How do you read the Chinese lunar calendar?
Mia Walsh
Updated on May 09, 2026
Likewise, people ask, how does the Chinese lunar calendar work?
The traditional Chinese calendar, which determines the date of the Lunar New Year, is lunisolar, which means it's based on the cycle of the moon as well as on Earth's course around the sun. A month on this Chinese calendar is 28 days long, and a normal year lasts from 353 to 355 days [source: timeanddate.com].
Furthermore, how do you calculate Chinese lunar month? The month of pregnancy is the month of conception in lunar calendar, not the month of the last menstruation. If she conceives in a leap month, the first half of the month is counted in the previous month and the second half is counted in the next month.
Secondly, how do you read the lunar calendar?
A lunar calendar is based on how long it takes the Moon to orbit the Earth, and was much more common historically. The benefit of a lunar calendar is that all months are the same length, with the middle of the month corresponding to the full moon, and the end/start with the new moon.
How accurate is the Chinese Lunar Calendar?
Some claim that using a Chinese gender calendar can be up to 93 percent accurate in predicting your baby's sex. And because it's based on your age and the month you conceived, you can consult the chart at any point during your pregnancy.
Related Question Answers
What are Chinese lunar months?
So every second or third Chinese calendar year has 13 months and 383–385 days. The last Chinese calendar leap month began on October 24, 2014. There were two ninth lunar months: month 9 and then "intercalary month 9" — the leap month. The next leap month will be in 2020, when a second lunar month 4 will be observed.What is the Lunar Year for 2020?
Chinese New Year Calendar (1930 - 2030)| Years | New Year Dates | Animal Signs |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Feb. 16, 2018 (Friday) | Dog |
| 2019 | Feb. 5, 2019 (Tuesday) | Pig |
| 2020 | Jan. 25, 2020 (Saturday) | Rat |
| 2021 | Feb. 12, 2021 (Friday) | Ox |