{"success":true,"version":"v1","request":{"tool":"get_calculator_schema","calculator_id":"chinese-zodiac"},"result":{"entity_type":"calculator","id":"chinese-zodiac","calculator_id":"chinese-zodiac","canonical_url":"https://tttkmbb.com/lunar/chinese-zodiac","name":"Chinese Zodiac Calculator (生肖)","title":"Chinese Zodiac Calculator – Animal Sign, Element and Ganzhi Year by New Year or 立春 Boundary","category":"lunar","category_name":"Chinese Calendar","tool_name":"find_chinese_zodiac","featured_mcp_tool":true,"description":"Finds the Chinese zodiac animal (生肖 shengxiao), sexagenary year (干支 ganzhi), stem element, yin/yang, nayin (纳音) and fixed element for a birth date, using either the Chinese New Year boundary or the 立春 (Lichun) boundary, plus the traditional relationship groups (六合, 三合, 六冲, 六害, 相刑) and 本命年 years.","use_when":"You need someone's Chinese zodiac sign and element from a Gregorian birth date, especially for January–February births where the boundary matters, or the sign's traditional compatibility groups.","do_not_use_when":"You need a full Bazi chart with month, day and hour pillars (use bazi-four-pillars), or the Western star sign (use zodiac).","inputs":[{"name":"birth_date","label":"Birth date","type":"date","required":true,"description":"Gregorian birth date (civil date in China Standard Time), 1900–2100.","example":"1990-02-10"},{"name":"boundary","label":"Year boundary","type":"enum","required":false,"default":"lunar_new_year","values":[{"value":"lunar_new_year","label":"Chinese New Year (正月初一, lunar calendar)","aliases":["cny","new_year","lunar"]},{"value":"lichun","label":"立春 Lichun (solar-term year, used in Bazi)","aliases":["solar","bazi"]}],"description":"Which event starts the zodiac year: Chinese New Year (popular usage, default) or 立春 around 4 February (astrological usage).","example":"lunar_new_year"},{"name":"reference_year","label":"Reference year","type":"integer","required":false,"min":1900,"max":2100,"description":"Optional Gregorian year for which to report the age and whether it is a 本命年.","example":2026}],"outputs":[{"name":"zodiac","label":"Zodiac animal","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Animal sign in English."},{"name":"zodiac_cn","label":"生肖","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Animal sign character."},{"name":"year_ganzhi","label":"Year ganzhi (干支)","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Sexagenary year, e.g. 庚午."},{"name":"year_ganzhi_pinyin","label":"Year ganzhi (pinyin)","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Pinyin, e.g. Gengwu."},{"name":"year_english","label":"Element + animal","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Stem element and animal, e.g. Metal Horse."},{"name":"stem_element","label":"Stem element (五行)","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Element of the heavenly stem with its character."},{"name":"yin_yang","label":"Yin/Yang","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Polarity of the stem (and branch) of the year."},{"name":"nayin","label":"Nayin (纳音)","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Nayin melodic element of the year ganzhi."},{"name":"animal_fixed_element","label":"Fixed element of the animal","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Element of the earthly branch: Rat Water, Ox Earth, Tiger Wood, Rabbit Wood, Dragon Earth, Snake Fire, Horse Fire, Goat Earth, Monkey Metal, Rooster Metal, Dog Earth, Pig Water."},{"name":"year_used","label":"Zodiac year used","type":"integer","decimals":0,"description":"Year number the birth date was assigned to under the chosen boundary."},{"name":"chinese_new_year_date","label":"Chinese New Year of birth year","type":"date","decimals":4,"description":"Date of 正月初一 in the Gregorian year of birth."},{"name":"lichun_datetime","label":"立春 of birth year","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Instant of 立春 in the Gregorian year of birth (China Standard Time)."},{"name":"boundary_note","label":"Boundary note","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Whether the birth date fell before or after the chosen boundary, and what the other convention would give."},{"name":"benmingnian_years","label":"本命年 years","type":"string_list","decimals":4,"description":"Zodiac years of the same animal from the birth year to birth year + 96, with their ganzhi."