生肖 shēngxiào Chinese zodiac animal
one of the twelve animals symbolic of the earthly branches 地支; animal from the Chinese zodiac
How to remember 生肖: 生 life + 肖 to resemble = Chinese zodiac animal.
Characters
How it is used
- The Chinese zodiac animal (one of the twelve) - 你的生肖是什么？ (nǐ de shēngxiào shì shénme?) what's your zodiac animal?; 十二生肖 the twelve zodiac animals.
- Often used interchangeably with 属相 (shǔxiàng); the question 'what year were you born' is really asking your 生肖.