Chinese Zodiac 2023 » Facts & Myths About 12 Animal Signs

Twelve Chinese zodiac animals represent the years and are used in determining your fortune, marriage compatibility, career fit, and many more. They have a long history in Chinese culture and continue to play a significant role today. Chinese New Year will provide you with interesting details about the Chinese New Year 2021. Read on to know more about the Chinese Zodiac Signs below.

Chinese Zodiac 2021 The 12 Animals Signs, Compatibility

What Is the Chinese Zodiac?

The Chinese zodiac is generally believed to be derived from animal worship and started more than 2,000 years ago during the Qin dynasty. Over time, the animals were each given their own unique set of characteristics and were gradually integrated into everyday life. This gave rise to various compatibilities between the zodiac animals, which are often taken into consideration in marriage, career decisions, fortune-telling, among others.

What Is Your Zodiac Animal?

The order of the Chinese zodiac animals, according to a Chinese legend, was determined by a race sanctioned by the Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝—yù huáng dà dì). This is as follows: rat (鼠—shǔ), ox (牛—niú), tiger (虎—hǔ), rabbit (兔—tù), dragon (龙—lóng), snake (蛇—shé), horse (马—mǎ), goat (羊—yang), monkey(猴—hóu), rooster (鸡—jī), dog (狗—gǒu), and pig (猪—zhū).

The Zodiac animals cycle repeats every 12 years. To know what your zodiac animal is, here is a list of all the animals with their accompanying years:

ZODIAC ANIMALCHARACTERRECENT YEARS
Rat鼠 (shǔ)1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Ox牛 (niú)1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Tiger虎 (hǔ)1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Rabbit兔 (tù)1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Dragon龙 (lóng)1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Snake蛇 (shé)1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Horse马 (mǎ)1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Goat羊 (yang)1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Monkey猴 (hóu)1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Rooster鸡 (jī)1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Dog狗 (gǒu)1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Pig猪 (zhū)1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031

Many people believe that your zodiac year (本命年—ben ming nian) is lucky. In reality, it is otherwise. In Chinese culture, your zodiac year is seen as a challenge you have to conquer. However, you can ward off the bad luck it brings by wearing red underwear throughout your zodiac year. If you want to learn more about this superstition, check out Chinese New Year Myths and Chinese New Year superstitions.

Origin of the Zodiac Signs

According to one Chinese tale, the Jade Emperor needed 12 animals to guard the palace. The cat asked the rat to help him sign up, but the latter forgot. This is why they became mortal enemies.

The ox was first in line at the palace, but the rat climbed its back and jumped ahead. While the tiger and the dragon witnessed the rat’s antics and thought it was unfair, they could only settle behind the ox.

Also, the rabbit challenged the dragon to a race and succeeded. Frustrated by this circumstance, the dog bit the rabbit and was sent to the back of the line as punishment. The snake, horse, goat, monkey, and rooster also got into a fight. Meanwhile, the pig arrived very late and settled to be the last.

The Science Behind Zodiac Signs

Like the conventional zodiac signs, Chinese Animal Signs also have a science behind them. Each month animal represents each month of the year. To know the Chinese zodiac animals’ personalities, fortune, and compatibility with each other, Chinese astrologers used the following technical information. Check out the following list:

  • Dì Zhī (地支) or Earthly Branches were the 12 terms originally used to refer to the years. They were also assigned to hours of the day based on solar time.
  • The animals were later integrated as mnemonics and were tagged as either yīn (阴)or yáng (阳).
  • The 10 Celestial Stems (天干—tiān gān) couple with the Earthly Branches for a 60-year calendrical cycle. One of the five elements is fixed for each year. The element is primarily what determines which you are compatible with.
  • Twelve Earthly Branches: zi (子), chǒu (丑), yín (寅), mǎo (卯), chén (辰), sì (巳), wǔ (午), wèi (未), shēn (申), yǒu (酉), xū (戌), hài (亥).
  • Ten Celestial Stems: jiǎ (甲), yǐ (乙), bǐng (丙), ding (丁), wù (戊), jǐ (己), gēng (庚), xīn (辛), rén (壬), guǐ (癸).  
  • Five elements: water (水—shuǐ), wood (木—mù), fire (火—huǒ), earth (土—tǔ), metal (金—jīn).

