Chinese Zodiac - Signs

Signs

The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat. The following are the twelve zodiac signs (each with its associated Earthly branch) in order and their characteristics.

1. Rat – 鼠 (子) (Yang, 1st Trine Fixed Element Water)
2. Ox – 牛 (丑) (Water buffalo in Vietnam) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Water)
3. Tiger – 虎 (寅) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
4. Rabbit – 兔 or 兎 (卯) (Cat in Vietnam) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
5. Dragon – 龍 / 龙 (辰) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
6. Snake – 蛇 (巳) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
7. Horse – 馬 / 马 (午) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
8. Goat (aka Ram or Sheep) – 羊 (未) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
9. Monkey – 猴 (申) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
10. Rooster – 雞 / 鸡 (酉) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
11. Dog – 狗 / 犬 (戌) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
12. Pig – 豬 / 猪 (亥) (Boar in Japan and Elephant in Northern Thailand) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Water)

In Chinese astrology the animal signs assigned by year represent what others perceive you as being or how you present yourself. It is a common misconception that the animals assigned by year are the only signs and many western descriptions of Chinese astrology draw solely on this system. In fact, there are also animal signs assigned by month (called inner animals), by day (called true animals) and hours (called secret animals).

While a person might appear to be a Dragon because they were born in the year of the Dragon, they might also be a Snake internally, an Ox truly and Goat secretively.