Zodiac Sign Calculator (Western + Chinese)

Find your Western (tropical) zodiac sign and your Chinese zodiac animal and element from your birth date.

Result

Loading calculator…

—

How to use this calculator

Enter your date of birth.
Read your Western zodiac sun sign.
See your Chinese zodiac animal and its element.
If you were born in January or early February, check against the Chinese New Year date for that year.

About this calculator

This calculator reveals two zodiac systems from a single birth date. The Western (tropical) zodiac assigns one of twelve signs — Aries through Pisces — based on the position of the sun, which maps to fixed date ranges through the year. The Chinese zodiac works on a twelve-year cycle of animals (Rat, Ox, Tiger, and so on), determined by birth year, combined with a five-element cycle (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and a yin/yang polarity that together repeat every sixty years — so you might be a "Metal Horse" or a "Wood Dragon." Enter your date of birth and the tool returns your Western sun sign, your Chinese animal, and its element. Two caveats: Western cusp dates shift by about a day depending on the year and source, and the Chinese zodiac year actually starts at Chinese New Year in late January or February, so very early-year births can belong to the previous animal.

How it works — the formula

Western sign: lookup by (month, day) against fixed ranges
Chinese animal = ((year − 4) mod 12)
Element = floor(((year − 4) mod 10) / 2) → Wood/Fire/Earth/Metal/Water

Western signs map calendar dates to the sun’s tropical position; the Chinese system derives the animal and element arithmetically from the year.

Source: Wikipedia — Astrological sign

Worked examples

Example 1

1990-06-15

Inputs:: birth=1990-06-15
Output:: Gemini; Metal Horse

Example 2

2000-01-10

Inputs:: birth=2000-01-10
Output:: Capricorn; Metal Dragon (check CNY)

Example 3

2024-05-01

Inputs:: birth=2024-05-01
Output:: Taurus; Wood Dragon

Limitations

Western cusp dates vary by a day across years/sources.
Chinese year starts at Chinese New Year, not Jan 1 — Jan/Feb births may differ.
Entertainment only; not predictive.

For entertainment; the zodiac has no scientific basis.

Frequently asked

How is my Western zodiac sign determined?+

By the date of the year you were born, which corresponds to the sun’s tropical position. For example, births from about March 21 to April 19 are Aries. Cusp dates can vary by a day between years and sources.

How does the Chinese zodiac work?+

It cycles through twelve animals, one per year, so your animal is set by your birth year: animal = (year − 4) mod 12. A separate five-element cycle (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and yin/yang polarity combine with the animal on a 60-year cycle.

What is my Chinese element?+

Each year also carries one of five elements, derived from the year’s heavenly stem. The element pairs with your animal — for instance 1990 is a Metal Horse and 2024 is a Wood Dragon. This tool computes both.

Why might my Chinese sign be the previous animal?+

Because the Chinese zodiac year begins at Chinese New Year (a date in late January or February that shifts annually), not January 1. If you were born in January or early February, you may belong to the prior year’s animal — check the exact New Year date for your birth year.

What is a cusp in Western astrology?+

A cusp is the transition between two signs around the boundary dates. People born within a day or two of a sign change are said to be "on the cusp." Because exact transition times vary by year, borderline birth dates can be assigned to either sign.

Is this scientifically meaningful?+

No. Astrology and the zodiac are cultural and entertainment traditions, not science — there is no evidence that birth dates determine personality or destiny. This tool is provided for fun and curiosity.