The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle of animals that represent different years.
Each year is represented by an animal, and people born in those years are said to have the characteristics of that animal.
The rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig make up the Chinese zodiac.
In this blog post we will explore the meanings behind each of these animals and what they say about your personality!
The Chinese zodiac is a cycle of 12 animals known as 生肖 shēngxiào.
The rat is the first animal in the sequence, followed by ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.
The Story of the Chinese Zodiac
The Jade Emperor wanted to pick twelve animals to serve as his palace guards.
The Jade Emperor arranged for the animals to race to the Heavenly Gate to do this they had get across a river.
The Ox was prefered by the Jade Emperor to be the first guard as he was honest and diligent.
The clever Rat, however, covertly stowed away on the back of the Ox and took first place at the crucial moment in the race.
Because both are fast and competitive, Tiger and Rabbit placed third and fourth. Tiger swam across the river while the rabbit got across by hopping on stepping stones and a floating log.
Dragon was fifth, he was followed by the snake, horse and goat.
Finally the monkey, rooster, dog and pig finished the race.
Chinese Zodiac Birth Year
The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle that represents people born under one of the twelve animals in the Chinese calendar.
People believe that a person’s horoscope, personality, and love compatibility are all linked to his or her Chinese zodiac sign, which is decided by their birth year.
| Zodiac Animal | Chinese Name | Birth Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rat | 鼠 (shǔ) | 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032 |
| Ox | 牛 (niú) | 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033 |
| Tiger | 虎 (hǔ) | 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034 |
| Rabbit | 兔 (tù) | 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035 |
| Dragon | 龙 (lóng) | 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036 |
| Snake | 蛇 (shé) | 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037 |
| Horse | 马 (mǎ) | 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038 |
| Sheep | 羊 (yáng) | 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039 |
| Monkey | 猴 (hóu) | 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040 |
| Rooster | 鸡 (jī) | 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041 |
| Dog | 狗 (gǒu) | 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042 |
| Pig | 猪 (zhū) | 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043 |
Chinese Zodiac Personality Traits
The Chinese zodiac can give you a better understanding of your own personality and that of others. Each animal has certain characteristics that are thought to be passed on to people born in that year.
Rat – People born in the Year of the Rat are said to be quick-witted, resourceful and adaptable. They are also very ambitious and have a strong drive to succeed.
Ox – People born in the Year of the Ox are said to be hardworking, patient and level headed. They are also conservative, practical and good with money.
Tiger – People born in the Year of the Tiger are said to be brave, confident and competitive. They are also impulsive, impatient and sometimes reckless.
Rabbit – People born in the Year of the Rabbit are said to be gentle, compassionate and wise. They are also shy, reserved and sometimes overly cautious.
Dragon – People born in the Year of the Dragon are said to be intense, passionate and charismatic. They are also proud, impatient and sometimes aggressive.
Snake – People born in the Year of the Snake are said to be intelligent, graceful and patient. They are also secretive, suspicious and sometimes manipulative.
Horse – People born in the Year of the Horse are said to be outgoing, energetic and hardworking. They are also impulsive, hotheaded and sometimes irresponsible.
Goat – People born in the Year of the Goat are said to be gentle, mild-mannered and shy. They are also indecisive, over-sensitive and sometimes pessimistic.
Monkey – People born in the Year of the Monkey are said to be quick-witted, intelligent and versatile. They are also mischievous, impulsive and sometimes egotistical.
Rooster – People born in the Year of the Rooster are said to be hardworking, resourceful and confident. They are also sometimes boastful, self-absorbed and opinionated.
Dog – People born in the Year of the Dog are said to be loyal, faithful and honest. They are also sometimes stubborn, critical and anxious.
Pig – People born in the Year of the Pig are said to be honest, tolerant and optimistic. They are also sometimes naive, gullible and lazy.
Now that you know a little bit more about the Chinese zodiac, maybe you can find out what your animal sign is and what it says about you!
Best Relationship Matches for the 12 Zodiac Signs
According to the Chinese Zodiac the following Zodiac signs are more compatible with one another:
- Rat: Rat, Ox, Dragon, or Monkey
- Ox: Rat, Snake, or Rooster
- Tiger: Horse, Dog, or Pig
- Rabbit: Goat, Dog, or Pig
- Dragon: Rat, Monkey, or Rooster
- Snake: Ox or Rooster
- Horse: Tiger, Goat, or Dog
- Goat: Rabbit, Horse, Goat, or Pig
- Monkey: Rat, Dragon, or Dog
- Rooster: Ox, Dragon, or Snake
- Dog: Tiger, Rabbit, Horse, or Monkey
- Pig: Tiger, Rabbit, or Goat
If you are interested in learning more about the animals that make up the Chinese Zodiac you can click on any of the links below to read more about them: