Chinese Birth Calendar

A person born on January 30, 2000 was not born in the Year of the Dragon. They were born in the Year of the Rabbit, because Chinese New Year 2000 fell on February 5 that year, and the zodiac switches at the Lunar New Year rather than at the Gregorian January 1. The Chinese birth calendar on this page resolves edge cases like that one and returns the full birth-year designation for any date from 1900 to 2050: zodiac animal, Five-Element class, sexagenary stem-branch pair, 纳音 nàyīn sound class, current Chinese lunar age, and 太岁 tài suì status for the current year.

The lookup framework is the 60-year sexagenary cycle that has run continuously in Chinese record-keeping since the Shang dynasty oracle bones, around 1200 BCE. The same cycle structures the daily almanac used in the Chinese conception calendar, the lunisolar calendar mechanics covered in the Chinese lunar calendar guide, the TCM cycle phases in the Chinese fertility calendar, and the zodiac-by-year readings in the twelve Chinese zodiac signs overview. The gender-prediction Chinese pregnancy calendar uses the same lunar-year boundary handled by this lookup.

Chinese Birth Calendar Lookup

The widget below takes a Gregorian date of birth and returns the full Chinese birth-year designation. The lookup uses vendored Chinese New Year date data for 1924 through 2050, so the Lunar New Year edge case is handled automatically: a Gregorian date in late January or early February is mapped to the correct lunar year based on whether it falls before or after that year’s CNY.

How Lunar Year and Zodiac Year Boundaries Work

The Chinese lunisolar year begins on Chinese New Year, the second new moon after the winter solstice. Across the 1924 to 2050 range covered by this calculator, CNY falls between January 21, the earliest date in the series and reached in 1966, and February 21, the latest date and reached in 1985, a 31-day window. The zodiac assignment and the sexagenary stem-branch designation both switch at CNY, not on January 1.

Three worked examples that show how the edge case resolves:

• Born January 30, 2000. CNY 2000 fell on February 5. The birth is before CNY, so the lunar year is 1999 (己卯 Jǐ Mǎo, Earth Rabbit). A Gregorian-only lookup would wrongly assign Dragon for 2000.
• Born February 17, 1955. CNY 1955 fell on January 24. The birth is after CNY, so the lunar year is 1955 (乙未 Yǐ Wèi, Wood Goat). The novelist Mo Yan was born on this date and is correctly read as a Goat, not a Horse from the preceding lunar year.
• Born February 8, 1976. CNY 1976 fell on January 31. The birth is after CNY by eight days, so the lunar year is 1976 (丙辰 Bǐng Chén, Fire Dragon). A person born one week earlier on February 1, 1976 would also be Fire Dragon; a person born on January 30, 1976 would be Wood Rabbit (乙卯) from the preceding lunar year.

For the underlying calendar mechanics including the leap-month rules that produce the variable CNY dates, see the Chinese lunar calendar guide.

The Sexagenary Cycle 六十甲子 and Stem-Branch Structure

The Chinese sexagenary cycle, 六十甲子 liùshí jiǎzǐ, pairs each of 10 Heavenly Stems 天干 tiāngān with each of 12 Earthly Branches 地支 dìzhī. The combination rule produces 60 unique designations that rotate through the years in fixed order, starting from 甲子 jiǎzǐ and ending at 癸亥 guǐhài before restarting. The same cycle is applied independently to days and to hours, but the year-cycle is the focus on this page.

The 10 Heavenly Stems are 甲 jiǎ, 乙 yǐ, 丙 bǐng, 丁 dīng, 戊 wù, 己 jǐ, 庚 gēng, 辛 xīn, 壬 rén, 癸 guǐ. Stems pair to the Five Elements as yin and yang variants: 甲乙 wood, 丙丁 fire, 戊己 earth, 庚辛 metal, 壬癸 water. The yang stem comes first in each pair.

The 12 Earthly Branches are 子 zǐ (Rat), 丑 chǒu (Ox), 寅 yín (Tiger), 卯 mǎo (Rabbit), 辰 chén (Dragon), 巳 sì (Snake), 午 wǔ (Horse), 未 wèi (Goat), 申 shēn (Monkey), 酉 yǒu (Rooster), 戌 xū (Dog), 亥 hài (Pig). Branches carry their own element associations: 寅卯 wood, 巳午 fire, 申酉 metal, 子亥 water, and 辰戌丑未 earth.