Zodiac Calendar

There would be an easier way of checking signs and all other information. A calendar of all the information mentioned above in past and future years would look like this:

YEARCELESTIAL STEMEARTHLY BRANCHZODIACELEMENTYIN YANG
2000gēngchénDragonMetalYang
2001xīnSnakeMetalYin
2002rénHorseWaterYang
2003guǐwèiGoatWaterYin
2004jiǎshēnMonkeyWoodYang
2005yǒuRoosterWoodYin
2006bǐngDogFireYang
2007dinghàiPigFireYin
2008ziRatEarthYang
2009chǒuOxEarthYin
2010gēngyínTigerMetalYang
2011xīnmǎoRabbitMetalYin
2012rénchénDragonWaterYang
2013guǐSnakeWaterYin
2014jiǎHorseWoodYang
2015wèiGoatWoodYin
2016bǐngshēnMonkeyFireYang
2017dingyǒuRoosterFireYin
2018DogEarthYang
2019hàiPigEarthYin
2020gēngziRatMetalYang
2021xīnchǒuOxMetalYin
2022rényínTigerWaterYang
2023guǐmǎoRabbitWaterYin
2024jiǎchénDragonWoodYang
2025SnakeWoodYin

Compatibility

Essentially, there are six groups (六合—liù hé) of pairs that are most compatible. If you meet a compatible person, you would fit together like jigsaw pieces. They are the ones who support you in the background.

There are also four groups of trios (三合—sān hé) of compatible zodiac animals. If you form a compatible trio and work as a team, you would be very productive as you complement each other’s skills.

Introduction to Zodiac Animals

As previously mentioned, the Earthly Branches are associated with specific hours of the day. In turn, the animals are also connected to certain times. This adds to the various explanations as to the order of the Chinese zodiac animals. The following list includes every animal’s time of day, culture, personality, and compatibility.

Rat (鼠—Shǔ)

year of the rat

Those born in the Year of the Rat are known to handle their money really well. They never struggle financially and live very systematic lives. If you receive an expensive gift from someone born in these years, it means that they think highly of you. They do not seek praise and recognition. They take calculated risks and succeed more often than not. They have energetic personalities, but get tired quickly. 

  • Science: The rat is Yang, its earthly branch is Zi.
  • Hours: 23:00-01:00. The rat is most productive during these hours.
  • Folklore: The rat steals food and this activity is understood as a means to keep a wealthy household and having surpluses. Some also pray to rats for children because of their capability to reproduce fast.
  • Compatibility:
    • Best match: Ox
    • Best group: Monkey, Dragon
    • Incompatible: Horse

Ox (牛—Niu)

year of the ox

People born in the Year of the Ox are hardworking and responsible. They are not fond of showing their emotions and keep them bottled up inside. They don’t usually lose their temper but when they do, they can be very ferocious and drive others away.

  • Science: The ox is Yin, its earthly branch is Chǒu.
  • Hours: 01:00-03:00. During these hours, farmers get out of bed to feed their oxen.
  • Folklore: To begin a new year of hard work and bountiful harvests, the ritual of whipping spring cattle (打春—dǎ chūn) used to be performed. Five types of grains would fill the stomach of the ox and then scattered to symbolize the sowing and harvest.
  • Compatibility
    • Best match: Rat
    • Best group: Snake, Rooster
    • Incompatible: Goat

Tiger (虎—Hǔ)

year of the tiger

Human Personalities who were born in the Year of the Tiger are independent and have high self-worth. They take pride in being a leader and providing protection to the common people. Justice is what they aspire and never back down from arguments. Their recklessness is what causes them to fail sometimes, but they never truly collapse because they always find a way to get back up and succeed in the long run.