},{"name":"secret_friend","label":"Secret friend (六合)","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Six-harmony partner of the sign."},{"name":"trine_partners","label":"Trine partners (三合)","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"The two other signs of the same triangle of affinity."},{"name":"clash","label":"Clash (六冲)","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Opposite sign on the 12-branch circle."},{"name":"harm","label":"Harm (六害)","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Six-harm counterpart of the sign."},{"name":"punishment","label":"Punishment (相刑)","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Punishment partners: 寅巳申 and 丑戌未 groups, the 子卯 pair, or self-punishment (自刑) for 辰午酉亥."},{"name":"age_in_reference_year","label":"Age in reference year","type":"integer","unit":"years","decimals":0,"description":"Age reached on the birthday in reference_year (reference_year − Gregorian birth year); only when reference_year is given."},{"name":"is_benmingnian_in_reference_year","label":"本命年 in reference year","type":"boolean","decimals":4,"description":"true when the zodiac year numbered reference_year has the same animal as the birth year; only when reference_year is given."},{"name":"reference_year_zodiac","label":"Zodiac of reference year","type":"string","decimals":4,"description":"Ganzhi and animal of the year numbered reference_year; only when reference_year is given."}],"input_schema":{"type":"object","properties":{"birth_date":{"description":"Gregorian birth date (civil date in China Standard Time), 1900–2100.","type":"string","format":"date","examples":["1990-02-10"]},"boundary":{"description":"Which event starts the zodiac year: Chinese New Year (popular usage, default) or 立春 around 4 February (astrological usage).","type":"string","enum":["lunar_new_year","lichun"],"default":"lunar_new_year","examples":["lunar_new_year"]},"reference_year":{"description":"Optional Gregorian year for which to report the age and whether it is a 本命年.","type":"integer","minimum":1900,"maximum":2100,"examples":[2026]}},"additionalProperties":false,"required":["birth_date"]},"output_schema":{"type":"object","properties":{"zodiac":{"description":"Animal sign in English.","type":"string"},"zodiac_cn":{"description":"Animal sign character.","type":"string"},"year_ganzhi":{"description":"Sexagenary year, e.g. 庚午.","type":"string"},"year_ganzhi_pinyin":{"description":"Pinyin, e.g. Gengwu.","type":"string"},"year_english":{"description":"Stem element and animal, e.g. Metal Horse.","type":"string"},"stem_element":{"description":"Element of the heavenly stem with its character.","type":"string"},"yin_yang":{"description":"Polarity of the stem (and branch) of the year.","type":"string"},"nayin":{"description":"Nayin melodic element of the year ganzhi.","type":"string"},"animal_fixed_element":{"description":"Element of the earthly branch: Rat Water, Ox Earth, Tiger Wood, Rabbit Wood, Dragon Earth, Snake Fire, Horse Fire, Goat Earth, Monkey Metal, Rooster Metal, Dog Earth, Pig Water.","type":"string"},"year_used":{"description":"Year number the birth date was assigned to under the chosen boundary.","type":"integer"},"chinese_new_year_date":{"description":"Date of 正月初一 in the Gregorian year of birth.","type":"string","format":"date"},"lichun_datetime":{"description":"Instant of 立春 in the Gregorian year of birth (China Standard Time).","type":"string"},"boundary_note":{"description":"Whether the birth date fell before or after the chosen boundary, and what the other convention would give.","type":"string"},"benmingnian_years":{"description":"Zodiac years of the same animal from the birth year to birth year + 96, with their ganzhi.","type":"array","items":{"type":"string"}},"secret_friend":{"description":"Six-harmony partner of the sign.","type":"string"},"trine_partners":{"description":"The two other signs of the same triangle of affinity.","type":"string"},"clash":{"description":"Opposite sign on the 12-branch circle.","type":"string"},"harm":{"description":"Six-harm counterpart of the sign.","type":"string"},"punishment":{"description":"Punishment partners: 寅巳申 and 丑戌未 groups, the 子卯 pair, or self-punishment (自刑) for 辰午酉亥.","type":"string"},"age_in_reference_year":{"description":"Age reached on the birthday in reference_year (reference_year − Gregorian birth year); only when reference_year is given. Unit: