The Chinese Zodiac animals ，is a scheme that relates each year to an animal and its reputed attributes, according to a 12-year cycle. It has wide currency in several East Asian countries besides mainland China and Taiwan.

Do you know the12 zodiac animals ？

The origin of Chinese Zodiac

The Chinese Zodiac came into use in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

It was first used in our western and northern nomad( 游牧民族 ).

It was the combination of animal totems( 图腾 )and the 12 Earthly Branches(12 地支 ) Han people used to designate years.

12 Earthly Branches(12 地支 )

Zi 子 (Earthly Branch 1)---rat Chou 丑 (Earthly Branch 2)---oxYin 寅 (Earthly Branch 3)---tigerMao 卯 (Earthly Branch 4)---rabbitChen 辰 (Earthly Branch 5)---dragonSi 巳 (Earthly Branch 6)---snakeWu 午 (Earthly Branch 7)---horseWei 未 (Earthly Branch 8)---sheepShen 申 (Earthly Branch 9)---monkeyYou 酉 (Earthly Branch 10)---roosterXu 戌 (Earthly Branch 11)---dogHai 亥 (Earthly Branch 12)---pig

Why these animals are arranged in this order?

It related with the main time that the animals’ activity rules of a day.

Rat （ Zi ， 23:00-01:00 ）—— find food

………Snake （ Si ， 09:00-11:00 ）—— keep

warm……..Pig （ Hai ， 21:00-23:00 ）—— sleep

deeply

Chinese Zodiac and Personality

The twelve animals was divide into six group ， and reflect our ancestors ’ hope

The first group-----Rat and Ox Wisdom + hardworking

The second group——Tiger and Rabbit Valiancy + careful

The third group——Dragon and Snake

intrepid + pliable

The fourth group——Horse and Sheep

Precipitant + Unity

The fifth group——Monkey and Rooster

Flexible + constant

The sixth group——Dog and Pig

Loyalty + easygoing

RatA mouse can see only an inch.

（鼠目寸光）

Ox

Cast peals before swine.对牛弹琴

Some idioms about the animals

Tiger Nothing venture, nothing have.

不入虎穴，焉得虎子

Rooster

Wily rooster has three burrows.狡兔三窟

Dragon

long to see one's son succeed in life望子成龙

Snake

A burnt child dreads the fire.一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳

Horse

a horse galloping without a stop 马不停蹄

Sheep

a narrow winding trail羊肠小道

Monkey Among the blind the one-eyed man is king. 山中无老虎，猴子称霸王。

RoosterEven fowls and dogs are not spared. 鸡犬不宁

Dog

A dog will leap over a wall in desperation.狗急跳墙

Pig

Envy always shoots at a high mark.人怕出名猪怕壮