  • Science: The tiger is Yang, its earthly branch is Yín.
  • Hours: 03:00-05:00. Tigers are most frightening at night. Farmers would hear their vicious roars during these hours.
  • Folklore: Tigers are the king of all beasts. They are believed to be the guardians of children. Infants used to be washed with water boiled with tiger bones to ward off diseases.
  • Compatibility
    • Best match: Pig
    • Best group: Horse, Dog
    • Incompatible: Monkey

Rabbit (兔—Tù)

year of the rabbit

People born in the Year of the Rabbit intelligent, polite, and stylishly fashionable. They enjoy great career success because of their sense of responsibility and thoroughness. They never fall for someone easily as they take love seriously.    

  • Science: The rabbit is Yin, and its earthly branch is Mǎo.
  • Hours: 05:00-07:00. During these hours, rabbits shortly leave their homes to feed on the dew.
  • Folklore: The rabbit represents the moon. In ancient China, people believed there was a rabbit on the moon.
  • Compatibility
    • Best match: Dog
    • Best group: Pig, Goat
    • Incompatible: Rooster

Dragon (龙—Lóng)

year of the dragon

Those born in the Year of the Dragon are adventurous and romantic. Their mysterious personality is often difficult for people to understand. They may also seem lazy but become very determined when they decide to do something.

  • Science: The dragon is Yang, and its earthly branch is Chén.
  • Hours: 07:00-09:00. Fog usually appears during these hours. In Chinese folklore, dragons ride fog to come down to the earth.
  • Folklore: Dragons are among the most revered mythical creatures in China that emperors were seen as reincarnations of dragons. When paired with a phoenix, they symbolize a fruitful marriage and harmony between yin and yang.  
  • Compatibility
    • Best match: Rooster
    • Best group: Monkey, Rat
    • Incompatible: Dog

Snake (蛇—Shé)

year of the snake

People born in the Year of the Snake may seem cold, but they are actually warm and enthusiastic inside. They have this fierce desire for exclusive ownership that it annoys them if they are unable to fully understand someone. Although devoted and determined, their ultimate weakness is laziness.

  • Science: The snake is Yin, and its earthly branch is Sì.
  • Hours: 09:00-11:00. When the fog disperses, snakes come out to bask in the sunlight. The character for sì (巳) was made to resemble a snake.
  • Folklore: Snakes usually have negative implications and are used as symbols of witchcraft. But in Chinese mythology, the creator of the universe, Nǚ Wā (女娲), had the head of a human and the body of a snake.
  • Compatibility
    • Best match: Monkey
    • Best group: Rooster, Ox
    • Incompatible: Pig

Horse (马—Mǎ)

year of the horse

Those born in the Year of the Horse are very valiant. They are positive, energetic, and always seek to push themselves forward. They desire to be free and express themselves candidly. However, they tend to be bad at keeping secrets and lose interest fast.

  • Science: Horse is Yang, and its earthly branch is Wǔ.
  • Hours: 11:00-13:00. When the sun is at its brightest, horses would joyfully gallop in the fields.
  • Folklore: Horses play a crucial role in transportation and war and are the leaders of the six domestic animals. Northern ethnicities such as the Manchurians and Mongolians worship the horse.
  • Compatibility
    • Best match: Goat
    • Best group: Tiger, Dog
    • Incompatible: Rat

Goat (羊—Yang)

year of the goat

People born in the Year of the Goat are kindhearted. Although they hold on to their own opinions, they would rather suffer in silence than argue and ruin the mood of others. Nonetheless, they also have a few tricks up their sleeves. They have the ability to persuade others in their favor in a patient and polite manner.   

