Do you know your Japanese zodiac sign? In Japan, people use the lunar calendar to determine their zodiac sign. There are 12 signs in the Japanese zodiac, and each sign is represented by an animal. Each animal has different personality traits that are associated with it.
In this blog post, we will discuss the Japanese zodiac signs and animals including what they mean. We will also compare the Japanese zodiac to the Chinese zodiac to see how they differ!
What Are Japanese Zodiac Signs?
There are 12 Japanese zodiac signs, and each sign is represented by an animal. The animals in the Japanese zodiac are:
- Rat
- Ox
- Tiger
- Rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Sheep
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Boar/Pig
The Japanese zodiac signs are also known as “Eto” which means a year of the animal. The order of the animals in the Japanese zodiac is different than the Chinese zodiac.
Meanings of Japanese Zodiac Signs or Animals
1. Rat
The rat is the first animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Rat are said to be intelligent, charming, and hardworking.
2. Ox
The ox is the second animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Ox are said to be honest, hardworking, and helpful.
3. Tiger
The tiger is the third animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Tiger are said to be brave, confident, and competitive.
4. Rabbit
The rabbit is the fourth animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Rabbit are said to be gentle, kind, and romantic.
5. Dragon
The dragon is the fifth animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Dragon are said to be confident, brave, and successful.
6. Snake
The snake is the sixth animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Snake are said to be intelligent, wise, and enigmatic.
7. Horse
The horse is the seventh animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Horse are said to be energetic, optimistic, and intelligent.
8. Sheep
The sheep is the eighth animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Sheep are said to be gentle, compassionate, and artistic.
9. Monkey
The monkey is the ninth animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Monkey are said to be witty, intelligent, and playful.
10. Rooster
The rooster is the tenth animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Rooster are said to be hardworking, honest, and loyal.
11. Dog
The dog is the eleventh animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Dog are said to be honest, loyal, and intelligent.
12. Boar/Pig
The boar/pig is the twelfth animal in the Japanese zodiac. People who are born in the Year of the Boar/Pig are said to be honest, optimistic, and hardworking.
Now that we have discussed the meanings of the Japanese zodiac animals, let’s compare the Japanese zodiac to the Chinese zodiac!
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Japanese Zodiac Vs Chinese Zodiac
The Japanese zodiac is similar to the Chinese zodiac in that they both use animals to represent each year and have 12 signs. However, there are some key differences between the two zodiacs.
One difference is that the order of the animals is different. In the Chinese zodiac, the rat is first followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Whereas in the Japanese zodiac, the order goes as rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar.
Another difference is that Chinese zodiac uses lunar years whereas Japanese zodiac uses solar years. This means that the start of each new zodiac year in Chinese culture begins on Chinese New Year which falls on a different date each year. Whereas in Japan, the start of each zodiac year begins on January 1st.
The last main difference is that Chinese zodiac only has yin and yang animals whereas Japanese zodiac has both yin and yang animals as well as a third category called “mythical”. Yin animals are those that are negative in nature such as the snake and dragon. Yang animals are those that are seen as more positive such as the rabbit and horse. Mythical animals include things like the phoenix and qilin which don’t exist in real life. In Japanese zodiac, there is an equal balance of yin, yang, and mythical animals whereas in Chinese zodiac, there is a greater focus on yin and yang with only one mythical animal (the dragon).
Conclusion
So, what does your Japanese zodiac sign say about you? Do you agree with the characteristics associated with your sign? Let us know in the comments below!
