# 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac



## biankita

Hi everyone! I'm looking for various translations of the animal names in the Chinese Zodiac. The only language I'm fluent in is English and Filipino:

Rat - daga
Ox - kalabaw
Tiger - tigre
Rabbit - kuneho
Dragon - dragon
Snake - ahas
Horse - kabayo
Sheep - tupa
Monkey - unggoy
Rooster - tandang
Dog - aso
Pig - baboy

I hope everyone can help me out with this!


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## Frank06

Hi,

In *Dutch*:
Rat - rat
Ox - os
Tiger - tijger
Rabbit - konijn
Dragon - draak
Snake - slang
Horse - paard
Sheep - schaap
Monkey - aap
Rooster - haan
Dog - hond
Pig - varken


Groetjes,

Frank


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## Chazzwozzer

Hello,

*Turkish:*
Rat - *fare*
Ox - *öküz*
Tiger - *kaplan*
Rabbit - *tavşan*
Dragon - *ejderha*
Snake - *yılan*
Horse - *at*
Sheep - *koyun*
Monkey - *maymun*
Rooster - *horoz*
Dog - *köpek*
Pig - *domuz

*Ekin


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## DrWatson

Hello! Here are the translations in Finnish:

 Rat - *rotta*
Ox - *härkä* or *puhveli*
Tiger - *tiikeri*
Rabbit - *jänis*
Dragon - *lohikäärme*
Snake - *käärme*
Horse - *hevonen*
Sheep - *vuohi *or *lammas*
Monkey - *apina*
Rooster -*kukko*
Dog - *koira*
Pig - *sika*


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## Drechuin

*In French * 

Rat - Le rat
Ox - Le bœuf
Tiger - Le tigre
Rabbit - Le lapin
Dragon - Le dragon
Snake - Le serpent
Horse - Le cheval
Sheep - Le mouton
Monkey - Le singe
Rooster - Le coq
Dog - Le chien
Pig - Le cochon


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## elroy

Arabic:

Rat - جرذ
Ox - ثور
Tiger - نمر
Rabbit - أرنب
Dragon - تنين
Snake - ثعبان
Horse - حصان
Sheep - خروف
Monkey - قرد
Rooster - ديك
Dog - كلب
Pig - خنزير


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## dn88

In Polish (I don't know the reason for these discrepancies, I had done an Internet search before I posted this):

Rat - Szczur
Ox - Bawół (lit.: buffalo)
Tiger - Tygrys
Rabbit - Królik
Dragon - Smok
Snake - Wąż
Horse - Koń
Sheep - Koza (lit.: goat)
Monkey - Małpa
Rooster - Kogut
Dog - Pies
Pig - Świnia


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## Outsider

From the Wikipedia in Portuguese:

Rat - *Rato* or *Camundongo*
Ox - *Boi* or *Búfalo* (=Buffalo)
Tiger - *Tigre*
Rabbit - *Coelho* or *Lebre* (=Hare)
Dragon - *Dragão*
Snake - *Cobra* or *Serpente*
Horse - *Cavalo*
Sheep - *Cabra* (=Goat) or *Carneiro* (=Ram)
Monkey - *Macaco*
Rooster - *Galo*
Dog - *Cão*
Pig - *Porco* or *Javali* (=Boar)


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## juronjaure

in German:
Rat - *Ratte*
Ox - *Ochse*
Tiger - *Tiger*
Rabbit - *Hase*
Dragon -*Drache*
Snake - *Schlange*
Horse - *Pferd*
Sheep - *Schaf*
Monkey - *Affe*
Rooster - *Hahn*
Dog - *Hund*
Pig - *Schwein*


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## Whodunit

juronjaure said:


> in German:
> Ox - *Ochse*


 
That would be the literal translation. Nevertheless, the correct name for the Chinese Zodiac sign 牛 is "*Büffel*" in German.


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## Eva Maria

In Catalan:

Rat - *Rata*
Ox - *Bou*
Tiger - *Tigre*
Rabbit - *Conill*
Dragon -*Drac*
Snake - *Serp*
Horse - *Cavall*
Sheep - *Cabra*
Monkey - *Mico*
Rooster - *Gall*
Dog - *Gos*
Pig - *Senglar*

Eva Maria

NOTE: I've always heard about The Year of the Goat, but I imagine it can be also said The Year of the Sheep.


