Chinese Zodiac Calculator

Find the Chinese zodiac animal for any year, together with its element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water) and its yin or yang polarity from the heavenly stem cycle.

The animal cycle runs 12 years and the stem cycle 10 years, combining into the full 60-year cycle. The anchor used here is the standard one: 2024 is the Yang Wood Dragon year.

The formula

Animal = (year − 4) mod 12 from Rat; Element = stem (year − 4) mod 10 grouped in pairs from Wood; even stems are Yang, odd stems Yin

Worked example

2024 is the Yang Wood Dragon — the designation behind the 2024 Lunar New Year celebrations.

The example is pre-loaded in the result panel — press Calculate with your own numbers to replace it.

Frequently asked questions

My birthday is in January or February — which animal am I?

The Chinese zodiac year starts at Lunar New Year (usually late January or February), not January 1. If you were born before Lunar New Year in your birth year, you belong to the previous year's animal, even though this year-based calculator shows the calendar year's sign.

How does the element cycle work?

Each element rules two consecutive years — one Yang, one Yin — in the order Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water. Combined with the 12 animals, the full pattern repeats every 60 years.

Category: Date & Time calculators