1.十二生肖 英语 谚语 成语

有关12生肖兔的英语谚语精选

rabbit ball （棒球）弹性极好的球

rabbit job 成批作业

与“兔”有关的谚语rabbit warren 养兔场；兔窝式居民区（有许多狭小通道的建筑、街道狭窄而密集的城区）

rabbit foot 兔子的后足（幸运的护符，提起兔子后脚可带来好运）

dust bunny 积尘

booth bunny 促销女郎

(as) mad as a hatter/a March hare 发狂的，非常愚蠢的

First catch your hare.勿谋之过早（意指：不要过于乐观）。

You cannot run with the hare and hunt with hounde.不能两面讨好（意指：不要耍两面派）。

Hares may pull dead lions by the beard./Even rabbits insult an dead lion.虎落平阳被犬欺。

He who follows two hares is sure to catch neither. 追逐两只兔，两头都落空。

2.十二生肖 英语 谚语 成语

有关12生肖兔的英语谚语精选 rabbit ball （棒球）弹性极好的球 rabbit job 成批作业 与“兔”有关的谚语rabbit warren 养兔场；兔窝式居民区（有许多狭小通道的建筑、街道狭窄而密集的城区） rabbit foot 兔子的后足（幸运的护符，提起兔子后脚可带来好运） dust bunny 积尘 booth bunny 促销女郎 （as） mad as a hatter/a March hare 发狂的，非常愚蠢的 First catch your hare.勿谋之过早（意指：不要过于乐观）。

You cannot run with the hare and hunt with hounde.不能两面讨好（意指：不要耍两面派）。 Hares may pull dead lions by the beard./Even rabbits insult an dead lion.虎落平阳被犬欺。

He who follows two hares is sure to catch neither. 追逐两只兔，两头都落空。

3.含有动物名的英文谚语

1.Bird (1) Kill two birds with one stone. 一箭双雕；一举两得。

（2） A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 双鸟在林不如一鸟在手。 （3） Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚，人以群分。

（4） It's an ill bird that fouls own nest. 家丑不可外扬。 （5） Fine feathers make fine birds. 人要衣装，马要鞍。

（6） A bird is known by its note, and a man by his talk. 听音识鸟，闻言识人。 （7） Each bird loves to hear himself sing. 鸟儿都爱听自己唱。

（自我欣赏） （8） You cannot catch old birds with chaff.（粗糠）. 用粗糠捉不住老鸟。（有经验的人难骗。）

（9） Birds in their little nests agree. 同巢之鸟心儿齐。 2. Cat (1) A cat has nine lives.猫有九条命；吉人天相。

（2） Cats hide their claws. 知人知面不知心。 （3） All cats are grey in the dark.. 黑暗之中猫都是灰色的。

（人未出名时看起来都差不多。） （4） A gloved cat catches no mice. 戴手套的猫，老鼠抓不到。

（不愿吃苦的人成不了大事业。） （5） When the weasel and the cat make a marriage, it is a very ill presage. 黄鼠狼和猫结亲，不是好事情。）

（6） Who will bwll the cat？ 谁去给猫系铃？（谁愿意为大家冒风险？） （7） The cat shuts its eyes when stealing cream. 帽偷吃奶油的时候总是闭着眼睛。（掩耳盗铃） （8） There are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with butter. 杀猫的办法很多。

（达到目的的途径很多。） （9） Care kill a cat. 忧虑愁死猫。

3. Chicken (1) Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. 鸡蛋未孵出，先别数小鸡。（不要过早乐观。）

4. Crow (1) A crow is never the whiter for washing herself often. 江山易改，本性难移。 5. Dog (1) He who would hang his dog gives out first that it is mad. 欲加之罪，何患无词. （2） A staff is quickly found to beat a dog with. 欲加之罪，何患无词. （3） Love me, love my dog. 爱屋及乌. （4） Too much pudding will choke a dog. 布丁太多噎死狗。

（5） Every dog has his day. 人人皆有得意时。 （6） Barking dogs don't (seldom) bite. 爱叫的狗很少咬人。

（7） Let sleeping dogs lie. 勿惹事生非。 （8） Dead dogs bite not. 死狗不咬人。

（9） All are not thieves that dogs bark at. 狗见了叫的不一定都是贼。（不要以貌取人。）

（10） Every dog is a lion at home. 狗在家门口就成了狮子。 （11） Don't be a dog (lying) in the manger. 莫学狗占马槽不吃草。

