Chinese Zodiac Sign & 5 Elements Calculator

Your Chinese zodiac sign is determined by your birth year according to the Chinese lunar calendar. There are 12 animal signs (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig) that rotate in a 12-year cycle. Your element is determined by the last digit of your birth year, with each element appearing in a 10-year cycle (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Our calculator can instantly determine both your zodiac animal and element when you input your birth date.

To calculate your Chinese zodiac animal: Take your birth year and divide it by 12. The remainder determines your animal sign (0=Monkey, 1=Rooster, 2=Dog, 3=Pig, 4=Rat, 5=Ox, 6=Tiger, 7=Rabbit, 8=Dragon, 9=Snake, 10=Horse, 11=Goat). For your element, look at the last digit of your birth year: 0-1=Metal, 2-3=Water, 4-5=Wood, 6-7=Fire, 8-9=Earth. Our calculator automates this process for accuracy, especially considering lunar calendar adjustments.

Your zodiac element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water) influences your personality traits, strengths, and potential challenges in life. Wood people tend to be creative and compassionate; Fire individuals are dynamic and passionate; Earth types are practical and nurturing; Metal people are organized and precise; Water individuals are intuitive and flexible. Your element also suggests career affinities, relationship patterns, and ways to maintain balance in your life. Understanding your element can help you leverage your natural strengths and address potential weaknesses.

Chinese zodiac compatibility considers both animal signs and elements. Some animal combinations naturally harmonize (like Rat with Dragon or Monkey), while others may create tension (like Tiger with Monkey). Elements also influence compatibility: Wood feeds Fire, Fire creates Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal collects Water, and Water nourishes Wood. The most harmonious relationships often involve complementary elements rather than identical ones. For example, a Wood person might find balance with a Water person who nourishes their nature, while two Fire individuals might create too much intensity.

The five elements in Chinese philosophy are Wood (木), Fire (火), Earth (土), Metal (金), and Water (水). Each element has distinct characteristics: Wood represents growth, creativity, and compassion; Fire embodies enthusiasm, dynamism, and passion; Earth signifies stability, nurturing, and practicality; Metal symbolizes precision, organization, and righteousness; Water reflects adaptability, intuition, and wisdom. These elements interact in cycles of generation (where one element creates another) and control (where one element restrains another), creating a complex system of balance and interaction.

The Chinese zodiac operates on a 60-year cycle created by combining the 12 animal signs with the five elements in their Yin and Yang forms. Each element appears with each animal sign once in its Yang form and once in its Yin form before the cycle repeats. For example, 1984 was Yang Wood Rat, while 1985 was Yin Wood Ox. This 60-year cycle (known as the Sexagenary cycle or Ganzhi) provides a more detailed understanding of the energetic influences present in each year and how they might affect individuals born during that time.