Chinese Zodiac Compatibility
Enter two birth years, or exact birth dates for January and February birthdays, to find each person's Chinese zodiac animal and element. You get a compatibility score built from the traditional animal relationships (trines, six harmonies, clashes and harms) and the five-element cycle, with a plain-English explanation. It's for fun and cultural interest only.
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How to use the Chinese Zodiac Compatibility
- Choose birth years or exact dates. Use dates if anyone was born in January or early February.
- Enter Person A and, if you like, a name.
- Enter Person B.
- Press Check compatibility to see both signs, the score and why.
- Scroll down for the score breakdown and Person A's match with every animal.
How Chinese zodiac compatibility works
The Chinese zodiac assigns each lunar year one of 12 animals in a fixed order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Each year also has one of five elements, which change every two years, so the full cycle of element and animal repeats every 60 years. Compatibility comes mainly from where two animals sit on the 12-sign wheel:
- Trines (San He), 4 years apart: the most harmonious groups. Rat, Dragon and Monkey; Ox, Snake and Rooster; Tiger, Horse and Dog; Rabbit, Goat and Pig.
- Six Harmonies (Liu He), "secret friends": Rat and Ox, Tiger and Pig, Rabbit and Dog, Dragon and Rooster, Snake and Monkey, Horse and Goat.
- Clashes (Liu Chong), 6 years apart: Rat and Horse, Ox and Goat, Tiger and Monkey, Rabbit and Rooster, Dragon and Dog, Snake and Pig.
- Six Harms (Liu Hai): Rat and Goat, Ox and Horse, Tiger and Snake, Rabbit and Dragon, Monkey and Pig, Rooster and Dog.
The elements follow two cycles. In the supportive cycle Wood feeds Fire, Fire makes Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal carries Water and Water nourishes Wood. In the controlling cycle Wood breaks up Earth, Earth dams Water, Water puts out Fire, Fire melts Metal and Metal cuts Wood. This calculator adds points for supportive or matching elements and takes a few away for controlling ones.
Chinese zodiac compatibility chart
Best and most challenging matches for each animal, based on the traditional relationships above.
| Animal | Recent years | Best matches | Clash | Harm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🐀 Rat | 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 | Dragon, Monkey, Ox | Horse | Goat |
| 🐂 Ox | 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 | Snake, Rooster, Rat | Goat | Horse |
| 🐅 Tiger | 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 | Horse, Dog, Pig | Monkey | Snake |
| 🐇 Rabbit | 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 | Goat, Pig, Dog | Rooster | Dragon |
| 🐉 Dragon | 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 | Rat, Monkey, Rooster | Dog | Rabbit |
| 🐍 Snake | 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 | Ox, Rooster, Monkey | Pig | Tiger |
| 🐎 Horse | 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 | Tiger, Dog, Goat | Rat | Ox |
| 🐐 Goat | 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 | Rabbit, Pig, Horse | Ox | Rat |
| 🐒 Monkey | 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 | Rat, Dragon, Snake | Tiger | Pig |
| 🐓 Rooster | 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 | Ox, Snake, Dragon | Rabbit | Dog |
| 🐕 Dog | 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 | Tiger, Horse, Rabbit | Dragon | Rooster |
| 🐖 Pig | 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 | Rabbit, Goat, Tiger | Snake | Monkey |
Remember that each zodiac year begins at Lunar New Year (between January 21 and February 20), not on January 1.
Elements by birth year
The element comes from the last digit of the birth year (again using the lunar year):
| Year ends in | Element | Yin / Yang | Example years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 or 5 | Wood | 4 Yang, 5 Yin | 1984, 1995, 2024, 2025 |
| 6 or 7 | Fire | 6 Yang, 7 Yin | 1986, 1997, 2026, 2027 |
| 8 or 9 | Earth | 8 Yang, 9 Yin | 1988, 1999, 2008, 2009 |
| 0 or 1 | Metal | 0 Yang, 1 Yin | 1990, 2001, 2010, 2021 |
| 2 or 3 | Water | 2 Yang, 3 Yin | 1992, 2003, 2012, 2023 |
This tool is for entertainment and cultural curiosity. Healthy relationships are built on respect and communication, whatever your signs.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my Chinese zodiac sign from my birth year?
The animal cycle repeats every 12 years: (year − 4) mod 12 gives 0 for Rat, 1 for Ox and so on to 11 for Pig. 1992 gives 1988 mod 12 = 8, the Monkey. The year starts at Lunar New Year, not January 1.
What if I was born in January or February?
Lunar New Year falls between January 21 and February 20, so if you were born before it you belong to the previous year's animal. For example someone born January 20, 1990 is a Snake (1989), not a Horse. Use the exact date mode to handle this automatically.
Which Chinese zodiac signs are most compatible?
Traditionally the best matches are the four trines (signs four years apart): Rat-Dragon-Monkey, Ox-Snake-Rooster, Tiger-Horse-Dog and Rabbit-Goat-Pig. The six harmony pairs (Rat-Ox, Tiger-Pig, Rabbit-Dog, Dragon-Rooster, Snake-Monkey, Horse-Goat) are also considered very good.
Which signs clash?
Signs six years apart sit opposite each other on the zodiac wheel and are said to clash: Rat-Horse, Ox-Goat, Tiger-Monkey, Rabbit-Rooster, Dragon-Dog and Snake-Pig.
How do the elements affect compatibility?
Each year also has one of five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) for two years in a row. Elements that feed each other (Wood feeds Fire, Fire makes Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal carries Water, Water nourishes Wood) add points; elements that restrain each other subtract a few.
How is the compatibility score calculated?
The animal relationship sets a base score (trine 88, six harmonies 85, same sign 70, neutral 62, six harms 42, clash 32). The element relation adds 7 (supportive), 5 (same) or subtracts 6 (controlling), and a traditional punishment pair subtracts 4. The result is kept between 10 and 98.
Is Chinese zodiac compatibility accurate?
It is a cultural tradition, not science, and no score can predict a real relationship. Enjoy it as a conversation starter; communication, shared values and respect matter far more than birth years.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.