The arithmetic for the year designation runs as follows. For any Gregorian year after CNY: stem index equals year modulo 10, mapped 4 to 甲, 5 to 乙, and so on to 3 to 癸. Branch index equals year modulo 12, mapped 4 to 子, 5 to 丑, and so on to 3 to 亥. Yao Ming’s 1980 birth produces stem index 0, which maps to 庚 Geng, and branch index 8, which maps to 申 Shen, giving 庚申 Gēng Shēn, the Metal Monkey. The calculator above runs this same arithmetic against the post-CNY-adjusted lunar year.

纳音 Nayin: The Sound Classes of the 60-Year Cycle

纳音 nàyīn, “received sounds”, is a Ming-dynasty refinement of the sexagenary cycle that groups each pair of consecutive stem-branch years into one of 30 elemental sound classes. The reference text is 三命通会 Sān Mìng Tōng Huì, the comprehensive bazi compendium compiled by Wan Minying 万民英 in the late sixteenth century. Each nayin class has a vivid Chinese-element name and a refined elemental reading that sits on top of the basic five-element classification of the stem.

The 30 nayin classes for the full sexagenary cycle are listed below. Each class spans two consecutive years; the yang-stem year and the yin-stem year share the same nayin.

• 甲子乙丑 海中金 Hǎi Zhōng Jīn Sea Gold (1924-1925, 1984-1985)
• 丙寅丁卯 炉中火 Lú Zhōng Huǒ Furnace Fire (1926-1927, 1986-1987)
• 戊辰己巳 大林木 Dà Lín Mù Great Forest Wood (1928-1929, 1988-1989)
• 庚午辛未 路傍土 Lù Páng Tǔ Roadside Earth (1930-1931, 1990-1991)
• 壬申癸酉 剑锋金 Jiàn Fēng Jīn Sword-Tip Metal (1932-1933, 1992-1993)
• 甲戌乙亥 山头火 Shān Tóu Huǒ Mountain-Peak Fire (1934-1935, 1994-1995)
• 丙子丁丑 涧下水 Jiàn Xià Shuǐ Stream-Below Water (1936-1937, 1996-1997)
• 戊寅己卯 城头土 Chéng Tóu Tǔ City-Wall Earth (1938-1939, 1998-1999)
• 庚辰辛巳 白蜡金 Bái Là Jīn White-Wax Metal (1940-1941, 2000-2001)
• 壬午癸未 杨柳木 Yáng Liǔ Mù Willow Wood (1942-1943, 2002-2003)
• 甲申乙酉 泉中水 Quán Zhōng Shuǐ Spring-Center Water (1944-1945, 2004-2005)
• 丙戌丁亥 屋上土 Wū Shàng Tǔ Roof-Top Earth (1946-1947, 2006-2007)
• 戊子己丑 霹雳火 Pī Lì Huǒ Thunderbolt Fire (1948-1949, 2008-2009)
• 庚寅辛卯 松柏木 Sōng Bǎi Mù Pine-Cypress Wood (1950-1951, 2010-2011)
• 壬辰癸巳 长流水 Cháng Liú Shuǐ Long-Flowing Water (1952-1953, 2012-2013)
• 甲午乙未 沙中金 Shā Zhōng Jīn Sand Gold (1954-1955, 2014-2015)
• 丙申丁酉 山下火 Shān Xià Huǒ Mountain-Below Fire (1956-1957, 2016-2017)
• 戊戌己亥 平地木 Píng Dì Mù Flat-Ground Wood (1958-1959, 2018-2019)
• 庚子辛丑 壁上土 Bì Shàng Tǔ Wall-Top Earth (1960-1961, 2020-2021)
• 壬寅癸卯 金箔金 Jīn Bó Jīn Gold-Foil Metal (1962-1963, 2022-2023)
• 甲辰乙巳 覆灯火 Fù Dēng Huǒ Overturned-Lamp Fire (1964-1965, 2024-2025)
• 丙午丁未 天河水 Tiān Hé Shuǐ Heavenly-River Water (1966-1967, 2026-2027)
• 戊申己酉 大驿土 Dà Yì Tǔ Great-Inn Earth (1968-1969, 2028-2029)
• 庚戌辛亥 钗钏金 Chāi Chuàn Jīn Hairpin Metal (1970-1971, 2030-2031)
• 壬子癸丑 桑柘木 Sāng Zhè Mù Mulberry Wood (1972-1973, 2032-2033)
• 甲寅乙卯 大溪水 Dà Xī Shuǐ Great-Stream Water (1974-1975, 2034-2035)
• 丙辰丁巳 沙中土 Shā Zhōng Tǔ Sand-Center Earth (1976-1977, 2036-2037)
• 戊午己未 天上火 Tiān Shàng Huǒ Sky Fire (1978-1979, 2038-2039)
• 庚申辛酉 石榴木 Shí Liú Mù Pomegranate Wood (1980-1981, 2040-2041)
• 壬戌癸亥 大海水 Dà Hǎi Shuǐ Great-Sea Water (1982-1983, 2042-2043)

