How the Chinese Age Calculator Works
In the traditional Chinese system (xusui), a baby is 1 year old at birth and everyone gets one year older at Lunar New Year, not on their birthday. To work this out correctly the calculator uses the actual Lunar New Year date for every year from 1901 to 2098, not just the calendar year.
Your Chinese Zodiac Animal
The zodiac animal follows the lunar year too. Someone born in January or early February, before Lunar New Year, belongs to the previous animal, which is why a person born on 20 January 2000 is a Rabbit, not a Dragon.
Traditional Korean Age
Traditional Korean age adds one to your international age at birth and changes every 1 January. South Korea officially switched to international age for legal and administrative purposes in June 2023. We still show the figure because it's often asked about.
Example
Someone born on 15 November 2000 is 27 in the traditional Chinese count on 28 September 2026, but 25 by international age. Their animal is the Dragon. Someone born on 20 January 2000, before that year's Lunar New Year on 5 February, counts as a Rabbit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I calculate my Chinese age?
A: Count the birth year as year 1, then add one for each Lunar New Year since. In other words, Chinese age = current lunar year minus birth lunar year plus 1. The calculator above handles the Lunar New Year dates for you.
Q: Why is my Chinese age different from my age?
A: Because a baby is age 1 at birth and the count changes at Lunar New Year rather than on your birthday, the traditional Chinese age is usually one or two years higher than your international age.
Q: Is the Chinese zodiac animal based on my birth year?
A: It's based on your lunar year. If you were born before Lunar New Year, your animal is the one from the previous year.
Q: Do people in China use traditional age today?
A: Official documents in mainland China use international age. Traditional age is still used informally and in folk customs and zodiac traditions.
Q: Does Korea still use Korean age?
A: South Korea moved to international age for legal purposes in June 2023, though traditional counting still appears in everyday conversation.