Chinese astrology, deeply rooted in ancient Chinese philosophy, uses a 12-year cycle represented by 12 animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each animal year is associated with specific personality traits, strengths, weaknesses, and compatibilities. The compatibility between two individuals is often assessed based on their respective Chinese zodiac signs.
The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals and Their Cycles
The zodiac cycle repeats every 12 years. To determine your Chinese zodiac sign, you need to know your birth year in the Gregorian calendar and its corresponding animal. Please note that the Chinese New Year begins on the lunar calendar, usually falling between late January and mid-February. For simplicity in this calculator, we use the Gregorian birth year directly. A more precise calculation would account for the exact date of Chinese New Year.
How Compatibility is Assessed
The core principle behind Chinese zodiac compatibility is understanding the harmonious or conflicting relationships between the signs. There are several frameworks for assessing compatibility:
Trines/Groups of Harmony: Certain animals naturally complement each other. These are often grouped into threes. For example, the Monkey, Rat, and Dragon form a harmonious group. The Pig, Rabbit, and Goat form another.
Pairs of Harmony: Specific pairs of animals are considered highly compatible, offering mutual support and understanding. For instance, the Ox and the Rooster, or the Horse and the Dog.
Pairs of Conflict/Clash: Conversely, some animal signs are traditionally seen as being in conflict or opposition. The most famous clash is between the Rat and the Horse, or the Rabbit and the Rooster. These pairings may indicate challenges that require more effort to overcome.
The Five Elements (Wu Xing): A more complex system involves the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) that govern each zodiac sign and interact in cycles of generation and destruction. This calculator uses a simplified approach based on the animal signs themselves.
The Logic Behind This Calculator
This calculator uses a simplified, widely recognized compatibility system based on the Chinese zodiac animals. It identifies common harmonious pairings and opposing pairings. The result provides a general indication of potential compatibility:
Excellent Compatibility: Signs that belong to the same harmony group or are specifically paired for strong mutual benefit.
Good Compatibility: Signs that have a generally positive or supportive relationship.
Neutral Compatibility: Signs that neither strongly clash nor strongly harmonize. They can coexist but may not offer deep synergy.
Challenging Compatibility: Signs that are traditionally in conflict or opposition. These relationships may require more effort, understanding, and compromise.
Using the Calculator
Simply enter the Gregorian birth years for both individuals. The calculator will determine their respective Chinese zodiac signs and provide a compatibility assessment based on established astrological principles. This tool is intended for entertainment and general insight into relationship dynamics within the context of Chinese astrology.
function getChineseZodiacAnimal(year) {
var animals = ["Monkey", "Rooster", "Dog", "Pig", "Rat", "Ox", "Tiger", "Rabbit", "Dragon", "Snake", "Horse", "Goat"];
// The cycle starts with Rat in 1900, 1912, etc.
// The formula (year – 1900) % 12 gives the index for Rat if it were 0.
// Since Rat is the 5th animal (index 4) in the array [Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat]
// The starting year for Rat is 1900. (1900 – 1900) % 12 = 0. The animal at index 0 is Monkey. We need Rat.
// Let's re-align. If 1900 is Monkey, 1901 is Rooster, …, 1904 is Rat.
// A common reference point is that 1924 (Rat) or 1900 (Rat, but often adjusted).
// Let's use a known accurate mapping: 1900=Rat, 1901=Ox, 1902=Tiger, …, 1911=Pig.
// Array: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig
// Indices: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
// If year is 1900, index should be 0 (Rat).
// (year – 1900) % 12 will give:
// 1900 -> 0
// 1901 -> 1
// …
// 1911 -> 11
// 1912 -> 0 (Rat again)
// This mapping works if the array is ordered as: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig
var zodiacOrder = ["Rat", "Ox", "Tiger", "Rabbit", "Dragon", "Snake", "Horse", "Goat", "Monkey", "Rooster", "Dog", "Pig"];
var index = (parseInt(year) – 1900) % 12;
// Handle cases where the user might input a year before 1900, though unlikely for common astrological use.
// A more robust solution would involve complex calculations for centuries.
// For this calculator, we assume years around the 20th and 21st centuries.
