Chinese Gender Predictor: Boy or Girl? Chart & Calculator

The Chinese gender chart

Boy Girl

Lunar age	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
	Lunar month of conception
18	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎
19	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎
20	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎
21	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎
22	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎
23	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎
24	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎
25	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎
26	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎
27	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎
28	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎
29	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎
30	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎
31	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎
32	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎
33	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎
34	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎
35	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎
36	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎
37	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎
38	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎
39	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎
40	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎
41	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎
42	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎
43	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎
44	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎
45	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎	♀︎	♀︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♀︎	♂︎	♂︎

Rows: the mother's lunar age at conception. Columns: the lunar month of conception.

How to use it

Enter the mother's date of birth.
Enter the conception date, or choose “Due date” and enter that instead; the calculator counts back 266 days to estimate conception.
See what the chart says, with the lunar age and lunar month it used highlighted in the full chart below.

Is the Chinese gender chart accurate?

No. Researchers in Sweden checked the chart against 2,840,755 births from 1973 to 2006 and found it predicted the baby's sex no better than chance: agreement between the chart and the actual sex was essentially zero. They concluded that it is no better than tossing a coin and advised against painting the nursery on the strength of it.

Claims that the chart is 90% accurate or more are not backed by any study. Enjoy it as a tradition, a baby-shower game or a talking point, and don't base any decision on it.

How the lunar age is counted

The chart uses the traditional Chinese way of counting age: you are 1 at birth and gain a year at each Chinese New Year, not on your birthday. So the lunar age is usually one or two years more than your everyday age. The calculator takes the Chinese year of conception, subtracts the Chinese year of the mother's birth and adds one.

The lunar month of conception

Months are counted in the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which starts each month at a new moon and the year at Chinese New Year, in late January or February. Some years have an extra leap month; as the chart is usually read, a leap month counts as the month it repeats.

How to find out the baby's sex

In the UK, the mid-pregnancy scan, usually between 18 and 21 weeks, can often show the baby's sex, but finding out is not part of the screening programme and some hospitals have a policy of not telling. Ask your midwife or doctor what is offered where you are.

Where the chart comes from

A popular story says the chart was found in a royal tomb near Beijing several centuries ago, but there is no evidence for it. In Chinese it is often called the Qing palace chart for having a boy or a girl. Versions found online differ in a few squares; the chart here is the most widely copied one.

Frequently asked questions

How does the Chinese gender predictor work?

It looks up the mother's lunar age at conception and the lunar month of conception in a traditional chart, where each square says boy or girl. The calculator converts the dates for you.

How accurate is the Chinese gender chart?

About as accurate as a coin toss. A study of 2.84 million Swedish births found no link between the chart's prediction and the baby's actual sex.

How do I calculate my lunar age?

Take the Chinese year of conception, subtract the Chinese year of your birth and add one. Because the Chinese year starts in late January or February, the lunar age is usually one or two years more than your everyday age.

What if I don't know the conception date?

Use the due date instead: the calculator estimates conception as 266 days before it. You can also estimate conception as about two weeks after the first day of your last period.

Which month counts if conception was in a leap month?

As the chart is usually read, a leap month counts as the month it repeats, so a conception in the leap sixth month uses the sixth-month column.

When can I really find out if it's a boy or a girl?

The mid-pregnancy ultrasound scan, usually at 18 to 21 weeks, can often show the sex, although some hospitals do not tell parents. Ask your midwife or doctor.

Sources

Also read: Who will my baby look like? What genetics can tell you

Also try: Pregnancy due date calculator

Chinese gender predictor