A Simple Guide to Zodiac Signs in Chinese

So you want to talk about zodiac signs in Chinese? Mandarin has a separate word for each system: 星座 (xīngzuò) for the Western star signs and 生肖 (shēngxiào) for the 12 Chinese zodiac animals.

Most of this guide teaches the 12 Western star signs. Further down you’ll find the 12 Chinese zodiac animals with characters, pinyin and birth years.

Chinese Zodiac: 中国十二生肖 zhōngguó shí’èr shēngxiào

Western Zodiac: 西方十二星座 xīfānɡ shí èr xīnɡ zuò

Well, you’ve come to the right place! We’ll break down every Western star sign in Chinese, with its symbol, element, ruling planet and personality traits.

There’s BONUS vocabulary too, including the phrases you need to ask someone their star sign or zodiac animal.

Each Zodiac Sign in Chinese has a corresponding element and planet. Here is a breakdown of the elements:

• Fire – 火 huǒ
• Earth – 土 tǔ
• Air – 风 fēng (the air signs are called 风象星座 fēngxiàng xīngzuò)
• Water 水 shuǐ

Zodiac Signs in Chinese

Aries in Chinese (March 21 – April 19)

Taurus in Chinese (April 20 – May 20)

Gemini in Chinese (May 21 – June 20)

Cancer in Chinese (June 21 – July 22)

Leo in Chinese (July 23 – August 22)

Virgo in Chinese (August 23 – September 22)

Libra in Chinese (September 23 – October 22)

Scorpio in Chinese (October 23 – November 21)

Sagittarius in Chinese (November 22 – December 21)

Capricorn in Chinese (December 22 – January 19)

Aquarius in Chinese (January 20 – February 18)

Pisces in Chinese (February 19 – March 20)

The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals (生肖) in Chinese

Zodiac Signs in Chinese – Quiz

Zodiac Signs in Chinese – FAQ

Aries in Chinese (March 21 – April 19)

Aries 白羊座 bái yáng zuò

• Symbol: The Ram 公羊 ɡōnɡ yánɡ
• Element: Fire 火 huǒ
• Ruling planet: Mars 火星 huǒ xīng
• Strengths: determined 坚定 (jiān dìng), confident 自信 (zì xìn), honest 诚实 (chéng shí)
• Weaknesses: impatient 不耐烦 (bú nàifán), impulsive 冲动 (chōng dòng), aggressive 好斗 (hào dòu)

Taurus in Chinese (April 20 – May 20)

Taurus 金牛座 jīn niú zuò

• Symbol: The Bull 公牛 (gōng niú)
• Element: Earth 土 (tǔ)
• Ruling planet: Venus 金星 (jīn xīng)
• Strengths: reliable 可靠 (kě kào), patient 耐心 (nài xīn), practical 实际的 (shí jì de)
• Weaknesses: stubborn 顽固 (wán gù), possessive 占有欲 (zhàn yǒu yù), uncompromising 毫不妥协 (háo bù tuǒxié)

Gemini in Chinese (May 21 – June 20)

Gemini 双子座 shuāng zǐ zuò

• Symbol: The Twins 双胞胎 (shuāng bāo tāi)
• Element: Air 风 (fēng)
• Ruling planet: Mercury 水星shuǐxīnɡ
• Strengths: Gentle 温柔 (wēn róu), affectionate 深情 (shēn qíng), curious 好奇 (hào qí)
• Weaknesses: nervous 紧张 (jǐn zhāng), inconsistent 前后不定 (qiánhòu búdìng), indecisive 犹豫不决 (yóuyù bù jué)

After learning all the zodiac signs in Chinese be sure to check out these 44 feelings in Chinese.

Cancer in Chinese (June 21 – July 22)

Cancer 巨蟹座 jù xiè zuò

• Symbol: The Crab 螃蟹 (páng xiè)
• Element: Water 水 (shuǐ)
• Ruling planet: The Moon 月亮 (yuè liàng)
• Strengths: tenacious 坚韧 (jiān rèn), imaginative 富于想象力 (fù yú xiǎngxiàng lì), loyal 忠诚 (zhōng chéng)
• Weaknesses: pessimistic 悲观的 (bēiguān de), suspicious 多疑 (duō yí), manipulative 爱操控别人 (ài cāokòng biérén)

Leo in Chinese (July 23 – August 22)