（不要占着茅坑不拉屎。） （12） Dog does not eat dog. 同类不相残。

（13） Scornful dogs will eat dirty puddings. 狗再傲慢也会吃脏布丁。 （14） A son never thinks his mother ugly,and a dog never shuns its owner's home however shabby it is.儿不嫌母丑，狗不嫌家贫。

6. Frog (1) The frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean. 井底之蛙，不知大海。 7. Fox (1) The fox may grow grey, but never good. 狐狸毛色可变灰，但是本性难移。

（2） The fox preys farthest from his hole. 狐狸捕食，远离洞府。（兔子不吃窝边草。）

（3） When the fox preaches, then take care of your geese. 每当狐狸说教，当心鹅群被盗。 （4） When the fox says he is a vegetarian, it's time for the hen to look out. 狐狸说它吃素的时候，母鸡就得注意。

英语中有关动物的谚语（下） 8. Fish (1) The best fish swim near the bottom. 好鱼常在水底游。 （2） Never offer to teach fish to swim. 不要班门弄斧。

（3） Go to the sea, if you would fish well. 不入虎穴，焉得虎子。 （4） There's as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it. 海里的好鱼多的是。

（5） It is a silly fish that is caught twice with the same bait. 智者不上两次档。 （6） If water is noisy, there are no fish in it. 咆哮的水中无鱼。

（夸夸其谈者无真才实学。）。

9. Hare (1) You cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds（猎狗）. 不能既和野兔一起跑又和猎狗一起追。（人不应两面讨好。）

（2） The tortoise wins the race while the hare is sleeping. 兔子睡懒觉，乌龟跑赢了。 10. Horse (1) You can take a horse to the water, but you can't make him drink. 带马到河边容易，逼马饮水难。

（2） Don't ride the high horse. 勿摆架子。 （3） A good horse cannot be of a bad colour. 好马不会毛色差。

（4） A horse may stumble on four feet. 马有四条腿，亦有失蹄时。 （5） A running horse needs no spur. 奔马无需鞭策。

（6） Don't put the cart before the horse. 不要将大车套在马前面。（处理问题应按先后次序，不要本末倒置。）

（7） The common horse is worst shod. 公用之马，掌子最差。 （8） Lock the barn door after the horse is stolen. 失马之后锁马厩。

（亡羊补牢） （9） Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. 馈赠之马，勿看牙口。 （10） Hair by hair you will pull out the horse's tail. 一根一根拔，拔光马尾巴。

（水滴石穿） 11 . Mouse (1) It is a poor mouse that has only one hole. 狡兔三窟。 （2） The mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken. 只有一个洞的老鼠，很快就被抓住。

（3） A speck of mouse dung will spoil a whole pot of porridge. 一粒老鼠屎，坏了一锅粥。 12. Sheep (1) If 。

4.十二生肖的英语单词

12 Chinese Zodiac Signs 一. 鼠——Rat 英语中用以比喻讨厌鬼，可耻的人，告密者，密探，破坏罢工的人；美国俚语指新学生、下流女人。

当看到smell a rat这一词组时，是指人们怀疑在做错某事。a rat race则表示激烈的竞争 。

rats desert a sinking ship（船沉鼠先逃，这一谚语意指那些一遇到危险就争先寻求 安全或一看见困难便躲得老远的人。） 二. 牛——Ox 涉及“牛”的汉语成语很多，如“对牛弹琴”、“牛蹄之涔”等。

英语中涉及“Ox”的表 达方式则不多。用Ox - eyed形容眼睛大的人；用短语The black Ox has trod on sb's foot表示灾祸已降临到某人头上。

三. 虎——Tiger 指凶恶的人，虎狼之徒；英国人指穿制服的马夫；口语中常指比赛的劲敌。中国和东南亚国家常以Paper tiger比喻貌似强大而实质虚弱的敌人。

