Vietnamese Zodiac And Your Zodiac Sign: A Traveler’s Guide
- Sean Phillips
- January 22, 2026 0
- 5 mins read

Curious about how Vietnam maps time with creatures and elements? In this overview, the 12 animals, the five-element cycle, key contrasts with the Chinese zodiac, and a practical calculator for your zodiac sign and compatibility are laid out simply for quick use.
Beyond cute icons on souvenirs, this cultural zodiac blends folklore, seasonal farming rhythms, and classical Eastern astrology. Visitors exploring Vietnamese culture can read personality hints, see how the lunar calendar shapes rituals and business openings, and understand choices people make around relationships and festivals.
This guide unpacks the twelve Vietnamese zodiac animals and the five Vietnamese zodiac elements, recounts the Great Race origin, compares Vietnamese zodiac vs Chinese zodiac traditions, and shows how to use a Vietnamese zodiac calculator to identify your animal sign. You will also see how a zodiac year is tracked, which element governs your birth year, and why many Vietnamese people still consult these patterns.
Cultural Roots and the Great Race in the Zodiac System
Across the country, one famous tale explains how each zodiac animal gained its station. In the story often called the Great Race, a celestial ruler invites the creatures to cross a wide river; the first dozen to reach the far bank receive a year. The finishing order acts like a codebook, framing virtues, flaws, and personality traits retold in Chinese astrology and local lore.
- Fearless leadership with current-fighting grit — Tiger (Dần).
- Prosperity with easygoing appetite, a harvest-year theme — Pig (Hợi).
- Wily, quick to seize openings, a river legend tactic — Rat (Tý).
- Majesty with benevolence, a helper in myths — Dragon (Thìn).
- Quiet intuition and tact, soft-footed grace — Cat (Mão).
- Restless movement and open-road spirit, travel-friendly — Horse (Ngọ).
- Strategic calm and secrecy, mid-pack cunning — Snake (Tỵ).
- Teamwork across obstacles, crafty collaborators in folktales — Goat (Mùi), Monkey (Thân), Rooster (Dậu).
- Loyal guardianship and playful honesty, village companionship — Dog (Tuất).
- Steadfast labor and rice-field resilience, the water buffalo — Buffalo/Ox (Sửu).
This river-crossing legend anchors everyday talk about identity through the lunar year cycle. Variations exist by region, yet the sequence remains consistent and acts as the framework for the zodiac animal order.
Five Vietnamese Zodiac Elements in Astrology

Alongside the animals, five classical forces—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—cycle with each zodiac animal to create a 60-year pattern. Because an element modifies the animal sign, a Water Tiger and a Fire Tiger will differ in temperament. A Vietnamese zodiac calculator typically reports both your animal and element to build a fuller profile.
- Growth-minded creativity and flexibility — Wood (Mộc).
- Visible drive, heat, and bold decision-making — Fire (Hỏa).
- Grounded patience and practical stability — Earth (Thổ).
- Resolved focus with crisp discipline — Metal (Kim).
- Adaptive intuition, flowing communication, diplomacy — Water (Thủy).
These elements appear in compatibility readings, Feng Shui consultations, matchmaking, and even Lunar New Year gift designs. When giving advice, elders and astrologers weigh both the zodiac animal and the governing element.
How To Calculate Your Vietnamese Zodiac Sign

For a precise result, begin with your birth date and the lunar calendar. The easiest path uses a Vietnamese zodiac calculator that converts your Gregorian birthday into its lunar year and returns your animal sign and element. Doing it by hand requires checking whether you were born before or after Tết in that year, then aligning a 12-year animal cycle with a 10-year element cycle to identify the 60-year combination.
For quick verification, a reputable resource is available here: https://fengshuielite.com/zodiac-signs/. A calculator reduces errors, often adds lucky colors and numbers, and sometimes notes Chinese zodiac compatibility based on your element and animal pairing.
Vietnamese Zodiac vs Chinese Zodiac
Readers often compare the two systems because both use a lunar year, a 12-animal cycle, and the same five elements. Yet, in practice, several differences matter when you look up your Chinese zodiac sign alongside your Vietnamese zodiac sign.
- The fourth position features a Cat in Vietnam, whereas many Chinese charts show a Rabbit; this shift reflects language and folklore nuances.
- Cutoff dates around the Lunar New Year differ; people born near Tết sometimes fall under different animals when switching between calendars.
- Local customs in Vietnam highlight agrarian life and community rites, while some Chinese readings emphasize courtly or urban traditions.
- Feng Shui and divination styles blend with folk practices in Vietnam, producing hybrid interpretations beside formal Chinese astrology.
Knowing these distinctions helps when discussing a zodiac year with guides in Hanoi, classic artisans in Hue, or market vendors in Saigon.
12 Vietnamese Zodiac Animals: Meanings and Personality Traits