Leo 狮子座 shīzi zuò

• Symbol: The Lion 狮子 (shī zi)
• Element: Fire 火 huǒ
• Ruling planet: The Sun 太阳 (tài yáng)
• Strengths: creative 创意 (chuàng yì), passionate 热情 (rè qíng), humorous 幽默 (yōu mò)
• Weaknesses: arrogant 傲慢 (ào màn), stubborn 固执 (gùzhí), lazy 懒惰 (lǎnduò)

Virgo in Chinese (August 23 – September 22)

Virgo 处女座 chǔnǚ zuò

• Symbol: The Virgin 处女 chǔnǚ
• Element: Earth 土 tǔ
• Ruling planet: Mercury 水星shuǐxīnɡ
• Strengths: loyal 忠诚 (zhōng chéng), kind 友善 (yǒu shàn), hardworking 勤奋 (qín fèn)
• Weaknesses: shy 害羞 (hài xiū), worry 担心 (dān xīn), all work and no play 没有乐趣 (méiyǒu lèqù)

Want to learn all the planets in Chinese?

Libra in Chinese (September 23 – October 22)

Libra 天秤座 tiān chèng zuò

• Symbol: The Scales 秤 chèng
• Element: Air 风 (fēng)
• Ruling planet: Venus 金星 jīnxīng
• Strengths: Cooperative 合作 (hé zuò), gracious 友善 (yǒu shàn), social 社交 (shè jiāo)
• Weaknesses: indecisive 优柔寡断 (yōu róu guǎ duàn), avoids confrontations 避免对抗 (bì miǎn duì kàng), will carry a grudge 会怀恨在心 (huì huái hèn zàixīn)

Scorpio in Chinese (October 23 – November 21)

Scorpio 天蝎座 tiān xiē zuò

• Symbol: The scorpion 蝎 (xiē)
• Element: Water 水 (shuǐ)
• Ruling planet: Pluto 冥王星 (míng wáng xīng)
• Strengths: resourceful 机智 (jī zhì), brave 勇敢 (yǒng gǎn), passionate 热情 (rè qíng)
• Weaknesses: distrusting 不信任 (bú xìnrèn), jealous 嫉妒 (jí dù), secretive 诡秘 (ɡuǐ mì)

Sagittarius in Chinese (November 22 – December 21)

Sagittarius 射手座 shè shǒu zuò

• Symbol: The Archer 射手 (shè shǒu)
• Element: Fire 火 (huǒ)
• Ruling planet: Jupiter 木星 (mù xīng)
• Strengths: generous 慷慨 (kāng kǎi), idealistic 理想主义 (lǐxiǎng zhǔyì), great sense of humour 幽默感 (yōumò gǎn)
• Weaknesses: bored easily 容易厌倦 (róngyì yànjuàn), shallow 肤浅 (fū qiǎn), rebel against those in authority 反抗当权者 (fǎnkàng dāngquán zhě)

Capricorn in Chinese (December 22 – January 19)

Capricorn 摩羯座 mó jié zuò

• Symbol: The sea goat 海山羊 (hǎi shānyáng), usually described as 羊头鱼尾 (yáng tóu yú wěi), ‘a goat’s head and a fish’s tail’
• Element: Earth 土 (tǔ)
• Ruling planet: Saturn 土星 (tǔ xīng)
• Strengths: responsible 负责 (fù zé), disciplined 纪律严明 (jìlǜ yánmíng), good managers 优秀的管理者 (yōuxiù de guǎnlǐ zhě)
• Weaknesses: know-it-all 万事通 (wàn shì tōng), unforgiving 记仇 (jì chóu), expecting the worst 期待最坏的情况 (qīdài zuì huài de qíngkuàng)

HOLD THE PHONE!

Or in this case, the lesson on zodiac signs in Chinese…

DID YOU KNOW we have a Chinese Zodiac Calculator? Simply enter your date of birth and learn all there is to know about your Chinese zodiac.

Aquarius in Chinese (January 20 – February 18)

Aquarius 水瓶座 shuǐ píng zuò

• Symbol: The Water Bearer 持水者 (chí shuǐ zhě)
• Element: Air 风 (fēng)
• Ruling planet: Uranus 天王星 (tiān wáng xīng)
• Strengths: original 有独创性 (yǒu dúchuàngxìng), independent 独立的 (dúlì de), humanitarian 人道主义的 (réndào zhǔyì de)
• Weaknesses: temperamental 情绪化 (qínɡxùhuà), uncompromising 不妥协 (bù tuǒxié), aloof 超然 (chāo rán)

Pisces in Chinese (February 19 – March 20)