  • Science: The goat is Yin, and its earthly branch is Wèi.
  • Hours: 13:00-15:00. By this time, the dew on the grass has been dried by sunlight and is thereby the best hours to let goat and sheep out.
  • Folklore: Xiè Zhì (獬豸) is a mythological one-horned goat that assisted the God of Justice, Gāo Yáo (皋陶). The goat is also used as a symbol of filial piety.
  • Compatibility
    • Best match: Horse
    • Best group: Pig, Rabbit
    • Incompatible: Ox

Monkey (猴—Hóu)

year of the monkey

Those born in the Year of the Monkey are motivated by personal interest. They will put their entire heart into something they truly care for. On the other hand, they will act carelessly if it’s something they are not concerned about. They often live lengthy lives full of energy and curiosity for the world.   

  • Science: The monkey is Yang, and its earthly branch is Shēn.
  • Hours: 15:00-17:00. Monkeys would play around in the forest during the sunset when the weather is much cooler.
  • Folklore: There are several Chinese legends about monkeys being the ancestors of humans. Monkeys are also associated with peaches, symbols of longevity. This is why monkeys are also used to represent a long life.
  • Compatibility
    • Best match: Snake
    • Best group: Rat, Dragon
    • Incompatible: Tiger

Rooster (鸡—Jī)

year of the rooster

People born in the Year of the Rooster have the ability to sense what others are thinking or feeling. They are able to plan for everything carefully because of their foresight. Although they make great friends, some are tricksters.

  • Science: The rooster is Yin, and its earthly branch is Yǒu.
  • Hours: 17:00-19:00. The Chinese character for yǒu (酉) looks similar to the character for wine (酒—jiǔ). Dinner and wine are usually consumed during these hours. It is also the time to put roosters and hens back to their nests.
  • Folklore: In ancient China, sworn brothers would swear to the heavens then drip rooster blood on the wine they drink. Roosters are also believed to ward off evil spirits.
  • Compatibility
    • Best match: Dragon
    • Best group: Snake, Ox
    • Incompatible: Rabbit

Dog (狗—Gǒu)

year of the dog

Those born in the Year of the Dog valued in the workplace because of their loyalty. They very rarely break the rules except for people who are important to them. Their only desire is to live peacefully with their families.

  • Science: The dog is Yang, and its earthly branch is Xū.
  • Hours: 19:00-21:00. Before going to bed, people patrol around to check with their dogs trailing behind them.
  • Folklore: The Stone Dog was worshipped during the Qin and Han dynasty. Today, it is still common for people of the Guangdong Province to name their dogs Wàng Cái (旺财). It derives from the barking sound of dogs (旺旺—wàng wàng) and means “prosperous wealth.”  
  • Compatibility
    • Best match: Rabbit
    • Best group: Tiger, Horse
    • Incompatible: Dragon

Pig (猪—Zhū)

year of the pig

People born in the Year of the Pig use their excellent critical thinking skills to solve problems. They are very polite and often provide for their families as they are usually wealthy. Their only downside is their short temper.

  • Science: The pig is Yin, and its earthly branch is Hài.
  • Hours: 21:00-23:00. Pigs rustle around during these hours as farmers feed them before calling it a day.
  • Folklore: In general, pigs are used to represent wealth. Their chubby faces and large ears are also symbols of fortune.
  • Compatibility:
    • Best match: Tiger
    • Best group: Rabbit, Goat
    • Incompatible: Snake

What is your Zodiac Animal?

Have you found your Chinese zodiac animal from our list? If not, you can leave us a comment with your birth year and we will tell you what exactly your Zodiac animal is.

F.A.Qs

What is Chinese-zodiac?

The Chinese zodiac is 12 years, where each sequence is related to an animal, and it represents the year of birth. A particular animal and its attributes characterize Theople born in that specific year. Chinese astrology is also used by other countries as well.

How do Chinese-zodiac works?

There is a belief that when one is born, there is an energy that enters them. Chinese zodiac tells you the type of energy a particular year holds and how the animal sign for that year interacts with that specific group. The life force has a sixty-year cycle divided into five periods of twelve years, and every 12 years have an animal name like Dog, Dragon, Monkey, and more.