Below are compact portraits of temperament—useful when reading craft labels or decoding a host’s joke at dinner. Each animal sign is rooted in Vietnamese culture and Chinese astrology, and these summaries reflect widely shared personality traits.
- Adaptable opportunist with quick-witted charm — Rat (Tý).
- Enduring reliability and steady patience — Buffalo/Ox (Sửu).
- Brave competitor with instinctive leadership — Tiger (Dần).
- Diplomatic sensitivity and subtle intelligence — Cat (Mão).
- Visionary charisma with generous ambition — Dragon (Thìn).
- Strategic thinker with calm precision — Snake (Tỵ).
- Freedom-loving dynamism and social energy — Horse (Ngọ).
- Artful care and gentle empathy — Goat (Mùi).
- Playful inventor with persuasive wit — Monkey (Thân).
- Orderly pride and outspoken exactness — Rooster (Dậu).
- Loyal protector with principled fairness — Dog (Tuất).
- Warm sincerity and comfort-seeking patience — Pig (Hợi).
Elemental influence reshapes these archetypes. A Metal Rooster tends toward rigorous standards, a Water Rooster leans into tact, and a Fire Dragon displays more drive than an Earth Dragon.
How Zodiac Thinking Shapes Life and Ceremonies

From Tết lanterns to wedding-date selection, zodiac animal and element pairings influence many choices. Families check auspicious days, small shops choose brand colors and lucky numbers to align with the zodiac year, and households display the year’s creature during the Lunar New Year as a sign of renewal.
Vietnamese Zodiac Signs Recognized by Year of Birth
- 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032 — Rat (Tý)
- 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033 — Buffalo (Sửu)
- 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034 — Tiger (Dần)
- 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035 — Cat (Mão)
- 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036 — Dragon (Thìn)
- 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037 — Snake (Tỵ)
- 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038 — Horse (Ngọ)
- 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039 — Goat (Mùi)
- 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040 — Monkey (Thân)
- 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041 — Rooster (Dậu)
- 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042 — Dog (Tuất)
- 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043 — Pig (Hợi)
Practical Questions on Vietnamese Zodiac and the Lunar Year
About seriousness of advice: In Vietnam, many people consult zodiac guidance at weddings, funerals, business openings, and Tết, ranging from casual interest to deep commitment.
On asking someone’s animal sign: It is usually welcome. Share politely, and the exchange becomes a friendly cultural moment about a zodiac animal and element.
Born in January or February and unsure of your birth year in the system? Because the lunar year starts on Tết, confirm whether your birthday fell before or after that holiday. A calculator will convert the Gregorian date to the correct lunar year.
Rabbit or Cat in the fourth slot? Vietnamese charts almost always show the Cat (Mão), which is a well-known difference from many Chinese zodiac tables.
Do elements change a person’s luck? In local belief, elements adjust tendencies and timing. Practitioners combine animal sign and element to suggest dates, directions in Feng Shui, or moments to launch a venture.
Meet Master Phong Son Dai Phu – A Trusted Expert in Feng Shui Energy Harmony
Meet Master Phong Son Dai Phu, a widely respected Feng Shui consultant known for aligning spaces with balanced energy. Drawing on years of practice, he fuses classical teachings with modern insights to shape homes and workplaces that support prosperity and calm.
Under his guidance, clients worldwide refine living environments and life paths through intentional energy design. Connect via WhatsApp to begin a personalized journey toward spaces that resonate with your true rhythm.
Categories:

Sean Phillips
I’m Sean Phillips, a writer and editor covering and its impact on daily life. I focus on making complex topics clear and accessible, and I’m committed to providing accurate, thoughtful reporting. My goal is to bring insight and clarity to every story I work on.


0 Comment