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## DearPrudence

I don't speak Chinese but in French, what is commonly seen is very close to the Portuguese version:


Drechuin said:


> Rat - *Le rat*
> Ox - *Le bœuf*
> Tiger - *Le tigre*
> Rabbit - *Le lapin *(rabbit)* / le lièvre *(hare)
> Dragon - *Le dragon*
> Snake - *Le serpent*
> Horse - *Le cheval*
> Sheep - *Le mouton */ more frequently* le bouc *(goat)* / la chèvre* (she-goat)
> Monkey - *Le singe*
> Rooster -* Le coq*
> Dog -* Le chien*
> Pig - *Le cochon*





Eva Maria said:


> NOTE: I've always heard about The Year of the Goat, but I imagine it can be also said The Year of the Sheep.


Same for me, I remember it because my mother was born the year of the goat & she is an Aries (= ram in French)


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## elroy

Ok, I thought we were just translating the names of the animals, not necessarily giving the words that are normally used. 

I just did a search and found a list with the following differences from the translations I provided:

Rat - The translation given is فأر, with actually means "mouse." My translation, جرذ, is given in parentheses.
Rabbit - هر - which means "cat"! - is given in parentheses along with my translation.
Snake - The entry given is أفعى, which is a synonym of my translation.
Sheep - عنزة - which means "goat" - is given in parentheses along with my translation


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## deine

*In Lithuanian: 

*Rat - Žiūrkė
Ox - Jautis
Tiger - Tigras
Rabbit - Triušis (or we say Katinas which means "cat")
Dragon - Drakonas
Snake - Gyvatė
Horse - Arklys
Sheep - Ožka (it means "goat")
Monkey - Berždžionė
Rooster - Gaidys
Dog - Šuo
Pig - Klaulė


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## suslik

*In Estonian:*

Rat - rott
Ox - härg
Tiger - tiiger
Rabbit - jänes
Dragon - draakon
Snake - madu
Horse - hobune
Sheep - lammas
Monkey - ahv
Rooster - kukk
Dog - koer
Pig - siga


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## RiRiRi

In Russian:
Rat - крыса 
Ox - бык
Tiger - тигр
Rabbit - заяц
Dragon - дракон
Snake - змея
Horse - лошадь
Sheep - овца
Monkey - обезьяна
Rooster - петух
Dog - собака
Pig - свинья


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## ramen

한국어로는 ...

Rat - 쥐 - j(w)i
Ox - 황소 - hwang-so
Tiger - 호랑이 - ho-rang-i
Rabbit - 토끼 - to-ggi
Dragon - 용 - yong
Snake - 뱀 - baem
Horse - 말 - mal
Sheep - 양 - yang
Monkey - 원숭이 - wŏn-sung-i
Chicken - 닭 - tak
Dog - 개 - gae
Pig - 돼지 - d(w)ae-ji


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## aceituna

In Spanish:

Rat - Rata
Ox - Buey
Tiger - Tigre
Rabbit - Conejo
Dragon - Dragón
Snake - Serpiente
Horse - Caballo
Sheep - Oveja
Monkey - Mono
Rooster - Gallo
Dog - Perro
Pig - Cerdo


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## biankita

elroy said:


> Arabic:
> 
> Rat - جرذ
> Ox - ثور
> Tiger - نمر
> Rabbit - أرنب
> Dragon - تنين
> Snake - ثعبان
> Horse - حصان
> Sheep - خروف
> Monkey - قرد
> Rooster - ديك
> Dog - كلب
> Pig - خنزير


 
This is great...  Unfortunately, I have no knowledge of reading Arabic . Can anyone give the pronunciations of these?