词组ride the tiger表示以非常不 确定或危险的方式生活。 四. 兔——Hare 在英国俚语中，hare指坐车不买票的人。

与hare组成的词组有：make a hare of sb.愚弄某人。start a hare。

在讨论中提出枝节问题。例如：You start a hare ever time at the meeting.每次讨论你都提出与题无关的问题。

英语中有许多关于兔的谚语，如： 1. First catch your hare.勿谋之过早（意指：不要过于乐观）。 2. You cannot run with the hare and hunt with hounde.不能两面讨好（意指：不要耍两面派）。

五. 龙——Dragon 龙在中国人民的心目中占有崇高的位置，有关龙的成语非常多，且含有褒义。如“龙跃凤鸣”、“龙骧虎步”等。

在外国语言中，赞扬龙的词语非常之少，且含有贬义。如“dragon”指凶暴的人，严厉的人，凶恶严格的监护人，凶恶的老妇人等。

以dragon组成的词组也多含贬义。如dragon's teeth ：相互争斗的根源；排列或多层的楔形反坦克混克混凝土障碍物。

the old Dragon：魔鬼。 六. 蛇——Snake 指冷酷阴险的人，虚伪的人，卑鄙的人；美国俚语指追求和欺骗少女的男子或男阿飞。

由 此看到，在英语中，“snake”往往含有贬义。如： John's behavior should him to be a snake. 约翰的行为表明他是一个冷酷阴险的人。

与snake组成的成语习语、谚语有许多，简举几例： a snake in the grass.潜伏的敌人或危险。 to warm a snake in one's bosom.养虎贻患，姑息坏人。

Takd heed of the snake in the grass.草里防蛇。 七. 马——Horse 英美国家的人很喜欢马，因此，用“horse”这个词组成的词组、成语、谚语非常之多，此举几例： 1. get on the high horse.摆架子，目空一切。

2. work like a horse.辛苦的干活。 3. horse doctor.兽医、庸医。

4. dark horse.竞争中出人意料的获胜者。 如：The voters were surprised when the dark horse won the nomination.那个无名小卒在竞争中获胜时，投票者无不大吃一惊。

八. 羊——Sheep 英语中指害羞而忸怩的人，胆小鬼，驯服的人。有关sheep的谚语不少。

1. As well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb. 偷羊偷羔都是绞（死）；偷大偷小统是贼 （意指：一不做，二不休）。 2. There's a black sheep in every flock. 每一羊群里都会有一只黑羊，丑儿子家家有（意指：每个家里都会有个败家子。）

3. He that makes himself a sheep shall be eaten by the wolf. 甘心做绵羊，早晚喂 豹狼（人弱受人欺）。 4. The sheep who tallks peace with a wolf will soon be mutton. 羊向狼乞求和平，很快就会变成羊肉（意指，切勿向敌人乞求和平）。

九. 猴——Monkey 1、monkey作名词时指顽童、淘气鬼，猴子似的人，易受欺的人。如：What are you doing, you young monkey ！你在干什么呀，小捣蛋鬼！ 2、monkey作动词时指胡闹、瞎弄、捣蛋。

如：Stop monkeying about with the TV set ！不 要瞎弄电视机！ 3、与monkey一词搭配的词组、习语和俚语很多非常有趣。如：put sb's monkey up.使某人生气，激怒某人；Your last word has really put his monkey up.你最后一句话实在使他大为生气；又如：make a monkey of愚弄；a monkey with a long tail.抵押；get the monkey off.戒除吸毒恶习；have a monkey on one's back.毒瘾很深。

十. 鸡——Cock 指首领，头目，神气十足的人，与cock组成的词组多姿多彩，如：Cock of the walk / school.支配别人的人；a cock of the loft / dunghill.在小天地中称王称霸的人；Live like fighting cocke.生活很好，尤指吃得好；Cock - and - bull story.荒诞的故事， 无稽之谈。 用cock表达的谚语：It is a sad house where the hen crows louder than the cock.牝 鸡司晨，家之不祥（意指：丈夫软弱而一切由妻子作主的家庭是不会幸福的，当然这是一 种夫权思想）。

十一. 狗——Dog 汉语中常用“狗”比喻人，如“忠实走狗”、“看家狗”，成语“狗苟蝇营”、“狗彘不若”等。在英语中除了喻人外，还有丰富多彩的词组、谚语等。

dog作名词时指无赖汉，坏蛋、废物，不受喜爱（或欢迎）的人。有时加形容词修饰可指各 种人，如：You dirty dog ！你这个坏小子！a lucky dog.幸运儿；a dumb dog.沉默不语 的人，a sly dog.暗中寻欢的人和暗地里偷鸡摸狗的人；a dog in the manger.占着茅坑 不拉屎的人。

