Chinese Zodiac by Year
Find out which animal and element match your birth year in the Chinese (eastern) zodiac. Enter a year to see the animal sign, its element and Yin/Yang polarity.
Wood Dragon, Yang
The Dragon is charismatic, ambitious and full of energy. It attracts luck, sets high goals and is not afraid to stand out. Pride and a need to be first can make it demanding of itself and others.
Calculated by the Gregorian year. The Chinese New Year falls in late January or February, so people born in that period may belong to the previous year's animal.
Chinese zodiac years
| 2018 | Earth Dog |
| 2019 | Earth Pig |
| 2020 | Metal Rat |
| 2021 | Metal Ox |
| 2022 | Water Tiger |
| 2023 | Water Rabbit |
| 2024 | Wood Dragon |
| 2025 | Wood Snake |
| 2026 | Fire Horse |
| 2027 | Fire Goat |
| 2028 | Earth Monkey |
| 2029 | Earth Rooster |
| 2030 | Metal Dog |
About the Chinese zodiac
The Chinese (eastern) zodiac is a cyclical calendar system in which every year is linked to one of twelve animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The full cycle of animals repeats every 12 years, so the animal of any year is easy to find from a birth year.
Besides the animal, each year corresponds to one of five elements — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water. The elements rotate in pairs and form a 60-year cycle in which the animal-and-element pairing never repeats. On top of that comes the Yin or Yang polarity: even years are Yang, odd years are Yin.
Our calculator shows the animal, element and polarity for any year, plus a table of nearby years so you can quickly check relatives and friends. The calculation uses the Gregorian year — if someone was born in January or early February, keep the Chinese New Year date in mind.
Benefits
Instant result
Enter a birth year and immediately see the animal of the year, its element and Yin/Yang — no tables or manual counting required.
Element and Yin/Yang
The calculator includes not just the animal but the year's element and polarity, giving the full picture of the sign within the 60-year cycle.
Year table
Next to the result you get a list of nearby years with their animals, so it's easy to check the birth years of family and friends.
Frequently asked questions
Which animal matches my birth year?
Enter your birth year in the calculator and it will show the Chinese zodiac animal, the element and the Yin/Yang polarity. Animals repeat every 12 years, so the year alone is enough.
How is the Chinese zodiac year determined?
The Chinese zodiac year follows a 12-year animal cycle: the remainder of the year divided by 12 sets the animal. The calculator does this automatically and shows the sign of the year at once.
What is the element of the year?
In addition to the animal, each year corresponds to one of five elements — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water. The element is derived from the last digit of the year and, with the animal, forms a 60-year cycle.
What do Yin and Yang mean in the Chinese zodiac?
Yin and Yang are two opposing principles. Even years are Yang (active, masculine) and odd years are Yin (passive, feminine). This adds nuance to the character of the year's sign.
Why does the Chinese New Year date matter?
The Chinese New Year does not fall on January 1 but in late January or February. So by the strict Chinese calendar, people born in that transitional period may belong to the previous year's animal.
Does the calculator work for any year?
Yes, you can enter any year — past, present or future. The 12-year animal cycle and 60-year element cycle are endless, so the sign of the year is calculated correctly for all years.