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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing the classifier 生 (shēng) for zodiac animals

    Numbers & Quantity
    Time Expressions

    Structure

    十二 + 生肖

    Explanation

    生 (shēng) in the context of 生肖 (shēngxiào) refers to the Chinese zodiac system. The term 十二生肖 (shí'èr shēngxiào) means "the twelve zodiac animals." Each year in the twelve-year cycle is represented by a different animal, and a person's birth year determines their zodiac sign.

    Examples

    • 你属什么生肖？我属龙。

      nǐ shǔ shénme shēngxiào? wǒ shǔ lóng.

      What's your zodiac sign? Mine is the dragon.

    • 十二生肖里，我最喜欢兔子。

      shí'èr shēngxiào lǐ, wǒ zuì xǐhuān tùzi.

      Among the twelve zodiac animals, I like the rabbit the most.

    • 今年是蛇年，是我的本命年。

      jīnnián shì shé nián, shì wǒ de běnmìngnián.

      This year is the Year of the Snake — it's my birth year.

    Expressing the classifier 生 (shēng) for zodiac animals | Chinese Grammar