// If the result is negative (for years before 1900), add 12 to wrap around.
if (index < 0) {
index += 12;
}
return zodiacOrder[index];
}
function getCompatibility(animal1, animal2) {
// Define compatibility relationships based on common Chinese astrology principles
// This is a simplified model. Real Chinese astrology is more nuanced.
var harmoniousGroups = {
"Rat": ["Dragon", "Monkey"],
"Ox": ["Rooster", "Snake"],
"Tiger": ["Horse", "Dog"],
"Rabbit": ["Goat", "Pig"],
"Dragon": ["Rat", "Monkey"],
"Snake": ["Ox", "Rooster"],
"Horse": ["Tiger", "Dog"],
"Goat": ["Rabbit", "Pig"],
"Monkey": ["Rat", "Dragon"],
"Rooster": ["Ox", "Snake"],
"Dog": ["Tiger", "Horse"],
"Pig": ["Rabbit", "Goat"]
};
var opposingPairs = [
["Rat", "Horse"],
["Ox", "Goat"],
["Tiger", "Monkey"],
["Rabbit", "Rooster"],
["Dragon", "Dog"],
["Snake", "Pig"]
];
// Normalize names to avoid case sensitivity issues
var normAnimal1 = animal1.toLowerCase();
var normAnimal2 = animal2.toLowerCase();
// Check for identical signs (usually considered neutral to good, depends on philosophy)
if (normAnimal1 === normAnimal2) {
return "Neutral to Good Compatibility";
}
// Check for opposing pairs (clash)
for (var i = 0; i < opposingPairs.length; i++) {
var pair = opposingPairs[i];
var normPair = pair.map(function(animal) { return animal.toLowerCase(); });
if ((normPair[0] === normAnimal1 && normPair[1] === normAnimal2) ||
(normPair[0] === normAnimal2 && normPair[1] === normAnimal1)) {
return "Challenging Compatibility";
}
}
// Check for harmonious groups (excellent)
for (var key in harmoniousGroups) {
var normKey = key.toLowerCase();
var normGroup = harmoniousGroups[key].map(function(animal) { return animal.toLowerCase(); });
if (normKey === normAnimal1) {
if (normGroup.includes(normAnimal2)) {
return "Excellent Compatibility";
}
}
if (normKey === normAnimal2) {
if (normGroup.includes(normAnimal1)) {
return "Excellent Compatibility";
}
}
}
// If not in opposing or excellent groups, consider it good or neutral.
// This is a simplification. A more detailed system would have more categories.
// For now, let's assume if it's not a clash and not excellent, it's good.
// We can refine this: some pairs are "pairs of allies" which are also excellent.
// The harmoniousGroups array already covers this for the most part.
// If it's not a direct clash, and not explicitly harmonious, we might consider it neutral.
// However, most systems aim for positive relationships. Let's default to good if not a clash.
// Let's re-evaluate based on common "ally" pairs not covered in trines.
// E.g., Ox and Rooster, Snake and Rooster are related.
// The current harmoniousGroups covers direct trines.
// Let's define a broader "good" category.
// If it's not "Challenging" and not "Excellent", it could be "Good Compatibility".
// This simplified model might need adjustment for more granular results.
// Based on common Chinese zodiac charts:
// Rat: Allies with Dragon, Monkey. Clashes with Horse.
// Ox: Allies with Rooster, Snake. Clashes with Goat.
// Tiger: Allies with Horse, Dog. Clashes with Monkey.
// Rabbit: Allies with Goat, Pig. Clashes with Rooster.
// Dragon: Allies with Rat, Monkey. Clashes with Dog.
// Snake: Allies with Ox, Rooster. Clashes with Pig.
// Horse: Allies with Tiger, Dog. Clashes with Rat.
// Goat: Allies with Rabbit, Pig. Clashes with Ox.
// Monkey: Allies with Rat, Dragon. Clashes with Tiger.
// Rooster: Allies with Ox, Snake. Clashes with Rabbit.
// Dog: Allies with Tiger, Horse. Clashes with Dragon.
// Pig: Allies with Rabbit, Goat. Clashes with Snake.
// The harmoniousGroups covers the core allies.
// If it passed the clash test and didn't hit an excellent group, it's likely neutral or good.
// Let's just return "Good Compatibility" as a general positive outcome if not clashing.
// A more sophisticated system would map every pair. For this example, this is sufficient.
return "Good Compatibility";
}
function calculateCompatibility() {
var year1 = document.getElementById("birthYear1").value;
var year2 = document.getElementById("birthYear2").value;
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
// Validate inputs
if (year1 === "" || year2 === "") {
resultDiv.textContent = "Please enter both birth years.";
return;
}
var numYear1 = parseInt(year1);
var numYear2 = parseInt(year2);
if (isNaN(numYear1) || isNaN(numYear2)) {
resultDiv.textContent = "Please enter valid numeric years.";
return;
}
if (numYear1 2100 || numYear2 2100) {
// Adjust range if needed, 1900-2100 is a reasonable range for typical usage.
resultDiv.textContent = "Please enter years between 1900 and 2100 for standard calculation.";
return;
}
var animal1 = getChineseZodiacAnimal(year1);
var animal2 = getChineseZodiacAnimal(year2);
var compatibility = getCompatibility(animal1, animal2);
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Person 1 (" + year1 + ", " + animal1 + ") & Person 2 (" + year2 + ", " + animal2 + ") Compatibility: " + compatibility + "";
}