The nayin reading layers a poetic element image on top of the basic stem element. Yao Ming’s 1980 birth year is 庚申 (basic element metal from the 庚 stem) and 石榴木 Pomegranate Wood under nayin. Liu Xiang’s 1983 birth year is 癸亥 (basic element water from 癸) and 大海水 Great-Sea Water under nayin. The nayin reading is used in Chinese folk astrology for marriage compatibility, naming, and timing decisions.

Five Elements: Generation and Overcoming Cycles

The Five Elements 五行 wǔxíng, wood 木, fire 火, earth 土, metal 金, water 水, govern Chinese cosmology, medicine, and astrology. Two cycles describe how the elements interact, and both are central to reading any Chinese birth-year designation against another.

The generation cycle 相生 xiāngshēng describes how each element creates the next: wood feeds fire, fire creates ash that becomes earth, earth bears metal, metal condenses water, water nourishes wood. A person born under a wood year and a partner born under a fire year are read as a generation-compatible match, with wood supporting fire.

The overcoming cycle 相克 xiāngkè describes how each element restrains another: wood breaks earth, earth blocks water, water quenches fire, fire melts metal, metal cuts wood. Two people whose birth elements sit in a克 relationship are not necessarily incompatible in modern reading, but the relationship is flagged for awareness in traditional marriage almanacs and birth-chart consultations.

Ben Ming Nian and the Five Types of 犯太岁

本命年 běn mìng nián, “year of one’s own life”, is the year in which the current Chinese zodiac matches a person’s birth zodiac. Ben Ming Nian recurs every twelve years and is historically considered an unlucky year requiring protective measures: wearing 红色 hóngsè red clothing, especially red undergarments and a red belt 红腰带 hóng yāodài, displaying red charms, and visiting Buddhist or Daoist temples for blessing.

Ben Ming Nian is one of five forms of 犯太岁 fàn tài suì, “offending the year deity Tai Sui”, a taxonomy from Chinese astrology that English sources almost never present in full:

• 值太岁 zhí tài suì, also called Ben Ming Nian. The personal zodiac matches the current year zodiac. Read as broadly unlucky, with concerns around career setbacks, financial loss, and health.
• 冲太岁 chōng tài suì, clash. Personal birth branch sits directly opposite the current-year branch on the 12-branch wheel, six years apart. Traditional reading: even more disruptive than 值太岁, with sharp upheavals in plans and relationships.
• 刑太岁 xíng tài suì, punishment. Personal birth branch sits three years from the current-year branch in the punishment relationship. Read as subtler than 冲, with ongoing low-level adversity rather than sharp shocks.
• 害太岁 hài tài suì, harm. Personal birth branch and current-year branch have inverted yin-yang energies. Read as friction-prone and emotionally draining.
• 破太岁 pò tài suì, break. Hidden conflicts between the two branches. Read as the mildest form, with covert problems rather than open ones. The pig (亥) born person was in 破太岁 in the 2022 Tiger year, for example.

The protective customs 化解 huàjiě (resolutions) are the same across all five forms: red clothing, charms, temple visits, and the avoidance of major life decisions (marriage, business launch, home purchase) when possible. The calculator above flags Ben Ming Nian status for the current Gregorian year. For the cultural background of zodiac signs and the regional variations including Vietnamese Cat and Japanese Wild Boar, see the twelve Chinese zodiac signs overview.

Famous Chinese Figures by Birth Year

The table below shows the full Chinese birth-year designation for twelve well-known figures from Chinese history, sports, and the arts. Each entry verifies the calculator output and the CNY edge-case handling against documented birth dates.

