The traditional Chinese calendar
is based on a twelve year cycle, each year being
represented by a different animal (fig.). It counts the years in sixty year cycles,
making use of combinations of two series of numbers, known as the Ten Celestial
or Heavenly Stems and the Twelve Terrestrial or Earthly Branches.
Shi Tiangan (十天干)
10 Celestial or Heavenly Stems
1
甲
jia |
2
乙
yi |
3
丙
bing |
4
丁
ding |
5
戊
wu |
6
己
ji |
7
庚
geng |
8
辛
xin |
9
壬
ren |
10
癸
gui |
Shier Dizhi
(十二地支)
12 Terrestrial or Earthly Branches (corresponding to the
12 Hourly Branches)
1
子
zi |
2
丑
chou |
3
寅
yin |
4
卯
mao |
5
辰
chen |
6
巳
si |
7
午
wu |
8
未
wei |
9
申
shen |
10
酉
you |
11
戌
xu |
12
亥
hai |
Shengxiao (十二生肖)
12 Animal Signs of the Zodiac
(corresponding to the 12 Earthly Branches)
rat
鼠
shu

子鼠
|
ox
牛
niu

丑牛 |
tiger
虎
hu

寅虎 |
rabbit
兔
to

卯兔 |
dragon
龙
long

辰龙 |
snake
蛇
she

巳蛇 |
horse
马
ma

午马
|
goat
羊
yang

未羊 |
monkey
猴
hou

申猴 |
cock
鸡
ji

酉鸡 |
dog
狗
gou

戌狗 |
pig
豬
zu

亥豬 |
Thai Equivalents
of the 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
rat
chuat

ชวด
|
ox
chalu

ฉลู |
tiger
khaan

ขาล |
rabbit
tho

เถาะ |
dragon
ma-rohng

มะโรง |
snake
ma-seng

มะเส็ง |
horse
ma-mia

มะเมีย
|
goat
ma-mae

มะแม |
monkey
wok

วอก |
cock
ra-kah

ระกา |
dog
jo

จอ |
pig
kun

กุน |
Animal Signs corresponding to the
Western Calendar
rat
1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, |
ox
1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, |
tiger
1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, |
rabbit
1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, |
dragon
1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, |
snake
1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977,
1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, |
horse
1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, |
goat
1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, |
monkey
1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, |
cock
1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, |
dog
1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, |
pig
1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971,
1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, |
Ganzhi
(干支)
60 Years Cycle (of which the last one
started in 1984). Each year is represented by one of the
Sixty Heavenly Generals
or
Tai Sui (fig.),
who assist the
Jade Emperor
in his task to guard the mortal world, each of them taking turn to be in charge
for a year and named after that
specific year, e.g. the first one is
Jiazi Tai Sui, the last one
Guihai
Tai Sui, etc.
1
甲子
jiazi |
2
乙丑
yichou |
3
丙寅
bingyin |
4
丁卯
dingmao |
5
戊辰
wuchen |
6
己巳
jisi |
7
庚午
gengwu |
8
辛未
xinwei |
9
壬申
renshen |
10
癸酉
guiyou |
11
甲戌
jiaxu |
12
乙亥
yihai |
13
丙子
bingzi |
14
丁丑
dingchou |
15
戊寅
wuyin |
16
己卯
jimao |
17
庚辰
gengchen |
18
辛巳
xinsi |
19
壬午 renwu |
20
癸未 guiwei |
21
甲申
jiashen |
22
乙酉
yiyou |
23
丙戌
bingxu |
24
丁亥
dinghai |
25
戊子 wuzi |
26
己丑 jichou |
27
庚寅 gengyin |
28
辛卯 xinmao |
29
壬辰 renchen |
30
癸巳 guisi |
31
甲午 jiawu |
32
乙未 yiwei |
33
丙申 bingshen |
34
丁酉 dingyou |
35
戊戌 wuxu |
36
己亥 jihai |
37
庚子
gengzi |
38
辛丑
xinchou |
39
壬寅
renyin |
40
癸卯
guimao |
41
甲辰
jiachen |
42
乙巳
yisi |
43
丙午
bingwu |
44
丁未
dingwei |
45
戊申
wushen |
46
己酉
jiyou |
47
庚戌
gengxu |
48
辛亥
xinhai |
49
壬子 renzi |
50
癸丑 guichou |
51
甲寅
jiayin |
52
乙卯
yimao |
53
丙辰
bingchen |
54
丁巳
dingsi |
55
戊午
wuwu |
56
己未
jiwei |
57
庚申
gengshen |
58
辛酉
xinyou |
59
壬戌
renxu |
60
癸亥
guihai |
Wu
Xing
(五行)
5 Elements or Phases (with corresponding
Colours and Celestial Stems)
1
wood (mu)
木 |
2
fire (huo)
火 |
3
earth (tu)
土 |
4
metal (jin)
金 |
5
water (shui)
水 |
green |
red
|
yellow |
white
|
black
|
甲
jia + 乙
yi |
丙
bing + 丁
ding |
戊
wu + 己 ji |
庚
geng + 辛 xin |
壬
ren + 癸 gui |
|