What is My Chinese Zodiac?

Like the western 12 astrology signs, the Chinese 12 zodiac animal signs also provide guidance on people’s love match and personality analysis, while the difference lies in the time division: western astrology signs are marked by 12 months according to Gregorian calendar, while Chinese animal signs are defined by a 12-year circle.

Now, use Chinese zodiac calculator on the right to find your Chinese zodiac: select your Gregorian date of birth, and you'll reveal your date of birth according to lunar calendar, together with your Chinese zodiac years.

 

Chinese animal sign (Shengxiao) follows the 12-year cycle defined by lunar calendar. Each year in the cycle is represented by one animal, and people’s sign is determined by their birth year. The cycle repeats every 12 years with the order like this: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. For example, 2018 is a Year of the Dog and 2019 is a Year of the Pig.

Click the animal signs on the following wheel of Chinese zodiac chart to learn more about their basic facts including birth years, luck signs, and love matches.

 

There is a time gap in the year dates between lunar calendar and Gregorian calendar. Therefore, some people born in January or February of Gregorian calendar may actually have the animal sign of the last year. What is my Chinese zodiac sign? The exact date for Lunar New Year varies from 21 January and February 20.

Rat	Feb07,2008-Jan25,2009	Feb19,1996-Feb06,1997
	Feb02,1984-Feb19,1985	Feb15,1972-Feb02,1973
Ox	Jan26,2009-Feb13,2010	Feb07,1997-Jan27,1998
	Feb20,1985-Feb08,1986	Feb03,1973-Jan22,1974
Tiger	Feb14,2010-Feb02,2011	Jan28,1998-Feb15,1999
	Feb09,1986-Jan28,1987	Jan23,1974-Feb10,1975
Rabbit	Feb03,2011-Jan22,2012	Feb16,1999-Feb04,2000
	Jan29,1987-Feb16,1988	Feb11,1975-Jan30,1976
Dragon	Jan23,2012-Feb09,2013	Feb05,2000-Jan23,2001
	Feb17,1988-Feb05,1989	Jan31,1976-Feb17,1977
Snake	Feb10,2013-Jan30,2014	Jan24,2001-Feb11,2002
	Feb06,1989-Jan26,1990	Feb18,1977-Feb06,1978
Horse	Jan31,2014-Feb18,2015	Feb12,2002-Jan31,2003
	Jan27,1990-Feb14,1991	Feb07,1978-Jan27,1979
Sheep	Feb19,2015-Feb07,2016	Feb01,2003-Jan21,2004
	Feb15,1991-Feb03,1992	Jan28,1979-Feb15,1980
Monkey	Jan22,2004-Feb08,2005	Feb04,1992-Jan22,1993
	Feb16,1980-Feb04,1981	Jan30,1968-Feb16,1969
Rooster	Feb09,2005-Jan28,2006	Jan23,1993-Feb09,1994
	Feb05,1981-Jan24,1982	Feb17,1969-Feb05,1970
Dog	Jan29,2006-Feb17,2007	Feb10,1994-Jan30,1995
	Jan25,1982-Feb12,1983	Feb06,1970-Jan26,1971
Pig	Feb18,2007-Feb06,2008	Jan31,1995-Feb18,1996
	Feb13,1983-Feb01,1984	Jan27,1971-Feb14,1972

 

The most common-seen method depends on Chinese New Year, which is considered as the division of two animal years. When a lunar year comes to an end, the animal will shift to next one. Chinese people’s animal signs are marked by this method.

The other method is calculated on solar calendar. In China, one year can be divided into 24 solar terms, which are used to indicate the climate change and guide the schedule of farming work. The Lichun term (Start of Spring) comes first, which falls on February 4 or 5. Passing that day, a new animal year starts.

Nowadays, the zodiac sign defined by lunar New Year’s Day is rooted in Chinese astrology culture, which is widely used in lucky date selection and love compatibility tests. If you have got your sign through the Chinese horoscope calculator, discover more about your Love Compatibility.

 

Divide your year of birth by 12 and read about the remainder. If the number of the year can be divided with no remainder, take the remainder as zero. Each remainder corresponds to an animal sign.

0: Monkey	1: Rooster	2: Dog	3: Pig
4: Rat	5: Ox	6: Tiger	7: Rabbit
8: Dragon	9: Snake	10: Horse	11: Sheep

Take the great singer Celine Dion for example: She was born in 1968.
1968/12=164 (no remainder)
No remainder equals to 0, which indicates Monkey sign.
So she is in Monkey sign.

Barack Obama was born in 1961.
1961/12=163 with remainder 5
5 corresponds to Ox, so Obama gets the Ox sign.

If you use an electronic math calculator, follow this way to get the remainder. Here we take the year of 1988 for example:
1988/12≈165.667, take the decimal 0.667
0.667*12≈8.004
Half adjust the result, get the integer 8 and the corresponding sign of Dragon.

 Further Reading:
 Chinese Zodiac Stories

 Ben Ming Nian (Zodiac Year of Birth)

 Chinese Zodiac Time

 Chinese Zodiac Years Chart

 Tai Sui