Korean Zodiac Calculator

What is the Korean zodiac (띠)?

The Korean zodiac — 띠 (tti) — is a 12-year cycle of animals tied to the year you were born. It's so woven into daily life that Koreans will often ask 무슨 띠예요? ("What's your zodiac animal?") as a polite, indirect way of guessing your age. The 12 animals, in order, are:

The Lunar New Year catch (most calculators get this wrong)

The zodiac year doesn't begin on January 1st — it begins on Lunar New Year (설날, Seollal), which falls somewhere between late January and mid-February. So if you were born in January or early February before that year's Seollal, your sign is actually the previous year's animal. Someone born on February 1, 2022 (before Seollal on Feb 1) is a Tiger, not… well, you get the idea. The calculator above checks the exact Seollal date for your birth year, so you get the correct animal automatically.

Element & color — the "Blue Dragon" years

On top of the animal, every year carries one of five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and a matching color from the traditional 60-year cycle (육십갑자). That's why you'll hear a year called the Blue Dragon (2024, 갑진년) or the Black Rabbit (2023, 계묘년). The full cycle of element + animal repeats only once every 60 years — which is exactly why a 60th birthday (환갑, hwan-gap) is such a big celebration in Korea.

How to say your zodiac sign in Korean

Just attach 띠 (tti) to the animal, then use this sentence:

• 저는 토끼띠예요. (jeoneun tokki-tti-yeyo) — "I'm a Rabbit sign."
• To ask back: 무슨 띠예요? (museun tti-yeyo?) — "What's your zodiac animal?"
• Born in the Year of the Dragon? 저는 용띠예요. (jeoneun yong-tti-yeyo)

Because the zodiac maps to your birth year, it's also a fun, polite way Koreans figure out who's older. Pair it with our Korean Age Calculator to nail both — and since the zodiac follows the lunar year, find out when your actual lunar (음력) birthday falls this year. Learn the numbers behind it in our guide to Korean numbers: Sino vs Native. New to Hangul? Start with how to learn Hangul in one week. Once you can say your sign, round out your basics with 20 essential Korean phrases. And to catch the zodiac talk (and everything else) in your favourite shows, see our guides to Korean slang you'll actually hear and learning Korean with K-dramas.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Korean zodiac (띠)?

It's a 12-year cycle of animals — Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig — that marks the year you were born. It shares its animals with the Chinese zodiac, and Koreans use it constantly as a friendly stand-in for asking your age.

How do I find my Korean zodiac sign?

Match your birth year to its animal — but remember the zodiac year starts on Lunar New Year, not January 1st. If you were born in January or early February before Seollal, you belong to the previous year's animal. The calculator above does this for you.

Is the Korean zodiac the same as the Chinese zodiac?

The 12 animals and the cycle are the same. The differences are mostly the Korean names (호랑이띠 Tiger, 양띠 Sheep) and a few cultural nuances — for instance, the Pig (돼지) is a strong symbol of wealth and good fortune in Korea.

What does "Blue Dragon" or "Black Rabbit" year mean?

Each year also gets an element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and a color (Blue/Green, Red, Yellow, White, Black) from the 60-year cycle. So 2024 was the Blue Wood Dragon (갑진년) and 2023 the Black Water Rabbit (계묘년). Your result shows yours.

How do you calculate your Korean zodiac sign?

Two steps: first, place your birth year in the repeating 12-animal cycle — 2020 is a Rat year, 2021 Ox, 2022 Tiger, and so on, looping every 12 years. Second, apply the Seollal adjustment — if you were born in January or early February, before that year's Lunar New Year date, subtract 1 from your birth year, since the zodiac hasn't turned over yet at that point. The calculator above does both steps for you and returns your exact animal, Hangul name, and pronunciation instantly.