About this Age Calculator
The Chinese count age in two systems: full age (zhou sui) counts from your Gregorian birthday starting at 0, while nominal age (xu sui) counts from the Lunar New Year starting at 1. When elders ask "how old are you" at New Year, they usually mean nominal age — which trips a lot of people up.
Enter your birth date once and this tool gives you your full age (precise to years, months and days), nominal age, zodiac sign, star sign, days alive and a countdown to your next birthday — no more mental math for sign-ups, paperwork or family visits.
How to use
- Select your birth date (down to the day)
- Reference date defaults to today — change it to check age on any past date
- Click "Calculate age" for instant results
FAQ
How far apart are exact and traditional age?
Nominal age is usually 1–2 years above full age: before your birthday in the current year it's 2 higher; after your birthday, 1 higher. This tool simplifies nominal age as "1 at birth, +1 each Gregorian New Year", which matches the Lunar New Year method for the vast majority of dates.
How is the Chinese zodiac determined?
Zodiac signs follow the lunar year (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig). Strictly speaking the boundary is Lichun or Lunar New Year's Day; this tool estimates by your Gregorian birth year, so if you were born in January–February, please verify against the lunar calendar.
Can I check school-entry age for kids?
Yes. Set the reference date to August 31 of the school-entry year and the resulting full age is what schools accept (compulsory education generally requires turning 6 by August 31 of that year).
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