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## Lello4ever

In Italian

Rat - Topo
Ox - Bufalo
Tiger - Tigre
Rabbit - Coniglio (lepre)
Dragon - Drago
Snake - Serpente
Horse - Cavallo
Sheep - Pecora (capra)
Monkey - Scimmia
Rooster - Gallo
Dog - Cane
Pig - Maiale (cinghiale)


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## Alijsh

In Persian:

Rat - Mush (= mouse)
Ox - Gâv
Tiger - Babr
Rabbit - Khargush
Dragon - Ezhdehâ
Snake - Mâr
Horse - Asb
Sheep - Gusfand
Monkey - Meymun
Rooster - Khorus
Dog - Sag
Pig - Khuk


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## OldAvatar

Romanian

Rat - Şobolan
Ox - Bivol (_buffalo_) (in Romanian is translated as a _buffalo_; ox = bou)
Tiger - Tigru
Rabbit - Iepure
Dragon - Dragon
Snake - Şarpe
Horse - Cal
Sheep - Capră (_goat_) (again, the Romanian translation mentions a goat, not a sheep; _sheep _= *oaie*; I noticed that there is a similar situation in Italian)
Monkey - Maimuţă
Rooster - Cocoş
Dog - Câine
Pig - Mistreţ (the word is describing a _wild boar_ = *porc mistreţ* and not a _pig_)


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## Outsider

OldAvatar, does _iepure_ mean "rabbit", or "hare"?


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## OldAvatar

Outsider said:


> OldAvatar, does _iepure_ mean "rabbit", or "hare"?



Romanian doesn't make much of a distinction between a _rabbit _and a _hare. _In Romanian_ hare _is called *iepure de câmp *_ (_meaning_ - rabbit living on plains) _or *iepure sălbatic *_(wild rabbit)_ while a _rabbit _is just *iepure *or* iepure de casă* (rabbit living in the house). But very few use *iepure de câmp *or *iepure sălbatic *etc*.*


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## .Lola.

In Czech:

Rat - Krysa
Ox - Buvol
Tiger - Tygr
Rabbit - Zajíc (=hare)
Dragon - Drak
Snake - Had
Horse - Kůň
Sheep - Koza (=goat)
Monkey - Opice
Rooster - Kohout
Dog - Pes
Pig - Vepř


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## Lugubert

Swedish:

Rat - Råtta
Ox - Oxe (you'll also find _tjur_ 'bull')
Tiger - Tiger
Rabbit - Hare (some sources write _kanin_ 'rabbit')
Dragon - Drake
Snake - Orm
Horse - Häst
Sheep - Får (more often; perhaps seen as a cozier animal than the equally possible translation _get_ 'goat')
Monkey - Apa (Zoologically, an ape is a _människoapa_)
Rooster - Tupp
Dog - Hund
Pig - Gris (one site has _svin_ 'swine')

The year of the snake, for example, is translated using the definite form: _Ormens år_. Råttans, oxens, tigerns, harens, drakens, ormens, hästens, fårets, apans, tuppens, hundens, grisens år.


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## noncasper

*In Vietnamese*
Rat - Chuột
Ox - Trâu
Tiger - Cọp
Rabbit - Thỏ
Dragon - Rồng
Snake - Rắn
Horse - Ngựa
Sheep - Dê
Monkey - Khỉ
Rooster - Gà
Dog - Chó
Pig - Heo


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## barbiegood

In Hungarian

Rat - Patkány
Ox - Bivaly
Tiger - Tigris
Rabbit - Nyúl
Dragon - Sárkány
Snake - Kígyó
Horse - Ló
Sheep - Kecske - although actually this word means the goat, i wonder why
Monkey - Majom
Rooster - Kakas
Dog - Kutya
Pig - Disznó


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## Nizo

In *Esperanto*:
Rat - *Rato*
Ox - *Bovo*
Tiger - *Tigro*
Rabbit - *Kuniklo*
Dragon -*Drako*
Snake - *Serpento*
Horse - *Ĉevalo*
Sheep - *Ŝafo*
Monkey - *Simio*
Rooster - *Koko*
Dog - *Hundo*
Pig - *Porko*


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## chicagriega

In Greek:
Rat - αρουραίος 
Ox - αλεπού
Tiger - τίγρης
Rabbit - λαγός
Dragon - δράκος
Snake - φίδι
Horse - άλογο
Sheep - πρόβατο
Monkey - μαιμού
Rooster - κόκορας
Dog - σκύλος
Pig - γουρούνι


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## mataripis

biankita said:


> Hi everyone! I'm looking for various translations of the animal names in the Chinese Zodiac. The only language I'm fluent in is English and Filipino:
> 
> Rat - daga
> Ox - kalabaw
> Tiger - tigre
> Rabbit - kuneho
> Dragon - dragon
> Snake - ahas
> Horse - kabayo
> Sheep - tupa
> Monkey - unggoy
> Rooster - tandang
> Dog - aso
> Pig - baboy
> 
> I hope everyone can help me out with this!