• Mao Zedong, born 26 December 1893. 癸巳 Guǐ Sì, Water Snake. Nayin: 长流水 Long-Flowing Water.
• Deng Xiaoping, born 22 August 1904. 甲辰 Jiǎ Chén, Wood Dragon. Nayin: 覆灯火 Overturned-Lamp Fire (1904-1905 share this nayin under the rotating cycle).
• Bruce Lee, born 27 November 1940. 庚辰 Gēng Chén, Metal Dragon. Nayin: 白蜡金 White-Wax Metal.
• Zhang Yimou, film director, born 14 November 1950. 庚寅 Gēng Yín, Metal Tiger. Nayin: 松柏木 Pine-Cypress Wood.
• Jackie Chan, born 7 April 1954. 甲午 Jiǎ Wǔ, Wood Horse. Nayin: 沙中金 Sand Gold.
• Mo Yan, Nobel literature laureate, born 17 February 1955. 乙未 Yǐ Wèi, Wood Goat. CNY 1955 was January 24, so the February 17 birth falls inside the 1955 lunar year. Nayin: 沙中金 Sand Gold.
• Ai Weiwei, artist, born 28 August 1957. 丁酉 Dīng Yǒu, Fire Rooster. Nayin: 山下火 Mountain-Below Fire.
• Jet Li, born 26 April 1963. 癸卯 Guǐ Mǎo, Water Rabbit. Nayin: 金箔金 Gold-Foil Metal.
• Gong Li, actress, born 31 December 1965. 乙巳 Yǐ Sì, Wood Snake. Nayin: 覆灯火 Overturned-Lamp Fire.
• Yao Ming, born 12 September 1980. 庚申 Gēng Shēn, Metal Monkey. Nayin: 石榴木 Pomegranate Wood.
• Lang Lang, pianist, born 14 June 1982. 壬戌 Rén Xū, Water Dog. Nayin: 大海水 Great-Sea Water.
• Liu Xiang, Olympic hurdler, born 13 July 1983. 癸亥 Guǐ Hài, Water Pig. Nayin: 大海水 Great-Sea Water.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my birth date is in January or early February?

Check whether your date falls before or after Chinese New Year for that Gregorian year. CNY moves between January 21 and February 21 across 1924 to 2050. If your birth is before CNY, your lunar year is the previous Gregorian year; if after, it matches the Gregorian year. The calculator above handles this automatically using vendored CNY date data.

How does Chinese lunar age differ from Western age?

Chinese lunar age 虚岁 xūsuì counts a newborn as one year old at birth and adds another year at every CNY, not at every birthday. The result runs one to two years ahead of Western age depending on whether CNY has passed since the last Western birthday. A person turning 30 Western years old in November will have already reached lunar age 31 at the previous CNY, and will become lunar age 32 at the next CNY before their 31st Western birthday.

What is the practical use of the 纳音 nayin reading?

In Chinese folk astrology, the nayin reading is used for marriage compatibility checks 合婚 héhūn, business partnership timing, and naming children with elements that complement the birth-year nayin. A Pomegranate Wood person (born 1980-1981 or 2040-2041) traditionally pairs well with Sea Gold or Sand Gold partners on the nayin layer, since metal cuts wood and the wood-metal relationship is read as creative tension rather than destructive overcoming when handled with awareness.

Does Ben Ming Nian actually cause bad luck?

The cultural framing is firm in many Chinese families; the empirical basis is not. No peer-reviewed demographic study has shown Ben Ming Nian to correlate with measurable life events like accidents, financial loss, or health outcomes. The protective customs are followed for cultural and family-tradition reasons rather than predictive reasons. The 2024 Dragon year had its own demographic surge in births (520,000 above 2023) discussed in the Chinese conception calendar guide, which shows the cultural force of zodiac timing even without empirical luck claims.

Where does the 60-year cycle come from?

The sexagenary cycle is documented in oracle bone inscriptions from the late Shang dynasty, around 1200 BCE, where it was used to count days for ritual and administrative purposes. Application to years began in the Han dynasty. The continuous record from Han through Tang, Song, Ming, Qing, and modern PRC use makes the 60-year cycle the longest continuously-used calendrical system in any culture.

Sources and Further Reading

• Wan Minying 万民英. 三命通会 Sān Mìng Tōng Huì, the Ming-dynasty compendium that standardized the 30-class nayin system. Reference at the Chinese Text Project.
• Purple Mountain Observatory 紫金山天文台 of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Authoritative source for the Chinese New Year date series used in the calculator above. PMO institutional page
• National Standard of the People’s Republic of China GB/T 33661-2017, “Calculation and promulgation of the Chinese calendar”. The 2017 national standard that formalized the modern Chinese lunisolar calendar computation rules.
• Chinese Astronomical Society. Historical documentation of the sexagenary cycle from Shang oracle bones through modern use.
• Hua Yi Net 华易网 reference summaries on 犯太岁 categories and 化解 protective customs. Hua Yi Net taxonomy of 犯太岁