What animals are in the zodiac?
The twelve zodiac animals are an important part of traditional Chinese culture, representing the cycle of years and people's zodiac animals. The zodiac consists of twelve animals, each animal corresponds to a year, and the cycle is 12 years. The following is a detailed introduction and structured data about the twelve zodiac signs.
1. The Origin of the Twelve Zodiac Signs

The origin of the twelve zodiac animals can be traced back to the ancient Chinese chronology of the heavenly stems and earthly branches. The ancients matched twelve animals with the earthly branches (Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai) to form the concept of the twelve zodiac signs. These animals not only represent the year, but are also given different symbolic meanings.
2. List of animals in the Chinese zodiac
| serial number | zodiac | Corresponding to earthly branches | Common Symbolism |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | rat | son | witty, flexible |
| 2 | cow | Ugly | Diligent and down-to-earth |
| 3 | tiger | Yin | brave, majestic |
| 4 | rabbit | Mao | gentle, agile |
| 5 | dragon | Chen | Noble, auspicious |
| 6 | snake | Si | wisdom, mystery |
| 7 | horse | noon | unrestrained, free |
| 8 | sheep | Not yet | gentle, harmonious |
| 9 | monkey | Apply | smart, lively |
| 10 | chicken | unitary | Trustworthy and diligent |
| 11 | dog | Xu | Loyal, brave |
| 12 | pig | Hai | Rich, honest |
3. The cultural significance of the twelve zodiac signs
The twelve zodiac animals occupy an important position in Chinese culture. They are not only used to mark the year, but are also widely used in folk customs, art and daily life. For example:
4. The combination of hot topics in the past 10 days and the twelve zodiac signs
Recently, topics related to the Chinese zodiac have become increasingly popular on social media, especially discussions about zodiac signs’ fortunes, zodiac signs matching and zodiac signs’ cultural and creative products. The following is the popular content related to the twelve zodiac signs in the past 10 days:
| hot topics | focus of discussion | heat index |
|---|---|---|
| Fortune prediction for the Year of the Snake in 2025 | Analysis on the fortune and health of people born in the Year of the Snake | high |
| Zodiac cultural and creative products are selling well | Year of the Dragon zodiac commemorative coins, blind boxes and other commodities are popular | Middle to high |
| Zodiac Matching Test | Compatibility of Tiger and Horse, Rabbit and Pig Zodiac Combinations | in |
5. Conclusion
As an important symbol of traditional Chinese culture, the twelve zodiac animals not only carry rich historical connotations, but are also closely connected with modern life. Whether it is the discussion of zodiac signs or the popularity of zodiac cultural creation, they all reflect the unique status of the twelve zodiac signs in people's hearts. I hope that through the introduction of this article, you can have a deeper understanding of the animals in the Chinese zodiac and their cultural significance.
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