THE CHINESE ZODIAC: WHICH ANIMAL ARE YOU?
Firstly some Mandarin
The Chinese Zodiac is called shēngxiào (生肖) in Mandarin
生肖有十二支动物
Shēngxiào yǒu shí'èr zhī dòngwù
The zodiac has twelve animals
So 你属什么？ nǐ shǔ shén me – What do you belong to?
我属…… - I belong too…
1. 鼠 - shǔ - Rat
Recent years
1936 (Jan.24.1936 – Feb.10.1937), 1948 (Feb.10.1948 – Jan.28.1949), 1960 (Jan.28.1960 – Feb.14.1961), 1972 (Feb.15.1972 – Feb.02.1973), 1984 (Feb.02.1984 – Feb.19.1985), 1996 (Feb.19.1996 – Feb.06.1997), 2008 (Feb.06.2008 – Jan.25.2009), 2020 (Jan.25.2020 – Feb.11.2021).
Best compatibility: Ox, Dragon, Monkey
Characteristics: Adaptable, smart, charming, cautious, stingy, positive, flexible, outgoing, cheerful, quick-witted, timid, unstable, stubborn, picky, greedy
2. 牛 - niú - Ox
Recent years
1937 (Feb.11.1937 – Jan.30.1938), 1949 (Jan.29.1949 – Feb.16.1950), 1961 (Feb.15.1961 – Feb.04.1962), 1973 (Feb.03.1973 – Jan.22.1974), 1985 (Feb.20.1985 – Feb.08.1986), 1997 (Feb.07.1997 – Jan.27.1998), 2009 (Jan.26.2009 – Feb.13.2010), 2021 (Feb.11.2021 – Jan.31.2022).
Best compatibility: Rat, Monkey, Rooster, snake
Characteristics: Honest, patient, creative, industrious, hardworking, level-headed, strong-willed, persistent, handle things steadily but can be inarticulate and distant.
3. 虎 - hǔ - Tiger
Recent years
1938 (Jan.31.1938 – Feb.18.1939), 1950 (Feb.17.1950 – Feb.05.1951), 1962 (Feb.05.1962 – Jan.24.1963), 1974 (Jan.23.1974 – Feb.10.1975), 1986 (Feb.09.1986 – Jan.28.1987), 1998 (Jan28.1998 – Feb.15.1999), 2010 (Feb.14.2010 – Feb.02.2011), 2022 (Feb.01.2022 – Jan.21.2023)
Best compatibility: Dragon, Horse, Pig, Dog
Characteristics: Brave, courageous, loyal, confident, competitive, intelligent, lucky, they would make competent leaders but can be arrogant, hasty, short-tempered, irritable, overindulged.
4. 兔 - tù – Rabbit
Recent years
1939 (Feb.19.1939 – Feb.08.1940), 1951 (Feb.06.1951 – Jan.26.1952), 1963 (Jan.25.1963 – Feb.12.1964), 1975 (Feb.11.1975 – Jan.30.1976), 1987 (Jan.29.1987 – Feb.16.1988), 1999 (Feb.16.1999 – Feb.04.2000), 2011 (Feb.03.2011 – Jan.22.2012), 2023 (Jan.22.2023 – Feb.09.2024).
Best compatibility: Sheep, Dog, Pig
Characteristics: Kind-hearted, compassionate, gentle, sensitive, modest, amiable, merciful, conservative, timid, hesitant, stubborn, live long, they do not like fighting and try to find compromises.
5. 龙 - lóng – Dragon
Recent years
1940 (Feb.09.1940 – Jan.26.1941), 1952 (Jan.27.1952 – Feb.13.1953), 1964 (Feb.13.1964 – Feb.01.1965), 1976 (Jan.31.1976 – Feb.17.1977), 1988 (Feb.17.1988 – Feb.05.1989), 2000 (Feb.05.2000 – Jan.23.2001), 2012 (Jan.23.2012 – Feb.09.2013), 2024 (Feb.10.2024 – Jan.25.2025).
Best compatibility: Rooster, Rat, Monkey
Characteristics: Inspiring, decisive, ambitious, romantic, eccentric, fiery, intolerant, unrealistic and sometimes overconfident
6. 蛇 - shé - Snake
Recent years
1941 (Feb.10.1929 – Jan.29.1930), 1953 (Feb.14.1953 – Feb.02.1954), 1965 (Feb.02.1965 – Jan.20.1966), 1977 (Feb.18.1977 – Feb.06.1978), 1989 (Feb.06.1989 – Jan.26.1990), 2001 (Jan.24.2001 – Feb.11.2002), 2013 (Feb.10.2013 – Jan.30.2014), 2025 (Jan.29.2025 – Feb.16.2026).
Best compatibility: Dragon, Rooster, Monkey
Characteristics: Humorous, determined, passionate, soft-spoken, smart, sympathetic, jealous, suspicious, lazy, nonchalant and sly.
7. 马 - mǎ - Horse
Recent years
1942 (Feb.15.1942 – Feb.04.1943), 1954 (Feb.03.1954 – Jan.23.1955), 1966 (Jan.21.1966 – Feb.08.1967), 1978 (Feb.07.1978 – Jan.27.1979), 1990 (Jan.27.1990 – Feb.14.1991), 2002 (Feb.12.2002 – Jan.31.2003), 2014 (Jan.31.2014 – Feb.18.2015), 2026 (Feb.17.2026 – Feb.05.2027).