years.","type":"integer","x-unit":"years"},"is_benmingnian_in_reference_year":{"description":"true when the zodiac year numbered reference_year has the same animal as the birth year; only when reference_year is given.","type":"boolean"},"reference_year_zodiac":{"description":"Ganzhi and animal of the year numbered reference_year; only when reference_year is given.","type":"string"}}},"formula":"year_used = Gregorian year, minus 1 when birth_date is before Chinese New Year (or before 立春 with boundary = lichun); ganzhi index = (year_used − 4) mod 60; animal = branch = index mod 12; 六合 partner = (13 − b) mod 12; 三合 = b ± 4; 六冲 = b + 6; 六害 partner = (7 − b) mod 12","method":"Popular usage starts the zodiac year at Chinese New Year; Chinese astrology (Bazi) starts it at 立春, so a person born between the two dates can have a different sign under each convention. Relationship groups follow the classical branch tables (六合 子丑 寅亥 卯戌 辰酉 巳申 午未; 三合 申子辰 亥卯未 寅午戌 巳酉丑; 六冲 opposite branches; 六害 子未 丑午 寅巳 卯辰 申亥 酉戌; 相刑 寅巳申, 丑戌未, 子卯, 自刑 辰午酉亥). Traditional calendar/cultural reference calculation; not a prediction, medical, legal or financial advice.","sources":[{"name":"Chinese zodiac (Wikipedia)","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac","type":"reference","retrieved_at":"2026-09-24"},{"name":"Chinese calendar (Wikipedia) – calendar rules as standardised in GB/T 33661-2017","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_calendar","type":"reference","retrieved_at":"2026-09-24"},{"name":"Hong Kong Observatory – Gregorian-Lunar Calendar Conversion Table","url":"https://www.hko.gov.hk/en/gts/time/conversion.htm","type":"government","retrieved_at":"2026-09-24"}],"freshness":{"type":"static","max_age_seconds":null,"note":"Deterministic formula with fixed constants; results never go stale. Inputs supplied by the caller determine the output."},"examples":[{"name":"1990-02-10, New Year boundary (CNY 1990-01-27)","inputs":{"birth_date":"1990-02-10","boundary":"lunar_new_year","reference_year":2026},"expected":{"zodiac":"Horse","zodiac_cn":"马","year_ganzhi":"庚午","year_ganzhi_pinyin":"Gengwu","year_english":"Metal Horse","year_used":1990,"chinese_new_year_date":"1990-01-27","secret_friend":"Goat (羊)","clash":"Rat (鼠)","age_in_reference_year":36,"is_benmingnian_in_reference_year":true},"url":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/chinese-zodiac?birth_date=1990-02-10&boundary=lunar_new_year&reference_year=2026"},{"name":"1990-02-03 with the 立春 boundary (立春 1990-02-04)","inputs":{"birth_date":"1990-02-03","boundary":"lichun"},"expected":{"zodiac":"Snake","year_ganzhi":"己巳","year_used":1989,"year_english":"Earth Snake","trine_partners":"Rooster (鸡) and Ox (牛)"},"url":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/chinese-zodiac?birth_date=1990-02-03&boundary=lichun"}],"faq":[{"q":"Which boundary should I use?","a":"For the popular zodiac sign (new-year greetings, birth-year animal) use Chinese New Year. For Bazi/Four Pillars charts and most feng shui schools use 立春 (about 4 February); only births between 立春 and Chinese New Year (or vice versa) are affected."},{"q":"What is the 'fixed element' of an animal?","a":"The element of the animal's earthly branch (e.g. Horse = 午 = Fire), which never changes; the stem element (Metal Horse, Fire Horse …) cycles with the year."},{"q":"What is a 本命年?","a":"A year with the same animal as your birth year (every 12 years, e.g. ages 12, 24, 36 …). Tradition treats it as a year to take care in; this is a cultural reference, not a forecast."}],"tags":["chinese zodiac","zodiac animal by birth date","生肖","shengxiao","chinese zodiac element","benmingnian"],"related":[{"calculator_id":"sexagenary-cycle","reason":"Full 60-year cycle table and the years sharing a ganzhi."},{"calculator_id":"lunar-age","reason":"Nominal age (虚岁) and next 本命年 from the same birth date."},{"calculator_id":"zodiac","reason":"Western star sign for the same birth date."}],"links":{"html":"https://tttkmbb.com/lunar/chinese-zodiac","markdown":"https://tttkmbb.com/lunar/chinese-zodiac.md","json":"https://tttkmbb.com/lunar/chinese-zodiac.json","api":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/chinese-zodiac","schema":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculators/chinese-zodiac","openapi":"https://tttkmbb.com/openapi.json","mcp":"https://tttkmbb.com/mcp"},"version":"v1","updated_at":"2026-09-24"},"timestamp":"2026-09-24T08:33:30Z"}