derives the zodiac by the traditional sexagenary calendar. The core rules:
- Zodiac index = (effective lunar year − 4) mod 12, where 0=Rat, 1=Ox … 11=Pig, based on 1900 (a Rat year).
- Start-of-Spring boundary: the zodiac follows the lunar year; this tool uses the Start of Spring as the boundary — a Gregorian birthday before that year’s Start of Spring still belongs to the previous zodiac. For example, the 2024 Start of Spring fell on Feb 4; births before it are Rabbit, after it are Dragon.
- Sexagenary year: the 10 heavenly stems (Jia, Yi, Bing…) pair with the 12 branches into a 60-year cycle (e.g. “Geng-Zi year”), derived by a calendar library at the Start of Spring to avoid hand errors.
- Na Yin elements: every two years are grouped and assigned an element (e.g. “White Wax Metal”, “Metal in the Sea”) — a further traditional classification of the stem-branch, shown for cultural display only.
Example: born Feb 10, 1990 (after the Start of Spring), effective lunar year = 1990, (1990 − 4) mod 12 = 2 → zodiac index 2 is Tiger, so the person is Tiger. The zodiac, branch and element are deterministic calendrical facts and involve no personal fortune inference.
Where the Zodiac Comes From: History & Culture
The 12 zodiac animals (twelve creatures) were fully formed by the Eastern Han dynasty at the latest; systematic records appear in the Qin slips from Shuihudi (Yunmeng, Hubei) and Fangmatan (Tianshui, Gansu), with prototypes traceable to the pre-Qin period. The zodiac pairs one-to-one with the 12 branches as a popular expression of the sexagenary calendar, long incorporated into the traditional calendrical system.
- Relation to the lunar calendar: the zodiac is bounded by the “stem-branch year”; traditionally the Start of Spring (not the first day of the first lunar month) is its start, so those born between Spring Festival and Start of Spring still belong to the previous zodiac. This tool strictly follows that rule.
- Branch pairing: Zi/Rat, Chou/Ox, Yin/Tiger, Mao/Rabbit, Chen/Dragon, Si/Snake, Wu/Horse, Wei/Goat, Shen/Monkey, You/Rooster, Xu/Dog, Hai/Pig — fixed order, matching the branches.
- Cultural position: the zodiac is part of folk culture and the traditional calendar, used for reckoning years and seasons; its “character” or “fortune” claims are folk embellishments without scientific basis, shown here for cultural explanation only.
The 12-Zodiac Reference Table (birth years around this year)
For each zodiac the table shows 9 birth years (every 12 years) centered on this year, covering years you and your family care about. Click any year to view that year’s zodiac.Future yearThis year (birth year)Your queried zodiac
| Zodiac | Years (every 12 yrs) | Branch | Element | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🐭 鼠 | Zi | Water | 聪慧, 灵活, 机敏, 谨慎 | |
| 🐂 牛 | Chou | Earth | 勤劳, 踏实, 忠诚, 稳重 | |
| 🐯 虎 | Yin | Wood | 勇敢, 果断, 热情, 自信 | |
| 🐰 兔 | Mao | Wood | 温柔, 善良, 谨慎, 敏感 | |
| 🐉 龙 | Chen | Earth | 尊贵, 神秘, 强势, 热情 | |
| 🐍 蛇 | Si | Fire | 聪慧, 神秘, 冷静, 理性 | |
| This year 🐴 马 | Wu | Fire | 热情, 开朗, 自由, 活力 | |
| 🐑 羊 | Wei | Earth | 温和, 善良, 内敛, 艺术 | |
| 🐵 猴 | Shen | Metal | 聪慧, 机灵, 活泼, 好动 | |
| 🐔 鸡 | You | Metal | 勤劳, 诚实, 认真, 守时 | |
| 🐕 狗 | Xu | Earth | 忠诚, 可靠, 正直, 友善 | |
| 🐷 猪 | Hai | Water | 善良, 真诚, 宽容, 乐观 |
Zodiac Elements & Earthly Branches
The 12 animals map one-to-one to the 12 earthly branches (Zi/Rat, Chou/Ox … Hai/Pig); each branch has a fixed element. The table below summarizes the full animal–branch–element mapping for cultural reference:
- Water: Rat (Zi), Pig (Hai)
- Earth: Ox (Chou), Dragon (Chen), Goat (Wei), Dog (Xu)
- Wood: Tiger (Yin), Rabbit (Mao)
- Fire: Snake (Si), Horse (Wu)
- Metal: Monkey (Shen), Rooster (You)
Zodiac Details
Below, each zodiac’s branch, element and traits are explained in turn, so you can look them up by name. Click any year in the table above to switch to that year’s details.