Dragon in ethnic Philippine language is "ROWAROY".


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## OneStroke

Don't think anyone will have trouble finding the Chinese online, but anyway.

Rat - 鼠 鼠 shǔ
Ox - 牛 牛 niú
Tiger - 虎  虎 hǔ
Rabbit - 兔 兔 tù
Dragon - 龍 龙 lóng
Snake - 蛇 蛇 shé
Horse - 馬 马 mǎ
Sheep - 羊 羊 yáng
Monkey - 猴 猴 hóu
Rooster - 雞 鸡 jī
Dog - 狗 狗 gǒu
Pig - 豬 猪 zhū


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## Radioh

noncasper said:


> *In Vietnamese*
> Rat - Chuột
> Ox - Trâu
> Tiger - Cọp
> Rabbit - Thỏ
> Dragon - Rồng
> Snake - Rắn
> Horse - Ngựa
> Sheep - Dê
> Monkey - Khỉ
> Rooster - Gà
> Dog - Chó
> Pig - Heo



Actually, there's a small difference in the Vietnamese Zodiac. We use buffalo(trâu), cat(mèo) and goat(dê) instead of ox(bò), rabbit(thỏ) and sheep(cừu).
However above names are just normal names. When it comes to zodiac system, we have special names for the animals.
Rat - Tý
Buffalo - Sửu
Tiger - Dần
Cat - Mẹo
Dragon - Thìn
Snake - Tỵ
Horse - Ngọ
Goat - Mùi
Monkey - Thân
Rooster - Dậu
Dog - Tuất
Pig - Hợi


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## arielipi

Hebrew
Rat - חולדה khulda
Ox - שור shor
Tiger - נמר namer
Rabbit - ארנב arnav
Dragon - דרקון dracon
Snake - נחש nakhash
Horse - סוס sus
Sheep - עז ez
Monkey - קוף לםכ
Rooster - תרנגול tarnegol
Dog - כלב kelev
Pig - חזיר khazir


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## ahmedcowon

elroy said:


> Arabic:
> 
> Rat - جرذ
> Ox - ثور
> Tiger - نمر
> Rabbit - أرنب
> Dragon - تنين
> Snake - ثعبان
> Horse - حصان
> Sheep - خروف
> Monkey - قرد
> Rooster - ديك
> Dog - كلب
> Pig - خنزير



Rat - فأر /fa'r/ (mouse)
Ox - ثور /thawr/
Tiger - نمر /namir/
Rabbit - أرنب /arnab/
Dragon - تنين /tinneen/
Snake - ثعبان /thu3baan/
Horse - حصان /ħisaan/
Sheep - عنزة /'anza/ (goat)
Monkey - قرد /qird/
Rooster - ديك /deek/
Dog - كلب /kalb/
Pig - خنزير /khinzeer/


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## apmoy70

chicagriega said:


> In Greek:
> Rat - αρουραίος
> Ox - αλεπού βούβαλος
> Tiger - τίγρης
> Rabbit - λαγός
> Dragon - δράκος
> Snake - φίδι
> Horse - άλογο ίππος
> Sheep - πρόβατο γίδα
> Monkey - μαιμού πίθηκος
> Rooster - κόκορας πετεινός
> Dog - σκύλος
> Pig - γουρούνι χοίρος


