As the legend goes, the 12 Chinese zodiacs came into being after Emperor Jade organized the ‘Great Race’ to help the human race. The order of the 12 animals was assigned on a first come first serve basis. The order of the animals goes as - Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep (Goat), Monkey, Rooster and Pig.
In Western Astrology, the signs are assigned a month, but the Chinese birth animals are assigned a year. Therefore making the Chinese zodiac a repeating cycle of 12 years. So, the people born in a particular year are known to have attributes and traits of the animal of that year.
The transition of one Chinese birth animal to another happens every Lunar New Year. The upcoming Lunar New Year is on 12th February 2021. From that date to 31st January 2022, it will be the Year of Ox.
Each year has particular instinctive traits that are common for people born in that year. Here is the detailed list of the attributes of each animal.
1. Rat
The people associated with the Chinese birth animal Rat are known to be adaptable, clever and quick-witted. They are also sociable and tend to be good at business. Though bearing in mind the nature of Rat, rat people are also overly-cautious and can be timid too.
As per the western astrology, people of Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) birth have similar personality traits to the Rat people.
Rat Years - 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
2. Ox
The Ox people are typically those who are born as Capricorns (22 December - 20 January) according to the western astrology. The people born in the Ox years are considered to be prudent, hard workers, and honest.
They are also family-oriented, patient and ambitious human beings. Ox people are also very stubborn in their opinions and behaviour, and at times they might even come off unsociable.
Ox Years - 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
3. Tiger
The Chinese birth animal Tiger has similarities to Aquarians (21 January - 18 February) as per the western astrology. The people born in the year of Tiger are competitive, daring and fearless.
Tiger people are strong-willed, energetic and trustworthy people. They are also known to take up adventures and challenges and are considered natural leaders. However, their aggressive nature and self-indulgence behaviour can prove to be their shortcoming.
Tiger Years - 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
4. Rabbit
The Chinese birth animal Rabbit symbolizes kindness and elegance. They are also tender and tame and can be quiet and swift when needed. Rabbit people are generous, noble and approachable beings. However, they are also unambitious and indecisive people but prove to be good bureaucrats.
The traits of the Rabbit people correspond to that of the Pisces (19 February - 20 March) zodiac according to the western astrology.
Rabbit Years - 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
5. Dragon
The sole mythical animal in the Chinese zodiac, people born in Dragon years are famous for being mysterious, fiery, and ambitious. They make the best leaders, are honest and tend to work alone. Though, such great qualities are often accompanied by downfalls too.
Dragon people are overly confident and arrogant, and can’t often handle failures or setbacks. Dragon is a birth animal by month for 21 March to April 19 (Aries).
Dragon Years - 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988. 2000, 2012, 2024
6. Snake
Snake as a creature is often seen in a bad light and considered as ruthless and sly, but in fact, they stand for wisdom. As per the Chinese zodiac, snake people are intelligent, decent, humorous and sophisticated. Snakes are also romantic and self-aware species.
However, they can come off as suspicious and lazy because of their observant nature. According to the western astrology, Snake people and Taurus (20 April - May 20) born people share the same traits.
Snake Years - 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
7. Horse
The horse is a birth animal by month for the month of May 21 to June 21 (Gemini). The people born in the Horse year are known to be amicable, easily befriended and passionate.
They are known to fight against injustice and are totally into fashion. They are also insightful and determined people. The backdrop of the Horse people is that they suffer from impatience, short-tempered-ness and impulsiveness.
Horse Years - 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
8. Sheep (Goat)
Also termed as Year of the Goat, people born in these years are sympathetic, shy and meticulous. They love their freedom and very forgiving beings. The Sheep are also hardworking and are looking for ways to quench their thirst for knowledge.
Like the basic nature of Sheep, these people are followers and rarely rebellious. They’re known to be pessimistic and emotional too. Sheep is a party June birth animal and partly July birth animal. As per the western astrology, Sheep are born between June 22 to July 21 (Cancer).
Sheep Years - 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
9. Monkey
Monkey is a July birth animal. People born between 22nd July and 21st August (Leo) are considered to be Monkey people in relation to the western astrology. Monkey people are by far the smartest and intelligent among their peers.
They are grade-A show-offs and possess versatile talents. They are quick learners and aggressive while competing. They, however, lack patience and are often short-sighted. Monkey people can even be labelled as opportunists and dependent.
Monkey Years - 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
10. Rooster
The 10th Chinese birth animal Rooster represents confidence and deep thinking. They are known to be earnest, witty, and shrewd. They are also straightforward, blunt and love flattery. Roosters are chivalrous, righteous and perfectionists.
The weak points of Rooster are that they’re aloof, inconsiderate and narrow-minded. They tend to friend people who may prove useful to them and discard the rest. Rooster is a September birth animal, meaning people born between August 22 to September 22 (Virgo) have similar traits according to the western astrology.
Rooster Years - 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
11. Dog
The Chinese birth animal Dog is loyal, friendly and honest. They are regarded as faithful, straightforward and intuitive. People born in Dog years have high morals and are compassionate.
Dog people are often suspicious and highly dependent. They strive on criticizing others and are argumentative. Dogs are birth animal by month for the months from September 23 - October 22 (Libra).
Dog Years - 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
12. Pig
The Chinese birth animal Pig is known to be realistic, tolerant and optimistic. The people born in the Pig year are frank, generous and simple-minded. They are focused and determined individuals.
They will always stand by their friends and are honest. Their trustworthy nature often gets them duped. Their weakness is that they are impatient and impulsive. The traits of the Pig are common with people born as Scorpios (October 23 - November 21).
Pig Years - 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
If you feel that the personality traits don’t match yours, you should know that the Chinese Zodiac is much more complex and complicated than this. The 12-year repeating cycle in the most basic classification. The 12 animals are also assigned to different hours of the day, based on solar timing.
It’s further divided into five elements (Water, Fire, Metal, Earth and Wood), ten Celestial Stems, and as Yin and Yang. The Chinese people to date follow this zodiac system to decide their careers, relationship, home decor and every other major aspect of life.
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