Chinese Zodiac & Ganzhi Year Converter
Convert any year into its heavenly stem, earthly branch, zodiac animal and cycle position — and look up which years belong to a given ganzhi or zodiac sign
Look up years
Zodiac years 1984–2043
Each sign repeats every 12 years. The table below starts from 1984, a 甲子 year.
| Zodiac | Branch | Years |
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How the conversion works
The sexagenary cycle pairs ten heavenly stems with twelve earthly branches. Counting from year 4 CE — which is taken as 甲子 — the stem index is (year − 4) mod 10 and the branch index is (year − 4) mod 12. The same cycle number divided by two gives the Nayin name shared by each adjacent pair. The tool shows the stem, branch, zodiac animal, polarity and cycle position.
Where the year actually changes
This calculator works on the whole Gregorian year number. In traditional calendars the ganzhi year turns at 立春 (the start of spring, around 4 February), while folk zodiac usage often turns at Chinese New Year. For a date in January or early February, check which side of that boundary it falls on before quoting a result.
A note on scope
This page is a calendar and vocabulary reference. It does not give horoscopes, lucky numbers, compatibility scores or predictions of any kind, and none of the names here should be read as a judgement about a person.
Frequently asked questions
Why is 2024 the year 甲辰?
2024 − 4 = 2020. 2020 mod 10 = 0, which is the first stem 甲; 2020 mod 12 = 4, which is the fifth branch 辰. So 2024 is 甲辰, the 41st year of the cycle, and its zodiac animal is the dragon.
Does the zodiac change at New Year or at 立春?
Both conventions exist. Calendrical and almanac use normally changes the ganzhi at 立春; everyday and festival usage often changes the animal at Chinese New Year. The two can differ by a few weeks, so state which convention you are using.
What is a Nayin name?
Nayin is a traditional naming system that assigns one of thirty element-plus-image names (such as 海中金, “gold in the sea”) to each pair of consecutive ganzhi years. It is a historical labelling convention, used here for reference only.