Chinese Zodiac: Characteristics of the 12 Animal Signs

Millions of people across the planet subscribe to the Chinese Zodiac belief system. The Chinese Zodiac uses 12 animals that each represents a year in the 12-year cycle. They are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. These Chinese animal signs also represent twelve types of personalities, and are believed to reveal one's path to love, prosperity and happiness. Curious to know more? Use the information below to learn more about the 12 signs. Rat people are loyal, honest, and talented. They are also very charming, thrifty, and diligent. In China, it is considered an honor to be born under this sign. Add to their thriftiness an enterprising character. They are born to lead; thus making them good employers. They prosper in almost all ventures. Very seldom would you find Rat people that are not prosperous. They are easy to get along with and possess fantastic appeal. They cherish friendships and family relations which is why they hate betrayal. They love to talk, travel and be around people. Most of them are motivated by money and fame. They can be ambitious, selfish, opportunistic, and are perfectionists. They can be good designers, lawyers, TV personalities, advisors, writers, accountants, entrepreneurs, or politicians. Years: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 Compatible with: Ox, Dragon, and Monkey Some Famous Rats: William Shakespeare, Prince Charles, George Washington, Plato, Mozart, and George Bush. Ox is the second sign in the Chinese Zodiac. People signed under the Ox are naturally patient, calm, hardworking, sophisticated, conventional, and honest. They believe in the value of persevering in order to achieve their goals. They are also meticulous when it comes to their work. They take relationships seriously. Without a doubt, they make dependable lifetime partners. Once they make a decision, they stand by it. Oxen can be stubborn, demanding, dogmatic and narrow-minded too. Oxen are born leaders. They make good politicians, bankers, army generals, investment brokers, managers, carpenters, or medical practitioners. Years: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033 Compatible with: Rooster, Snake, and Rat Some Famous Oxen: Vincent Van Gogh, Jon Bon Jovi, Charlie Chaplin, Adolf Hitler, Aristotle, Walt Disney, Saddam Hussein, Eddie Murphy, Princess Diana, Gerard Ford, and Pres. Barack Obama. Tigers are well-loved because they posses attractive qualities. Tigers are powerful, brave, daring, impulsive, passionate, vibrant, and generous. Add to their generosity a heart that's sincere. Approval from others, and not money, is the object of their desire. They want to be established as the leader of the pack. This explains their competitiveness. They are also very optimistic and adventurous. They can be impatient, selfish, quick-tempered, stubborn, and unpredictable. Tiger people can find much success as activists, comedians, explorers, pilots, artists, or business managers. Years: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 Compatible with: Horse, Dog, and Dragon Some Famous Tigers: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Marilyn Monroe, Demi Moore, Tom Cruise, Karl Marx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Marco Polo, and Ludwidg van Beethoven. Rabbit people are said to be wise, kind, loving, sensitive, creative, diplomatic, cautious, understanding, and tactful. It's easy for them to talk their way out of difficult situations without any hassle. They are good listeners which makes them best friend material. They know art when they see one. Rabbits are very stylish. Green is their lucky color. They can be ambitious, moody, opportunistic, and stubborn. They can be successful as fashion designer, teachers, therapists, actors, peace negotiators, ambassadors, writers, and poets. Years: 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 Compatible with: Sheep, Dog and Pig Some Famous Rabbits: Michael Jordan, Confucius, Fidel Castro, Tiger Woods, Pope Benedict XVI, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, David Beckham, Marie Curie, Josef Stalin, and Albert Einstein. Dragon people are confident, zealous, intelligent, strong, loving, protective, ambitious, kind, enthusiastic, and powerful which makes them popular. Dragons are free spirits. They are nonconformists. They hate anything that restricts their creativity and control. They do as they please. Aware of their strengths, Dragons love the spotlight. This can make them conceited, demanding, intolerant, and insensitive. They are their own worst enemies. They can easily find success as politicians, inventors, advertising agents, and campaigners. Years: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 Compatible with: Monkey, Rat, Rooster, and Snake Some Famous Dragons: Joan of Arc, Sigmund Freud, Bruce Lee, John Lennon, Florence Nightingale. Susan B. Anthony, and Martin Luther King. Snake people are deep thinkers. Add to their wisdom, a creative mind. People signed under the Snake are introspective, mysterious, soft-spoken, passionate, creative, careful, strong, and very persuasive. The last attribute reveal their dark, self-centered and ambitious side. They