用dog表达的谚语： 1. Barking 。

5.生肖 英文

一. 鼠――Rat

英语中用以比喻讨厌鬼，可耻的人，告密者，密探，破坏罢工的人；美国俚语指新学生、下流女人。当看到smell a rat这一词组时，是指人们怀疑在做错某事。a rat race则表示激烈的竞争 。rats desert a sinking ship（船沉鼠先逃，这一谚语意指那些一遇到危险就争先寻求 安全或一看见困难便躲得老远的人。）

二. 牛――Ox

涉及“牛”的汉语成语很多，如“对牛弹琴”、“牛蹄之涔”等。英语中涉及“Ox”的表 达方式则不多。用Ox - eyed形容眼睛大的人；用短语The black Ox has trod on sb's foot表示灾祸已降临到某人头上。

三. 虎――Tiger

指凶恶的人，虎狼之徒；英国人指穿制服的马夫；口语中常指比赛的劲敌。中国和东南亚国家常以Paper tiger比喻貌似强大而实质虚弱的敌人。词组ride the tiger表示以非常不 确定或危险的方式生活。

四. 兔――Hare

在英国俚语中，hare指坐车不买票的人。与hare组成的词组有：make a hare of sb.愚弄某人。start a hare。在讨论中提出枝节问题。例如：You start a hare ever time at the meeting.每次讨论你都提出与题无关的问题。

五. 龙――Dragon

龙在中国人民的心目中占有崇高的位置，有关龙的成语非常多，且含有褒义。如“龙跃凤鸣”、“龙骧虎步”等。在外国语言中，赞扬龙的词语非常之少，且含有贬义。如“dragon”指凶暴的人，严厉的人，凶恶严格的监护人，凶恶的老妇人等。以dragon组成的词组也多含贬义。如dragon's teeth ：相互争斗的根源；排列或多层的楔形反坦克混克混凝土障碍物。the old Dragon：魔鬼。

六. 蛇――Snake

指冷酷阴险的人，虚伪的人，卑鄙的人；美国俚语指追求和欺骗少女的男子或男阿飞。由 此看到，在英语中，“snake”往往含有贬义。

七. 马――Horse

英美国家的人很喜欢马，因此，用“horse”这个词组成的词组、成语、谚语非常之多。

八. 羊――Sheep

英语中指害羞而忸怩的人，胆小鬼，驯服的人。有关sheep的谚语不少。

九. 猴――Monkey

1、monkey作名词时指顽童、淘气鬼，猴子似的人，易受欺的人。

2、monkey作动词时指胡闹、瞎弄、捣蛋。

3、与monkey一词搭配的词组、习语和俚语很多非常有趣。

十. 鸡――Cock

指首领，头目，神气十足的人，与cock组成的词组多姿多彩。用cock表达的谚语：It is a sad house where the hen crows louder than the cock.牝 鸡司晨，家之不祥（意指：丈夫软弱而一切由妻子作主的家庭是不会幸福的，当然这是一 种夫权思想）。

十一. 狗――Dog

汉语中常用“狗”比喻人，如“忠实走狗”、“看家狗”，成语“狗苟蝇营”、“狗彘不若”等。在英语中除了喻人外，还有丰富多彩的词组、谚语等。

十二. 猪――Boar

在英语中boar一词指未阉割的公猪和公野猪，涉及猪的词语有pig（猪、小猪、野猪），hog（食用猪）、sow（牝猪），swine（猪：旧用法）。十二生肖用boar，比喻贪婪、肮脏、自私的人

6.含动物名称的英语谚语有哪些

英语中有关动物的谚语（上） 1.Bird (1) Kill two birds with one stone. 一箭双雕；一举两得。

（2） A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 双鸟在林不如一鸟在手。 （3） Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚，人以群分。

（4） It's an ill bird that fouls own nest. 家丑不可外扬。 （5） Fine feathers make fine birds. 人要衣装，马要鞍。

（6） A bird is known by its note, and a man by his talk. 听音识鸟，闻言识人。 （7） Each bird loves to hear himself sing. 鸟儿都爱听自己唱。