🐭 鼠（Zi · Water）
People born in the 鼠 year are often described as 聪慧, 灵活, 机敏, 谨慎. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐂 牛（Chou · Earth）
People born in the 牛 year are often described as 勤劳, 踏实, 忠诚, 稳重. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐯 虎（Yin · Wood）
People born in the 虎 year are often described as 勇敢, 果断, 热情, 自信. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐰 兔（Mao · Wood）
People born in the 兔 year are often described as 温柔, 善良, 谨慎, 敏感. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐉 龙（Chen · Earth）
People born in the 龙 year are often described as 尊贵, 神秘, 强势, 热情. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐍 蛇（Si · Fire）
People born in the 蛇 year are often described as 聪慧, 神秘, 冷静, 理性. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐴 马（Wu · Fire）
People born in the 马 year are often described as 热情, 开朗, 自由, 活力. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐑 羊（Wei · Earth）
People born in the 羊 year are often described as 温和, 善良, 内敛, 艺术. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐵 猴（Shen · Metal）
People born in the 猴 year are often described as 聪慧, 机灵, 活泼, 好动. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐔 鸡（You · Metal）
People born in the 鸡 year are often described as 勤劳, 诚实, 认真, 守时. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐕 狗（Xu · Earth）
People born in the 狗 year are often described as 忠诚, 可靠, 正直, 友善. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
🐷 猪（Hai · Water）
People born in the 猪 year are often described as 善良, 真诚, 宽容, 乐观. The birth year recurs every 12 years; see the table above for the most recent and next one.
Birth Years for Each Zodiac
Below are common birth years by zodiac (every 12 years). For example, to see which years are Rat, see the list below. Click a year to switch the query to that year’s zodiac.
2026 — ages by zodiac (full / nominal age)
The table below lists each zodiac’s recent birth years and their full / nominal age in 2026, handy for queries like “how old is a Rat this year” or “how old is a Dragon in {curYear}”. The nominal age approximates the Gregorian year (age 1 at birth, +1 each lunar year); folk custom often uses Spring Festival as the boundary, so values may differ by 1.
How the Birth Year (Ben Ming) Is Calculated
The birth year (Ben Ming) is the lunar year matching your zodiac, recurring every 12 years. For example, a Dragon person meets their birth year in a Dragon year. Folk belief holds that a birth year “offends Tai Sui”, often marked by wearing red for blessing. This page’s result card directly shows your most recent and next birth year for planning ahead.
About the Zodiac
The zodiac follows the lunar year, bounded by the Start of Spring. If you only know the Gregorian birthday, first use the Solar-to-Lunar tool to convert; to look up the zodiac by age, switch to the “age lookup” mode above. The zodiac is part of Chinese folk culture — good for everyday curiosity, not a scientific predictor of fortune.
Sources & Disclaimer
The zodiac, branch, sexagenary year and Na Yin data on this page are compiled from China’s traditional sexagenary calendar and public calendar sources; the stem-branch and Na Yin are derived by a calendar library bounded at the Start of Spring, consistent with the rest of the site. The algorithms reference public Chinese-calendar and sexagenary-calendar materials.
Zodiac, elements and branches are calendrical facts and classifications in traditional culture. This tool only provides lookup and explanation, and offers no fortune prediction or life advice. For deeper traditional-custom needs, consult authoritative folk-culture sources or relevant professionals.
FAQ
Is the zodiac calculated by lunar or solar calendar?
The zodiac follows the lunar year, bounded by the Start of Spring, cycling every 12 years. If you only know the Gregorian birthday, convert it with the solar-to-lunar tool first. The zodiac is an important part of Chinese folk culture.
What is the order of the 12 zodiac animals?
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig — cycling every 12 years. Each animal is associated with different folk traits.
How are zodiac years determined?
