Chinese Zodiac Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. A sequence ends with Monkey, Rooster. Which three animals correctly continue it?
Dog, Rat, Ox
Goat, Dog, Pig
Pig, Rat, Ox
Dog, Pig, Rat
2. How many animal signs make up the standard Chinese zodiac animal cycle?
Ten
Twelve
Five
Sixty
3. A person born close to the January or February zodiac-year transition wants to verify their animal sign. What is the most reliable next step for a standard calendar-based result?
Compare the full birth date with the exact Chinese New Year date for that year
Use January 1 as the boundary in every case
Choose the animal associated with the birth month
Use the nearest full moon after the birthday
4. Which animal comes immediately after the Dragon in the traditional 12-animal order?
Horse
Snake
Rabbit
Goat
5. Starting with Rat and moving forward six positions in the traditional order, where do you land?
Goat
Snake
Horse
Dragon
6. Which statement best distinguishes the commonly used Chinese zodiac animal sign from a Western sun sign?
The Chinese sign is based only on birthplace, while the Western sign is based only on birth year
The Chinese sign changes monthly, while the Western sign changes yearly
Both systems assign signs using exactly the same calendar boundaries
The common Chinese animal sign is chiefly tied to a birth year, while a Western sun sign is tied to the Sun's zodiac position around the birth date
7. A story begins in a Tiger year and jumps forward by three animal positions. Which sign is reached?
Dragon
Horse
Snake
Rabbit
8. Two people share an August birthday exactly 12 years apart, and both dates fall well after Chinese New Year in their respective years. What should they share in the basic animal cycle?
The same zodiac animal
The same element but different animals
Opposite animals
Animals three positions apart
9. Traditional Chinese timekeeping also associates animals with two-hour periods. Which period is assigned to the Rat?
Approximately 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Approximately 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Approximately 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Approximately 1 a.m. to 3 a.m.
10. Which set correctly names the Five Phases commonly associated with the larger zodiac cycle?
Air, Fire, Earth, Water, and Spirit
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water
Sun, Moon, Earth, Sky, and Sea
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Solstice
11. Why might the zodiac animal often called the Goat also appear as Sheep or Ram in English?
Goat is the year sign, while Sheep and Ram are month signs
The animal officially changes among three species every year
Each of the Five Phases requires a different farm animal
The underlying Chinese term can be translated with more than one related English animal word
12. In common Chinese zodiac usage, what does ben ming nian refer to?
The month governed by a person's zodiac animal
A year shared by two consecutive zodiac animals
The first year of each 60-year cycle only
A year when a person's own zodiac animal returns, typically every 12 years
13. Which animal appears immediately before the Rat when the zodiac order is treated as a repeating cycle?
Dog
Rooster
Pig
Ox
14. Under the traditional 60-year stem-branch cycle, two dates fall exactly 60 zodiac years apart and on the same side of the relevant year boundary. What combination should recur?
The same animal but necessarily a different phase
The same phase but an opposite animal
The same animal and stem-phase designation
Different animals and phases because no combination repeats
15. Someone was born on January 20. Why is the Gregorian year alone insufficient to identify their Chinese zodiac animal?
The commonly used zodiac year boundary does not necessarily fall on January 1
Each January is assigned two animals at the same time
Zodiac animals are determined only by the month of birth
The animal changes at every full moon
16. Why does the broader traditional calendrical cycle repeat after 60 years rather than after only 12?
A sequence of 10 Heavenly Stems combines with 12 Earthly Branches and realigns after 60 years
The 12 animals are combined with four seasons and a transition period
Extra lunar months are counted until they total 60 years
Each animal governs five consecutive years before the next animal begins