Chinese Zodiac Calculator: Animal, Element and Yin/Yang
Find your authentic Chinese zodiac animal, elemental pillar (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), Yin/Yang polarity, and secret hour animal.
Chinese zodiac sign and element: how they follow from the year
The Chinese animal is the remainder of (year − 4) ÷ 12, the element comes from the year’s last digit and the polarity from whether it is even or odd. So 1996 gives Fire Rat, Yang. The tool works on the calendar year: if you were born in January or early February, check the Chinese New Year date for your year.
Rules used
- Animal = (year − 4) modulo 12, in the order Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
- Element by last digit: 0-1 Metal, 2-3 Water, 4-5 Wood, 6-7 Fire, 8-9 Earth.
- Polarity: even year Yang, odd year Yin.
- Hour animal: the day is split into 12 two-hour periods, from 11 pm-1 am (Rat) to 9-11 pm (Pig).
Example
Born in 1996 at 2 pm: (1996 − 4) ÷ 12 leaves 0, so Rat; last digit 6, so Fire; even year, so Yang. 2 pm falls in the 1-3 pm period, the Goat. The year 2026 gives Fire Horse, Yang.
The Lunar New Year trap
The Chinese year starts on the second new moon after the winter solstice, between 21 January and 20 February. The tool only asks for the year and ignores this date. Someone born on 20 January 1997 gets Fire Ox, but Chinese New Year 1997 fell on 7 February, so that person is a Fire Rat, Yang. Recent New Years: 29 January 2025, 17 February 2026, 7 February 2027. If you were born before that date, enter the previous year.
Limits
Hour 0 (midnight to 0:59) gives the Rat. The personality traits shown come from astrological tradition and are not scientifically validated.
Sources and dates: 2026 Lunar New Year date (17 February, Bing-wu year of the Horse) from the Hong Kong Observatory Gregorian-Lunar conversion table for 2026 (checked 14/10/2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is my Chinese zodiac sign if I was born in January?
It depends on the Chinese New Year date, which falls between 21 January and 20 February. Born before that date, you belong to the previous year’s sign: someone born on 20 January 1997 is a Rat, because Chinese New Year 1997 fell on 7 February.
How do I find my Chinese element?
Look at the last digit of your (Chinese) birth year: 0 or 1 Metal, 2 or 3 Water, 4 or 5 Wood, 6 or 7 Fire, 8 or 9 Earth. 1996 gives Fire, 1990 Metal.
What is the Chinese zodiac sign for 2026?
2026 is the year of the Fire Horse, Yang. It began on 17 February 2026 and ends the day before Chinese New Year 2027, on 6 February 2027.
What is the birth hour animal?
Chinese tradition splits the day into 12 two-hour periods, each linked to an animal. 11 pm-1 am is the Rat, 11 am-1 pm the Horse, 1-3 pm the Goat.
Is this tool really free?
Yes, all tools on Kristools are 100% free and accessible without registration.
Is my data protected?
Yes. All processing is performed directly and securely inside your browser. No personal data is sent to our servers.