Chinese Calendar Converter
Convert a Gregorian date to the Chinese lunar date with the solar term and zodiac year. Cultural insight only.
Pick a date to see its Chinese lunar equivalent.
Two calendars, running in parallel
China uses the Gregorian calendar for civil life and the traditional lunar calendar for festivals, birthdays and date selection. The lunar calendar is not purely lunar — it is lunisolar, meaning months follow the moon but an extra leap month is inserted roughly every three years to keep the calendar aligned with the seasons.
This is why Chinese New Year moves. It falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, landing somewhere between 21 January and 21 February, so a festival can be three or four weeks earlier or later than it was the previous year.
The 24 solar terms
The traditional calendar also tracks 24 solar terms, which divide the sun’s apparent path into 15-degree segments. Unlike the lunar months, the solar terms fall on almost the same Gregorian dates every year. They matter beyond farming: the month pillar of a BaZi chart is determined by solar terms rather than lunar months, which is a common source of error in simplified calculators.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does Chinese New Year fall on a different date every year?
- It is set by the lunisolar calendar, not the Gregorian one. Chinese New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, which lands between 21 January and 21 February. A leap month inserted roughly every three years keeps the calendar in step with the seasons.
- What is the difference between the lunar calendar and the solar terms?
- The lunar calendar tracks months by the moon and shifts against the Gregorian year. The 24 solar terms track the sun and fall on nearly fixed Gregorian dates each year. Traditional practice uses both: lunar months for festivals, solar terms for farming and for calculating BaZi month pillars.
- Is my Chinese birthday the same as my Gregorian birthday?
- Many families celebrate both. The traditional birthday follows the lunar date of your birth, so its Gregorian equivalent changes every year. Enter your date to find the lunar equivalent for any year.
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