tend to be bad communicators. They like working alone and are self-reliant. Rarely seeking the counsel of others, the Snake like contemplating life's problems. When they are negative, they don't handle rejection well. They can be jealous, possessive, cold, and stubborn. They can be successful writers, councilors, teachers or philosophers. Years: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 Compatible with: Ox, Rooster and Dragon Some Famous Snakes:, Bob Dylan, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Charles Darwin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Mao Tse Dong, Indira Gandhi, Brooke Shields, John F. Kennedy, Pablo Picasso, Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey. Horse people are popular, open-minded, witty, cool, talkative, intelligent, strong, and charismatic. They work well in a group. They are naturally resilient, but they can be arrogant, fickle, childish, rebellious, gullible and rude. They love travelling and being in open spaces, and having an intimate relationship with their partners. Funny and appealing, they can be the life of the party. They like to hang They are good with their hands and they make great performers, hosts, tour operators, publicists, adventurers, politicians, or bartenders. Years: 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 Compatible with: Tiger, Sheep, and Dog Some Famous Horses: Neil Armstrong, Mike Tyson, Jimmy Hendrix, Louis Pasteur, Theodore Roosevelt, Isaac Newton, and James Dean. Sheep are artistic, docile, sincere, understanding, generous, timid, creative, kind-hearted, compassionate and tender. They love beauty, comfort, peace and harmony. Born survivors, they can endure hardships. People love them because they are good-natured. They are said to be good Samaritans and that luck favors them. Sheep can be moody, negative, and over-sensitive. They can be successful artists, entertainers, actors, and designers. Years: 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 Compatible with: Rabbit, Pig, and Horse Some Famous sheep: Jamie Foxx, King George VI, Mark Twain, Rudolph Valentino, Bruce Willis, Michelangelo, and Jane Austen. Monkeys are spontaneous, brainy people well-liked by everyone. They are good at inventing stuff, for there are highly creative and talented. They can strategize, and solve problems easily. They are energetic, flexible, sociable, fun-loving, and practical. Monkeys are Because of their exceptional intelligence, they can be snobbish, manipulative, opportunistic, vain and selfish. They can be successful in any field they choose. They can be business managers, scientists, inventors, troubleshooters, or diplomats. Years: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 Compatible with: Dragon and Rat Some famous Monkeys: Will Smith, Jennifer Anniston, Julius Caesar and Leonardo de Vinci. Roosters always have their hands full. They are enthusiastic about working. They are attractive, shrewd, meticulous deep thinkers. People born in the Year of the Rooster are aggressive, self-assured, decisive, analytical, hardworking, and responsible. They love stylish clothes because they always think about their appearance. They would do anything for their loved ones. They are born perfectionists and are critical, outspoken and opinionated. They can excel as event planners, publicists, entertainers, hosts, or managers. Years: 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 Compatible with: Ox, Snake, and Dragon Some Famous Roosters: Jessica Alba, Catherine the Great, Amelia Earhart, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears Dog people possess wonderful traits. They are good listeners. They are intelligent, sociable, honest, loyal, true, attractive and easy going. They value relationships and are very down-to-earth. Their sense of duty and honor inspires others. Dog people can be lazy, super stubborn and quarrelsome. T hey almost never back out of fights. They are outspoken and never afraid to give you a piece of their mind. They hold firm to the principle. To them, everything is either black or white. You're either a foe or a friend. People born under this sign make good leaders, teachers, health workers, detectives, social activists, or soldiers. Years: 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 Compatible with: Horse, Tiger, and Rabbit Some Famous Dog People: Winston Churchill, Bill Clinton, Benjamin Franklin, Madonna, and Cher People born in the year of the pig are smart, straightforward, peace-loving, loyal individuals. They are optimistic and always see the good in people. They are also intelligent, caring and honest. They love nature which is why they like taking trips to the country. They work behind the scenes. They are modest and may seem aloof, but that's just on the surface. As you get to know them better, you'll discover their bubbly side. When they are negative, they can be gullible and materialistic. They take what people say about them seriously, for they value their reputation. Years: 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 Compatible with: Rabbit and Sheep Some famous Pig People: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Thomas Jefferson, Alfred Hitchcock, and David Letterman