生肖

shēng xiào

CL 个 gè

HSK 3.0 Level 5 Noun Rare

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Definitions

1. one of the twelve animals symbolic of the earthly branches 地支[dì zhī]
2. animal from the Chinese zodiac

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Word relationships

Related words

2 items

• 星座 xīng zuò 星座 xīng zuò constellation Western zodiac sign, contrasted with Chinese zodiac: constellation
• 本命年 běn mìng nián 本命年 běn mìng nián year of one's birth sign, according to the cycle of 12 animals of the earthly branches 地支[dì zhī] the year of one's birth sign, a culturally significant concept: year of one's birth sign, according to the cycle of 12 animals of the earthly branches 地支[dì zhī]

Synonyms

1 item

• 属相 shǔ xiàng 属相 shǔ xiàng colloquial term for 生肖[shēng xiào] the animals associated with the years of a 12-year cycle often used interchangeably in daily speech for one's zodiac animal sign: colloquial term for 生肖[shēng xiào] the animals associated with the years of a 12-year cycle

Usage notes

Collocations

Usually appears as [number] + 个 + 生肖, e.g., 十二个生肖, but 十二生肖 is more common as a set phrase.

Common mistakes

生肖 refers to the 12-animal cycle system; for a person's specific sign, use 属相 or say 我的生肖是…

Example Sentences

1 shown

你知不知道自己的 生肖 是什么？

Do you know what your Chinese zodiac animal is?

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 生肖

• 生肖属相 生肖属相 shēng xiào shǔ xiàng: birth year as designated by animal symbols (mouse, ox, tiger etc)

Child Words of 生肖

• 生 生 shēng: to be born
• 肖 肖 xiào: similar