Best compatibility: Tiger, Sheep, Rabbit, Dog
Characteristics: Warm-hearted, easygoing, outgoing, active, independent, positive attitude, frank, lack of persistence, wasteful, they are popular amongst others but can be selfish and over-confident
8. 羊 - yáng – Goat/Sheep
Recent years
1943 (Feb.05.1943 – Jan.24.1944), 1955 (Jan.24.1955 – Feb.11.1956), 1967 (Feb.09.1967 – Jan.29.1968), 1979 (Jan.28.1979 – Feb.15.1980), 1991 (Feb.15.1991 – Feb.03.1992), 2003 (Feb.01.2003 – Jan.21.2004), 2015 (Feb.19.2015 – Feb.07.2016), 2027 (Feb.06.2027 – Jan.25.2028).
Best compatibility: Rabbit, Horse, Pig
Characteristics: Considerate, polite, imaginative, shy, attractive, softhearted, gentle, hardworking, persistent, indecisive, moody, pessimistic
9. 猴 - hóu – Monkey
Recent years
1944 (Jan.25.1944 – Feb.12.1945), 1956 (Feb.12.1956 – Jan.30.1957), 1968 (Jan.30.1968 – Feb.16.1969), 1980 (Feb.16.1980 – Feb.04.1981), 1992 (Feb.04.1992 – Jan.22.1993), 2004 (Jan.22.2004 – Feb.08.2005), 2016 (Feb.08.2016 – Jan.27.2017), 2028 (Jan.26.2028 – Feb.12.2029).
Best compatibility: Ox, Rabbit, Snake, Rat,
Characteristics: Sociable, charismatic, self-assured, innovative, enthusiastic, arrogant. Selfish, jealous, egotistical, suspicious and cunning.
10. 鸡 - jī - Rooster
Recent years
1945 (Feb.13.1945 – Feb.01.1946), 1957 (Jan.31.1957 – Feb.17.1958), 1969 (Feb.17.1969 – Feb.05.1970), 1981 (Feb.05.1981 – Jan.24.1982), 1993 (Jan.23.1993 – Feb.09.1994), 2005 (Feb.09.2005 – Jan.28.2006), 2017 (Jan.28.2017 – Feb.15.2018), 2029 (Feb.13.2029 – Feb.02.2030).
Best compatibility: Ox, Snake, Dragon
Characteristics: Independent, warm-hearted, hardworking, capable, quick-thinking, self-respect, critical, eccentric, selfish, narrow-minded and impatient.
11. 狗 - gǒu – Dog
Recent years
1946 (Feb.02.1946 – Jan.21.1947), 1958 (Feb.18.1958 – Feb.07.1959), 1970 (Feb.06.1970 – Jan.26.1971), 1982 (Jan.25.1982 – Feb.12.1983), 1994 (Feb.10.1994 – Jan.30.1995), 2006 (Jan.29.2006 – Feb.17.2007), 2018 (Feb.16.2018 – Feb.04.2019), 2030 (Feb.03.2030 – Jan.22.2031).
Best compatibility: Rabbit, Tiger, Horse
Characteristics: Loyal, responsible, honest, clever, have strong sense of responsibility, energetic, sensitive, emotional, stubborn, conservative, cold and self-righteous.
12. 猪 - zhū – Pig
Recent years
1947 (Jan.22.1947 – Feb.09.1948), 1959 (Feb.08.1959 – Jan.27.1960), 1971 (Jan.27.1971 – Feb.24.1972), 1983 (Feb.13.1983 – Feb.01.1984), 1995 (Jan.31.1995 – Feb.18.1996), 2007 (Feb.18.2007 – Feb.06.2008), 2019 (Feb.05.2019 – Jan.24.2020), 2031 (Jan.23.2031 – Feb.10.2032).
Best compatibility: Tiger, Rabbit, Sheep
Characteristics: Easygoing, honest, gentle, warm, loyal, naïve, gullible, sincere, trusting, brave, over-reliant, self-indulgent, materialistic, short-tempered
我属…… wǒ shǔ...
The Great Race: The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac
The most common legend about the Chinese Zodiac begins with the Jade Emperor ordering that animals would each represent a month in the calendar, and the first twelve that arrived would be chosen. The news spread and reached the rat and the cat who were good friends and neighbours. The cat told the rat ‘we should wake up early and go together, I usually get up late, can you wake me up on time?’ The rat then made a promise to wake his friend early. However, on the morning, when the rat woke up he was so consumed with excitement he forgot. He went to the finish line by himself. On the journey, he met the ox, tiger, horse and all the other animals who were much faster than him. The rat suddenly had a good idea and persuaded the Ox to carry him if he sang throughout the race. Eventually the Ox and the Rat got their ahead of everyone. The Ox was delighted and couldn’t believe his luck as he thought he had won but at the last the rat slid in front and claimed the lucky first position in the Chinese Zodiac. This explains why the other animals all came behind the rat. After the great race was over, the cat arrived at the finish line but it was too late, this is why the cat doesn’t feature amongst the 12 animals. From then on the cat developed a strong hatred for the rat. And this is the legend of the Chinese Zodiac.
