Lunar New Year or Li Chun: which sign should you use?
For this zodiac snapshot, use Lunar New Year. A BaZi year pillar may instead change at Li Chun (Start of Spring). They answer different calendar questions; two different animals do not mean two conflicting destinies.
For example, in 2018 Li Chun fell on February 4, while Lunar New Year was February 16. A February 10 birthday is still in the Rooster lunar year here; a Li Chun-based year pillar is already in the Dog year. Near the exact solar-term transition, time and the chosen calculation convention matter.
The Hong Kong Observatory explains the distinction in What year is it today?. Its Chinese explanation distinguishes the calendar year from the seasonal cycle, drawing on the Records of the Grand Historian. Read the Chinese source.
Check my Lunar New Year animal free →
This date-only tool does not calculate a complete BaZi chart or correct your birth location and time. The symbolic interpretation is optional; your date stays in your browser.
Choose your animal
Each page below includes recent years, exact Lunar New Year boundaries, Five Element variations and a non-fatalistic compatibility lens.
Rat
resourcefulness, observation and quick adaptation.
Explore years and elements →Ox
patience, reliability and steady construction.
Explore years and elements →Tiger
initiative, courage and protective momentum.
Explore years and elements →Rabbit
sensitivity, diplomacy and careful social awareness.
Explore years and elements →Dragon
vision, presence and expansive ambition.
Explore years and elements →Snake
discernment, strategy and patient attention.
Explore years and elements →Horse
independence, expression and forward movement.
Explore years and elements →Goat
creativity, care and nuanced perception.
Explore years and elements →Monkey
ingenuity, humour and adaptive intelligence.
Explore years and elements →Rooster
precision, candour and visible standards.
Explore years and elements →Dog
loyalty, justice and grounded discernment.
Explore years and elements →Pig
generosity, openness and wholehearted enjoyment.
Explore years and elements →The date matters more than the calendar year
If you were born before Lunar New Year, your traditional animal and element belong to the previous lunar year. Use the exact-date calculator rather than subtracting twelve from a generic list.
A first layer—not a whole person
The birth-year animal is one branch in a Four Pillars chart. Month, day and hour pillars add far more detail, and lived experience matters more than a symbolic label.
What to do next
Move from a broad explanation to one grounded personal prompt. No account required.
Check my exact sign →Common questions
How do I find my Chinese zodiac animal?
Use your birth date and the Lunar New Year boundary for that year. January and early-February birthdays may belong to the previous zodiac year.
Why are there five versions of each animal?
Each zodiac animal combines with Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water across the traditional sixty-year cycle.
Do zodiac signs determine compatibility?
No. Traditional relationships between signs are symbolic first layers, not proof that a relationship will succeed or fail.