Question 1

Why does my Chinese Lunar Birthday fall on a different date every year?

Accepted Answer

The Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on the cycles of the moon (Lunar) and the sun (Solar). A lunar cycle is about 29.5 days, making a lunar year approximately 354 days long—about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar. As a result, the corresponding Gregorian date for a Lunar date shifts forward by about 11 days each year, until a "Leap Month" is added to realign the calendars. This drifting effect is why your Lunar birthday appears to move around on the standard calendar.

Question 2

How should I celebrate my "Lunar Birthday"?

Accepted Answer

Many Chinese people eat "Long Life Noodles" (Changshou Mian) on this day to symbolize longevity. Of course, you can celebrate however you like! Think of it as a bonus—you get two opportunities to celebrate your birthday every year: one solar, one lunar.

Question 3

What is a "Leap Month"? What if I was born in one?

Accepted Answer

To keep the Lunar calendar synchronized with the seasons (since a lunar year is shorter than a solar year), 7 "Leap Months" are inserted roughly every 19 years. If you were born in a Leap Month (e.g., Leap April), consider it a rare destiny! In years without that specific Leap Month, you usually celebrate in the normal month (e.g., April). If a year happens to have that Leap Month again, some people even celebrate their Lunar birthday twice! (Note: This tool automatically handles these complex calculation rules for you).

Question 4

Why is my "Chinese Age" older than my actual age?

Accepted Answer

This is called "Nominal Age" (Xu Sui). In traditional Chinese culture, out of respect for the time spent nurturing life in the womb, a baby is considered 1 year old at birth. Furthermore, everyone's age increases by one year together at Chinese New Year, not on their individual birthdays. So, if you were born just a few days before the New Year, you become "2 years old" as soon as the New Year arrives!

Question 5

I only know my Gregorian birthday. How do I find my Lunar birthday?

Accepted Answer

Please use the "Solar → Lunar" function on this page.
1. Enter your birth date (e.g., 1995-05-20).
2. The tool will instantly display your Lunar date (e.g., 4th Month, 21st Day).
3. Note this Lunar date; you can use it to check the corresponding Gregorian date for any year.

Question 6

Why is my Zodiac sign different from what I found online?

Accepted Answer

This is a very technical question! There are generally two ways to define the start of a Zodiac year:
1.  By Chinese New Year: This is the most popular method among the general public.
2.  By Start of Spring (Li Chun): This is the method used in traditional fortune-telling (like Feng Shui and Ba Zi).
Since Chinese New Year and the Start of Spring are rarely on the same day, if your birthday falls between them, your sign will differ depending on the system. Our tool shows you both results so you won't be confused.

Question 7

What is "Gan-Zhi"? How does it relate to the calendar?

Accepted Answer

"Gan-Zhi" is short for "Heavenly Stems" (Tian Gan) and "Earthly Branches" (Di Zhi).
*   10 Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui.
*   12 Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai (corresponding to the 12 Zodiac animals).

These pair up in sequence (e.g., Jia-Zi, Yi-Chou, Bing-Yin...) to form a cycle of 60 combinations, known as the "Sixty Jiazi."
You might wonder: Variables of 10 and 12 should theoretically create 120 combinations (10x12), right?
Actually, no. Because they roll simultaneously: The 1st Stem pairs with the 1st Branch, the 2nd with the 2nd... When the 10th Stem is used, the Branches are at 10, leaving 2 Branches to start the next round with the 1st Stem again. Since the Least Common Multiple of 10 and 12 is 60, the cycle resets to the beginning (Jia-Zi) after 60 steps. This also explains why only "Yang" pairs with "Yang" and "Yin" with "Yin" exist.

We use this system to record years, months, days, and hours. It's not just for counting; in Chinese philosophy, they correspond to the "Five Elements" (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth) and are used to analyze energy and destiny.

Question 8

I see "Yi" (Auspicious) and "Ji" (Inauspicious) on the calendar. What are they?

Accepted Answer

This is part of the Almanac (Huang Li). "Yi" generally lists activities suitable for the day (e.g., Wedding, Moving, Haircut), while "Ji" lists activities to avoid (e.g., Breaking Ground, Long Travel). While modern people mainly treat it as a fun "Cosmic Forecast," many still choose a "Lucky Day" for major life events!

Question 9

Why do I see terms like "Fire Tiger" or "Water Dragon" in addition to just the Zodiac sign?

Accepted Answer

This is because of the "Gan-Zhi" system. Each Zodiac animal (Earthly Branch) is paired with a Heavenly Stem, and each Stem has an associated Element.
For example, both are "Tiger" years:
*   Bing-Yin Year: Bing belongs to Fire, so it's a "Fire Tiger."
*   Wu-Yin Year: Wu belongs to Earth, so it's an "Earth Tiger."
This allows you to describe your birth year's characteristics more precisely than just saying "Tiger."

Question 10

What is the use of the calendar (ICS file) generated by this tool?

Accepted Answer

Using the "Birthday Converter" feature, you can calculate the Gregorian dates for your Lunar birthday for the next 10 years.
By clicking the Download .ics button, you get a calendar file. Import it into your iPhone Calendar, Google Calendar, or Outlook, and the system will remind you every year: "Hey, today is your Chinese Lunar Birthday!" No need to check manually every year.

Question 11

Do Chinese people really celebrate two birthdays?

Accepted Answer

Many traditional families (especially elders) primarily celebrate their Lunar birthday. The younger generation usually celebrates their Gregorian birthday, or sometimes both (double the joy, double the gifts!). Knowing your Lunar birthday is also a fun window into understanding Chinese culture.

Question 12

Will my Lunar birthday ever fall on the same day as my Gregorian birthday?

Accepted Answer

Yes! This typically happens around the ages of 19, 38, 57, etc., which are multiples of 19 (due to the "19-year 7-leap-month" cycle). You can use our tool to check which year your two birthdays will be on the same day (or very close)!

Question 13

I heard the Chinese day starts at 11 PM?

Accepted Answer

Yes! This is a cool fun fact. Traditional timekeeping divides a day into 12 "Shi-Chen" (each lasting 2 hours). The first Shi-Chen is "Zi Shi" (Rat Hour), covering 23:00 to 01:00. So, from a traditional perspective, 11:30 PM is actually the beginning of the next day. If your birthday falls in this window, your Ba Zi (Eight Characters) calculation might change completely!

Chinese Calendar Converter

Solar ↔ Lunar (with leap months)

Result

Chinese Calendar Converter

Converter

Solar ↔ Lunar (with leap months)

Result

Birthday

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