Are Chinese-zodiac compatibility true?

You cannot deduce compatibility based on one’s zodiac, but from a full chart analysis, you can get the report. A complete chat analysis takes eight characters into account, while the zodiac sign is only 1 of the 8 in a chart. It plays a part in the compatibility analysis, but there are other factors to consider.

Conclusion

There are many stories explaining the beginning of the zodiac.The order of the Chinese zodiac animals ,according to a Chinese legend , was determined by a race sanctioned by the Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝 yù huáng dà dì) which is an ancient folk story. In ancient times, the Chinese zodiac was used to decide if two people were compatible to be in a marriage or love relationship. In some other countries the Chinese zodiac signs are used by various cultures other than Chinese. Each tribe had its unique animal symbol.

The five elements, including metal, water, wood, fire, and earth, have existed in Chinese culture for thousands of years, and affect the Chinese Zodiac. The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac were developed in the early stages of Chinese civilization , therefore it is difficult to investigate the real origins. The creation of the mystical animals are represented by an image through interpretations and variations. They are used to predict fortune for people and their daily life, romantic relationship/stable love relationship, birth months, marriage compatibilities, happy marriage lives, luck, goals, understanding feelings minds, mental peace or luck in wealth,conflicts, lucky colors like gold, grey etc, their strengths and serve as a guide.

Predictions like health condition, family, love compatibilty and etc are make you construct an image for future possibilities and future periods.You can read about the personality Traits and challenges of Rat, Ox, Rabbit, Goats etc (in the chinese calendar). People believe that a Chinese zodiac year starts on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar. 

We’re happy to provide you with interesting stuff about the compatibilities of Chinese zodiacs. If you did not find answers to your queries, leave a comment and we will try to answer you as much as we can.

8 thoughts on “Chinese Zodiac 2023 » Facts & Myths About 12 Animal Signs”

  1. I really love your article, Jess. Since I was young I love to read this kind of reading material for the reason that I really enjoyed knowing which zodiac signs are compatible with each other and vice versa. But I really don’t know if it is really true, I’m saying this for the reason that some of my friend sign says that they are compatible but still always arguing as husband and wife that destroyed their marriage.

    Reply
  2. It’s good to know the different Chinese Zodiac animal and where it came from. It is also interesting to know about the compatibility of each zodiac to others.

    Reply
  3. Nice article, I enjoy reading it for the reason that it gives me motivation on what to do and whats not. It was kinda guiding me on my decisions.

    Reply
  4. I think Zodiac is a sign which is an extremely popular item on the site by a Chinese audience. That said, I can’t help but think this article might have some interesting insights into how one of those Zodiac signs works.

    Reply
  5. It might be too late, but…
    A zodiac was born within eight million years of Zodiac being born.
    I wonder what will be the status of the first sign of the Zodiac sign of the origin of the zodiac. And then they can still be referred to as the Zodiac sign.

    Reply
  6. This isn’t the “Chinese zodiac 20” (or, more appropriately, the “Chinese Zodiac 20” that actually looks like it). The article points out the same thing. I know of two animals in an iPhone 5 that looked very similar but still didn’t have the most basic animations. These animals have been found in many zodiac, and their names are just as descriptive as those in the article (and I suspect they aren’t the same in the Chinese zones).

    Reply
  7. I have a little problem viewing Zodiac as ‘the most boring’ symbol. Surely that’s the most boring sign of a new era, and that is why the symbol is now ‘the best fucking symbol,’ as this is a pretty common use of those symbols with a lot of historical contexts.

    Reply
  8. Hello! Thank you for your excellent article, it is very interesting and informative.

    Would it be possible to reference your article to the colleagues and staff at my organisation, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust?

    We are always trying to promote cultural awareness to our 16,000 staff to improve the care we provide to our patients.

    Many thanks
    Giles

    Giles Matsell
    Head of Equality and Diversity
    Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

    Reply

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