（自我欣赏） （8） You cannot catch old birds with chaff.（粗糠）. 用粗糠捉不住老鸟。（有经验的人难骗。）

（9） Birds in their little nests agree. 同巢之鸟心儿齐。 2. Cat (1) A cat has nine lives.猫有九条命；吉人天相。

（2） Cats hide their claws. 知人知面不知心。 （3） All cats are grey in the dark.. 黑暗之中猫都是灰色的。

（人未出名时看起来都差不多。） （4） A gloved cat catches no mice. 戴手套的猫，老鼠抓不到。

（不愿吃苦的人成不了大事业。） （5） When the weasel and the cat make a marriage, it is a very ill presage. 黄鼠狼和猫结亲，不是好事情。）

（6） Who will bwll the cat？ 谁去给猫系铃？（谁愿意为大家冒风险？） （7） The cat shuts its eyes when stealing cream. 帽偷吃奶油的时候总是闭着眼睛。（掩耳盗铃） （8） There are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with butter. 杀猫的办法很多。

（达到目的的途径很多。） （9） Care kill a cat. 忧虑愁死猫。

3. Chicken (1) Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. 鸡蛋未孵出，先别数小鸡。（不要过早乐观。）

4. Crow (1) A crow is never the whiter for washing herself often. 江山易改，本性难移。 5. Dog (1) He who would hang his dog gives out first that it is mad. 欲加之罪，何患无词. （2） A staff is quickly found to beat a dog with. 欲加之罪，何患无词. （3） Love me, love my dog. 爱屋及乌. （4） Too much pudding will choke a dog. 布丁太多噎死狗。

（5） Every dog has his day. 人人皆有得意时。 （6） Barking dogs don't (seldom) bite. 爱叫的狗很少咬人。

（7） Let sleeping dogs lie. 勿惹事生非。 （8） Dead dogs bite not. 死狗不咬人。

（9） All are not thieves that dogs bark at. 狗见了叫的不一定都是贼。（不要以貌取人。）

（10） Every dog is a lion at home. 狗在家门口就成了狮子。 （11） Don't be a dog (lying) in the manger. 莫学狗占马槽不吃草。

（不要占着茅坑不拉屎。） （12） Dog does not eat dog. 同类不相残。

（13） Scornful dogs will eat dirty puddings. 狗再傲慢也会吃脏布丁。 （14） A son never thinks his mother ugly,and a dog never shuns its owner's home however shabby it is.儿不嫌母丑，狗不嫌家贫。

6. Frog (1) The frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean. 井底之蛙，不知大海。 7. Fox (1) The fox may grow grey, but never good. 狐狸毛色可变灰，但是本性难移。

（2） The fox preys farthest from his hole. 狐狸捕食，远离洞府。（兔子不吃窝边草。）

（3） When the fox preaches, then take care of your geese. 每当狐狸说教，当心鹅群被盗。 （4） When the fox says he is a vegetarian, it's time for the hen to look out. 狐狸说它吃素的时候，母鸡就得注意。

英语中有关动物的谚语（下） 8. Fish (1) The best fish swim near the bottom. 好鱼常在水底游。 （2） Never offer to teach fish to swim. 不要班门弄斧。

（3） Go to the sea, if you would fish well. 不入虎穴，焉得虎子。 （4） There's as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it. 海里的好鱼多的是。

（5） It is a silly fish that is caught twice with the same bait. 智者不上两次档。 （6） If water is noisy, there are no fish in it. 咆哮的水中无鱼。

（夸夸其谈者无真才实学。）。

9. Hare (1) You cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds（猎狗）. 不能既和野兔一起跑又和猎狗一起追。（人不应两面讨好。）

（2） The tortoise wins the race while the hare is sleeping. 兔子睡懒觉，乌龟跑赢了。 10. Horse (1) You can take a horse to the water, but you can't make him drink. 带马到河边容易，逼马饮水难。

（2） Don't ride the high horse. 勿摆架子。 （3） A good horse cannot be of a bad colour. 好马不会毛色差。

（4） A horse may stumble on four feet. 马有四条腿，亦有失蹄时。 （5） A running horse needs no spur. 奔马无需鞭策。

