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The Vietnamese zodiac (Vietnamese: Mười hai con giáp) is the traditional Vietnamese classification scheme based on the lunar calendar that assigns an animal and its reputed attributes to each year in a repeating 12-year cycle. The Viet lunar calendar is divided into 60-year cycles known as hồi. Each of these consists of five 12-year animal cycles.[1]
The Vietnamese zodiac is originated from the Chinese zodiac in its usage and arrangement of animals, but replaces the ox with the water buffalo and the rabbit with the cat.[1] The Vietnamese zodiac uses cat instead of rabbit due to the pronunciation of the rabbit in Chinese writing: 卯 is very similar to the Vietnamese word Mèo for cat.[2]
| Zodiac animal sign | Vietnamese zodiac | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Rat | Tý | Welcomed as a bringer of good luck |
| Water buffalo | Sửu | Associated with riches achieved through hard work |
| Tiger | Dần | Warm-hearted yet fearsome, and brave in the face of danger |
| Cat | Mão | Known to be tranquil, realistic, intelligent and artistic |
| Dragon | Thìn | Imperial symbol, associated with the male element yang |
| Snake | Tỵ | Enigmatic, wise, and like to live well |
| Horse | Ngựa | Signifies freedom and confidence |
| Goat | Mùi | Associated with creativity and good taste |
| Monkey | Khỉ | Versatile and mischievous; associated with inventors, entertainers, and anything ingenious |
| Rooster | Dậu | Brave and resilient, but can also be self-absorbed and pretentious |
| Dog | Tuất | Considered lucky, loyal, and likeable |
| Pig | Hợi | Honest, patient, and also associated with virility |