Pisces 双鱼座 shuāng yú zuò

• Symbol: The fishes 鱼 (yú)
• Element: Water 水 (shuǐ)
• Ruling planet: Neptune 海王星 (hǎi wáng xīng)
• Strengths: compassionate 富有同情心 (fùyǒu tóngqíng xīn), artistic 有艺术天赋 (yǒu yìshù tiānfù), intuitive 直觉敏锐 (zhíjué mǐnruì)
• Weaknesses: fearful 恐惧 (kǒngjù), overly trusting 过度信任 (guòdù xìnrèn), sad 悲伤 (bēi shāng)

The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals (生肖) in Chinese

Now for the other zodiac. The Chinese zodiac is 生肖 (shēngxiào), often called 十二生肖 (shí’èr shēngxiào), ‘the twelve zodiac animals’. It runs on a repeating 12-year cycle tied to the Chinese lunar calendar 农历 (nónglì).

Each year belongs to one animal, always in the same order, from the Rat to the Pig.

Each animal is also paired with one of the 12 Earthly Branches 地支 (dìzhī), the characters traditionally used to count years, months and hours.

You’ll still see them in year names: 2026 is 丙午年 (bǐngwǔ nián), and 午 is the Horse’s branch.

TIP💡 羊 (yáng) covers goats, sheep and rams. That’s why the same year is called the Year of the Goat, the Sheep or the Ram, depending on who you ask. For more vocabulary, see our animal names in Chinese.

How to Find Your Chinese Zodiac Animal

Find your birth year in the table, or add or subtract 12 until you land on one. Born in 1981? Add 12 and you get 1993, so you’re a Rooster.

There’s one catch. The zodiac year starts at Chinese New Year 春节 (Chūnjié), which falls between late January and mid-February, not on January 1. If you were born in January or February, check the Chinese New Year date for your birth year: if you were born before it, you take the previous year’s animal.

For example, someone born on February 10, 2026 is a Snake, because the Year of the Horse only began on February 17. Some fortune-tellers count from 立春 (lìchūn), the Start of Spring around February 4, so you may see both answers.

Want a quick answer? Use our calculator to find your zodiac animal.

Here’s how to ask about signs in conversation:

💡 属 (shǔ) means ‘to belong to’, and it sounds the same as 鼠 (shǔ), Rat. If you’re a Rat, you get the tongue twister 我属鼠 (wǒ shǔ shǔ).

2026: The Year of the Horse 马年

2026 is the Year of the Horse 马年 (mǎ nián). It began on February 17, 2026 and ends on February 5, 2027.

The Year of the Goat 羊年 (yáng nián) starts on February 6, 2027.

2026 is also a Fire Horse year, a combination that comes round only once every 60 years, because the 12 animals are paired with the five elements 五行 (wǔxíng) in a repeating 60-year cycle.

Chinese Zodiac Animal Personalities

Just like the Western star signs above, each Chinese zodiac animal comes with traditional personality traits. Here is one common trait for each, which also doubles as useful adjective vocabulary.

💡 These are folk traditions, so you’ll see slightly different traits on different sites. Try saying 我属虎，所以很勇敢 (wǒ shǔ hǔ, suǒyǐ hěn yǒnggǎn), “I’m a Tiger, so I’m brave”, to practise the 属 (shǔ) pattern.

Chinese Zodiac Compatibility and Opposite Signs

Traditional matchmaking uses two simple patterns from the 12-animal cycle. Animals four years apart form a friendly group called 三合 (sānhé), “three harmonies”. Animals six years apart sit opposite each other and form a 六冲 (liùchōng), “six clashes”, pair.

TIP💡 Treat these as cultural folklore rather than a verdict on a relationship. They do make good conversation practice: try 我们是三合 (wǒmen shì sānhé), “we’re a friendly match”, with a Mandarin-speaking friend.

Why Are There 12 Zodiac Animals?

The number 12 comes from early Chinese timekeeping. Astronomers tracked Jupiter, called 岁星 (suìxīng), ‘the year star’, which takes roughly 12 years to circle the sun. The 12 Earthly Branches also counted the months of the year and the 12 two-hour periods of the day.

The order of the animals comes from legend. In the best-known version, the Jade Emperor 玉皇大帝 (Yùhuáng Dàdì) held a great race, and the clever Rat rode on the Ox’s back before jumping off to finish first.

You can read the full story in our guide to the origin of the Chinese zodiacs.

Learning this vocabulary with a native-speaker teacher is the fastest way to make it stick. Find your perfect Mandarin program.

Zodiac Signs in Chinese – Quiz

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Zodiac Signs in Chinese – FAQ

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