Your Chinese zodiac sign is determined by your birth year according to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar — not the Western calendar. Because the Lunar New Year falls between late January and mid-February each year, people born in early months may carry a different zodiac animal than their birth year suggests. This calculator accounts for that shift precisely.

Beyond the animal sign, Chinese astrology layers in a Five-Element influence and a yin–yang energy classification. Together, these three dimensions create a nuanced personality blueprint that has been used for centuries as a framework for self-understanding, relationships, and life planning.