A zodiac year is bounded by the lunar new year or the Start of Spring (customs vary); this tool uses the Start of Spring as the precise boundary. For example, those born after Feb 4, 2024 (Start of Spring) are Dragon, before that are still Rabbit.
What does the zodiac reference table include?
This page’s full 12-zodiac table includes the animal name, corresponding years, earthly branch, five-element attribute and traits, for quick lookup of each animal’s basic folk info.
How are the zodiac and earthly branches related?
The 12 animals map one-to-one to the 12 branches: Zi/Rat, Chou/Ox, Yin/Tiger, Mao/Rabbit, Chen/Dragon, Si/Snake, Wu/Horse, Wei/Goat, Shen/Monkey, You/Rooster, Xu/Dog, Hai/Pig. Branches are the ancient Chinese time system; the zodiac is their popular animal representation, often called “zodiac branches”.
How do I read the five-element attribute?
Each animal maps to a branch with a fixed element: Zi/Rat is Water; Chou/Ox, Chen/Dragon, Xu/Dog, Wei/Goat are Earth; Yin/Tiger, Mao/Rabbit are Wood; Si/Snake, Wu/Horse are Fire; Shen/Monkey, You/Rooster are Metal; Hai/Pig is Water. The result card shows the element directly, for cultural understanding.
How is the birth year (Ben Ming) calculated?
The birth year is the lunar year matching your zodiac, every 12 years. For example, a Dragon meets their birth year in a Dragon year. This page shows your most recent and next birth year.
How do I look up the zodiac by age?
Enter your full age; the tool estimates the birth year as “current year − age”, then maps it to the zodiac by the Start of Spring. For example, entering 28 shows the corresponding birth year and animal — handy when you remember the age but not the birth year.
What are the sexagenary year and Na Yin elements?
The sexagenary year pairs the 10 heavenly stems (Jia, Yi, Bing…) with the 12 branches into a 60-year cycle (e.g. “Geng-Zi year”); Na Yin groups every two years and assigns an element (e.g. “White Wax Metal”, “Metal in the Sea”). These are common expressions in traditional calendar and folk culture; this tool shows them for cultural display only.
Can the zodiac predict fortune?
The zodiac is Chinese folk culture, good for everyday curiosity, not a scientific basis for predicting personal fortune or character. This page provides zodiac, element and branch info for cultural reference only — not for major life decisions.
What is the difference between zodiac and astrology signs?
The zodiac is bounded by the lunar year and Start of Spring, cycling every 12 years; astrology signs are divided by Gregorian month/day, 12 per year. They belong to different cultural systems (Chinese zodiac vs Western astrology); this tool focuses on the zodiac.
How are yin/yang attributes divided?
By parity of the zodiac order: Rat, Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Dog are Yang; Ox, Rabbit, Snake, Goat, Rooster, Pig are Yin. Yin/yang is a traditional classification of attributes, like the five elements, a cultural fact shown here for explanation.
What if the zodiac year is outside 1900–2100?
The zodiac cycles every 12 years with no fixed range. This tool limits the year selector to 1900–2100 for convenience, but any year’s zodiac can be derived by “year mod 12” combined with a base year.
How is the zodiac related to BaZi?
BaZi is composed of the heavenly stems and earthly branches of the birth year, month, day and hour; the “year pillar” branch is exactly the zodiac branch (e.g. Zi/Rat, Chou/Ox). The zodiac is the popular representation of the BaZi year pillar; this tool shows only the zodiac-level calendrical info.
Why is the Start of Spring the boundary instead of the Spring Festival?
The traditional sexagenary year is bounded by solar terms; the Start of Spring is the start of the stem-branch year, earlier than the lunar new year (Spring Festival). So those born between Spring Festival and Start of Spring still belong to the previous year’s zodiac. This tool strictly uses the Start of Spring, consistent with astronomical calendar.
Does the lunar leap month affect the zodiac?
The zodiac is derived from the stem-branch year (Start of Spring), unrelated to the lunar leap month. The leap month only reconciles the lunar month with the solar year and does not change the year’s stem-branch or zodiac.
Where do the sexagenary year and Na Yin come from?
The sexagenary year pairs 10 stems with 12 branches into a 60-year cycle; Na Yin groups every two years and assigns an element (e.g. “White Wax Metal”, “Metal in the Sea”) — both are traditional calendrical classifications of years, derived by the calendar library bounded at the Start of Spring.