Culture & Vocab
Chinese Zodiac Signs: What's Yours and How to Talk About It
5 min read
The Chinese zodiac (生肖, shēngxiào) is one of the most recognisable parts of Chinese culture — the 12 animals that cycle through years, each carrying its own personality, fortune, and symbolism.
If you want Western star-sign vocabulary too, read Your Chinese Horoscope: All 12 Signs in Mandarin.
You've probably seen the animals on restaurant placemats. But knowing them in Mandarin — and being able to talk about them — is a whole different level of cultural fluency.
The 12 Animals
| Animal | Chinese | Pinyin | Recent years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | 鼠 | shǔ | 2008, 2020 |
| Ox | 牛 | niú | 2009, 2021 |
| Tiger | 虎 | hǔ | 2010, 2022 |
| Rabbit | 兔 | tù | 2011, 2023 |
| Dragon | 龙 | lóng | 2012, 2024 |
| Snake | 蛇 | shé | 2013, 2025 |
| Horse | 马 | mǎ | 2014, 2026 |
| Goat | 羊 | yáng | 2015, 2027 |
| Monkey | 猴 | hóu | 2016, 2028 |
| Rooster | 鸡 | jī | 2017, 2029 |
| Dog | 狗 | gǒu | 2018, 2030 |
| Pig | 猪 | zhū | 2019, 2031 |
To say your zodiac animal: 我的生肖是[animal] — e.g., 我的生肖是龙 (Wǒ de shēngxiào shì lóng) — "My zodiac is the Dragon."
Or more casually: 我属龙 (Wǒ shǔ lóng) — "I belong to the Dragon year."
Key Vocabulary
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 生肖 | shēngxiào | Chinese zodiac |
| 属相 | shǔxiàng | Birth year animal |
| 本命年 | běnmìng nián | Your zodiac year (considered unlucky — you wear red) |
| 运气 | yùnqi | Luck |
| 属 | shǔ | To belong to (a zodiac year) |
| 相合 | xiāng hé | Compatible / harmonious |
| 相克 | xiāng kè | Incompatible / clash |
💡Chinese zodiac vocabulary is the kind of topic that opens up real conversations. Want to go deeper — compatibility terms, personality traits, festival vocabulary? Build a Zodiac island on LingoIsland and get the full set.
Free to start, no experience needed.
A Zodiac island on LingoIsland
Cultural Notes Worth Knowing
本命年 (běnmìng nián): The year of your own zodiac sign repeats every 12 years. This is considered an unlucky year, and it's traditional to wear red — especially red underwear — to ward off bad luck. This comes up in conversation a surprising amount.
Dragon is special: 龙 (lóng) is considered the most auspicious zodiac sign. Birth rates in China visibly spike in Dragon years as parents try to have Dragon babies. Knowing this comes up naturally in any conversation about the zodiac.
Compatibility: Chinese zodiac compatibility (相合/相克) is taken seriously by some people — particularly in dating and matchmaking contexts. If you're talking to older generations especially, this topic comes up.
Conversation Starters
"你属什么？" (Nǐ shǔ shénme?) — What's your zodiac?
"今年是蛇年。" (Jīnnián shì shé nián) — This year is the Year of the Snake.
"龙年出生的人很有福气。" — People born in Dragon years are very fortunate.
💡Western horoscope vocab pairs naturally with zodiac years — learners often practise both in one sitting.
Try building both topic islands and rotate quizzes on whichever you hear more in your friend group.
Try it free →About the author
Cameron — Founder of LingoIsland & Mandarin learner (B2). Read Cameron's story.