Your zodiac animal, in ink.
Each of the twelve animals is a single Chinese character. Find yours, see what it means and which signs it matches, and try it in seven brush styles before you take it to your artist.
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The twelve animals
Each carved as a seal in small seal script (篆书), the ancient form that still looks like the animal. Open one for its meaning, every year since 1936 and all seven brush styles.
- 鼠 shǔ1984 · 1996 · 2008 · 2020Quick-witted, resourceful and charming.
- 牛 niú1985 · 1997 · 2009 · 2021Dependable, patient and hard-working.
- 虎 hǔ1986 · 1998 · 2010 · 2022Brave, confident and full of energy.
- 兔 tù1987 · 1999 · 2011 · 2023Gentle, elegant and kind.
- 龙 lóng1988 · 2000 · 2012 · 2024Ambitious, charismatic and lucky.
- 蛇 shé1989 · 2001 · 2013 · 2025Wise, intuitive and composed.
- 马 mǎ1990 · 2002 · 2014 · 2026Free-spirited, warm and lively.
- 羊 yáng1991 · 2003 · 2015 · 2027Creative, gentle and compassionate.
- 猴 hóu1992 · 2004 · 2016 · 2028Clever, playful and inventive.
- 鸡 jī1993 · 2005 · 2017 · 2029Observant, hard-working and honest.
- 狗 gǒu1994 · 2006 · 2018 · 2030Loyal, sincere and protective.
- 猪 zhū1995 · 2007 · 2019 · 2031Generous, easy-going and sincere.
Matches and clashes
Chinese astrology groups the animals into four trios that bring each other luck, and pairs each animal with the opposite it clashes with. A full reading compares whole charts, not just signs.
- 鼠 龙 猴Rat, Dragon, Monkey
- 牛 蛇 鸡Ox, Snake, Rooster
- 虎 马 狗Tiger, Horse, Dog
- 兔 羊 猪Rabbit, Goat, Pig
- 鼠马Rat and Horse
- 牛羊Ox and Goat
- 虎猴Tiger and Monkey
- 兔鸡Rabbit and Rooster
- 龙狗Dragon and Dog
- 蛇猪Snake and Pig
Beyond your birth year
Everyone born in your year shares your animal.
Chinese astrology looks first at your Day Master, the element of the day you were born, and at the balance of all eight characters in your chart. The free reading shows yours in 30 seconds.
Before you get it inked
Pick a style that suits the size
Regular script stays legible small; running and cursive scripts want a few centimetres to breathe; seal script reads as art more than words.
Mind the slang
鸡 Rooster and 猪 Pig carry everyday slang meanings. Writing 属鸡 or 属猪, “born in the year of”, keeps the zodiac meaning clear.
Simplified or traditional
Dragon 龍, Horse 馬, Rooster 雞 and Pig 豬 have fuller traditional forms. Both are correct; choose by the look you want.
Take a stencil, not a screenshot
Bring a clean, high-resolution file to your artist and ask a fluent reader to check it before the needle touches skin.
About Chinese zodiac tattoos
What are the twelve Chinese zodiac animals in order?
Rat 鼠, Ox 牛, Tiger 虎, Rabbit 兔, Dragon 龙, Snake 蛇, Horse 马, Goat 羊, Monkey 猴, Rooster 鸡, Dog 狗, Pig 猪. The cycle repeats every twelve years.
How do I find my Chinese zodiac animal?
Find your birth year with the year finder or on the animal cards. In everyday use each zodiac year begins at Chinese New Year (between 21 January and 20 February), and in Chinese astrology at the start of spring (around 4 February), so if you were born in January or early February your sign may be the previous year's animal. The free Chinese element calculator works it out from your exact birth date.
Should a zodiac tattoo use simplified or traditional characters?
Both are correct. Most zodiac characters are the same in both; the Dragon (龙 / 龍), Horse (马 / 馬), Rooster (鸡 / 雞) and Pig (猪 / 豬) have fuller traditional forms that suit larger pieces, while simplified forms stay clear at small sizes.
Is a single zodiac character a good tattoo?
Yes. Each animal is a real, everyday character, so Chinese readers will understand it. A few characters have everyday slang meanings worth knowing, which each animal's page explains. Show your stencil to a fluent reader before your appointment.
Which zodiac animals are compatible?
Chinese astrology groups the animals into four “three harmonies” trios that bring each other luck, and six pairs that sit opposite each other in the cycle and clash. The chart on this page shows both; a full reading compares whole charts, not just signs.