*«Αρουραίος»* [aru're.os] (masc.) --> _rat_ < Classical adj.*«ἀρουραῖος μῦς» ărouraîŏs mûs* (both masc.) --> _field vole_ < Classical fem. noun *«ἄρουρᾱ» ắrourā* --> _earth, ground, arable land_ (PIE *h₂erh₃-, _to plough, plow_ cf Lat. arāre, _to plough, plow_).
*
«Βούβαλος»* ['vuvalos] (masc.) --> _buffalo_ < Classical masc. noun *«βούβαλος» boúbālŏs* --> _antilope, buffalo_ (with obscure etymology according to Beekes and Babiniotis; the word seems to contain *«βοῦς» boûs* (masc.) --> _ox_ but this is rather a secondary association, as the  formation is unclear). 
*
«Τίγρη»* ['tiɣri] (fem.) < Classical 3rd declension fem. noun *«τίγρις» t**í**grīs* --> _tiger_ < an Oriental (Persian?) loanword according to Strabo (perhaps from Avestan tigri, _arrow_ cognate with Skt. adj. तिग्म (tigma), _pointed_): 
«Τοὔνομα Μήδων _τίγριν_ καλούντων το τόξευμα»
"for the Medes call an arrow, _tigris_" (Strabo Geography, 11:14.8).
*
«Λαγός»* [la'ɣos] (masc.) < Classical masc. noun *«λαγώς» lāgṓs* (Doric *«λαγός» lāgós*) --> _hare, rabbit_ (with obscure etymology; perhaps from adj. *«λαγαρός» lăgārŏs* --> _slack_ + neut. noun *«οὖς» oûs* --> _ear_ --> _(the animal) with flabby ears_.
*
«Δράκος»* ['ðrakos] (masc.) < Classical 3rd declension masc. noun *«δράκων» drā́kōn* --> _dragon, serpent_ (PIE *drḱ-, _to look at_ cf (on the assumption that the dragon was  named after its paralyzing sight) Skt. दृश् (dRz), _sight, view_).
*
«Φίδι»* ['fiði] (neut.), aphetic form of Byz. neut. diminutive *«ὀφίδιον» ophídion* < Classical 3rd declension masc. noun *«ὄφις» ópʰīs* --> _snake_ (PIE *h₃egʷʰi-, _snake_ cf Skt. अहि (ahi), _snake_).
*
«Ίππος»* ['ipos] (masc.) < Classical masc. & fem. noun *«ἵππος» híppŏs* --> _horse, mare_ (PIE *h₁eḱuo-, _horse_ cf Skt. अश्व    (aśva), _horse_; Lat. equus, _horse_).
*
«Γίδα»* ['ʝiða], aphetic feminine form of Byz. neut. diminutive *«αἰγίδιον» aigídion* < Classical 3rd declension fem. noun *«αἶξ» aîks* --> _goat_ (PIE *h₂eiǵ-, _goat_ cf Skt. अजा (ajā), _goat_).
*
«Πίθηκος»* ['piθikos] (masc.) < Classical masc. noun *«πίθηκος» pítʰēkŏs* --> _ape, monkey_ (with obscure etymology).
*
«Πετεινός»* [peti'nos] (masc.) < Classical adj. *«πετεινός» pĕteinós* (masc.) --> _full-fledged, winged_; as a nominalised adj. (masc.) --> _rooster, cock_ < Classical deponent v. *«πέτομαι» pétŏmai* --> _to fly_ (PIE *pet-, _to fly_ cf Skt. पतति (patati), _to fall_; Hitt. patti-, _to run, fly_; Lat. petere, _to seek, aim at, desire_).  
*
«Σκύλος»* ['scilos] (masc.) --> _dog_ < Koine masc. noun *«σκύλος» skúlŏs* & *«σκύλλος» skúllŏs* --> _young dog, puppy_ < Classical 3rd declension masc. noun *«σκύλαξ» skúlāks* (with the same meaning), with obscure etymology, possibly of pre-Greek origin (although its similarity to the Lithuanian skalikas, _barking dog_, is striking).
*
«Χοίρος»* ['çiros] (masc.) --> _pig_ < Classical masc. & fem. noun *«χοῖρος» kʰoîrŏs* --> _(young) pig, piglet, sow_ (with obscure etymology, from a possible PIE root *gʰoiro-, _fat_ cf Arm. գեր (ger), _obese_; Rus. жир, _animal fat, grease_).


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