（6） Don't put the cart before the horse. 不要将大车套在马前面。（处理问题应按先后次序，不要本末倒置。）

（7） The common horse is worst shod. 公用之马，掌子最差。 （8） Lock the barn door after the horse is stolen. 失马之后锁马厩。

（亡羊补牢） （9） Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. 馈赠之马，勿看牙口。 （10） Hair by hair you will pull out the horse's tail. 一根一根拔，拔光马尾巴。

（水滴石穿） 11 . Mouse (1) It is a poor mouse that has only one hole. 狡兔三窟。 （2） The mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken. 只有一个洞的老鼠，很快就被抓住。

（3） A speck of mouse dung will spoil a whole pot of porridge. 一粒老鼠屎，。

7.十二生肖英文介绍,要全英文

In Chinese astrology each individual personality is associated with an animal sign that represents it. It is a common misconception that there are only the singular animals assigned by year. Many western descriptions of Chinese astrology descriptions draw solely on this system. In fact, there are also animal signs assigned by month and hours of the day. The animal signs assigned by year represent what others perceive you as being or how you present yourself. The full 60 year cycle is a combination of the 12 animals with each of five possible elements, which distinctively vary the base animal's personality (12 x 5 = 60). The inner animal speaks directly to what motivates a person and is assigned by the month of birth. Since this dictates your love life and inner persona it is critical to a proper understanding of your compatibility with other signs. The secret animal is assigned by the hour of birth and so it is important to know the exact time of birth to determine it correctly. It is your own true sign which your personality is based on. It is important to compensate for daylight saving time or any clock adjustment performed by your country in determining this sign, as it is mapped according to the sun's location and not the local time. To sum it up, while a person might appear to be a dragon they might actually be a snake internally and an ox secretively. Combined with the five elements, this makes for 8 640 possible combinations (five elements, 12 animals, 12 months, 12 times of day) that a person might be. These are all are critical for the proper use of Chinese astrology. Many Western displays of the Chinese zodiac omit these, as well as the elements, for easier consumption and understanding. The 12 zodiac animals The following are the twelve zodiac signs in order. The first symbol is simply the name of the animal written in Chinese, while the second symbol is the character specifically used in astrology to denote the animal sign.鼠 子 Rat 牛 丑 Ox 虎 寅 Tiger 兔 卯 Rabbit 龙 辰 Dragon 蛇 巳 Snake 马 午 Horse 羊 未 Sheep 猴 申 Monkey 鸡 酉 Rooster 狗 戌 Dog 猪 亥 Pig Legend describes the order of the zodiac was determined through a race, in which the rat cheated by standing on the ox's head and jumping ahead of him when they reached the finish line. 2 The Zodiac is part of an elaborate and laborious system based on Chinese astronomy, cosmology, and divination. It was used as a method for counting years, months, days and hours in the Chinese imperial court and civil calendar, and as a system for forecasting one's future and determining one's character. Although replaced in modern times by the Gregorian calendar, the Zodiac is still used today (unofficially) as a popular method of divination in many Asian and Western nations. Furthermore, the Zodiac is the preeminent calendar of old-world Asia. Its 60-year (sexagenary) cycle is still of crucial importance to modern art historians, for it helps them pinpoint the date of artwork made in much earlier times. Most scholars believe the Chinese Zodiac originated sometime before 1100 BC, well before the Historical Buddha's birth in India around 500 BC. The system grew more elaborate and complex over the centuries, but its importance in China ensured its acceptance elsewhere, and thus it greatly influenced and colored the subsequent development of Buddhist traditions throughout Asia. In China, where Buddhism was introduced in the 1st & 2nd centuries AD, the 12 Zodiac animals became associated with Buddhism's 12 Heavenly Generals as early as the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD). When Buddhism arrived in Japan in the mid-6th century AD, the Japanese eagerly imported both the Buddhist teachings and the Zodiac calendar -- the calendar was officially adopted in 604 AD. In Japan, the Zodiac calendar is known as Kanshi or Eto （干支 | えと）， and the 12 animals of the Zodiac are known as the Juuni Shi （十二支）. The Zodiac's popularity in Japan peaked during the Edo Era (1600-1868 AD), by which time each of the 12 animals were commonly associated with one of eight Buddhist patron deities. At many Japanese temples even today, visitors can still purchase small protective amulets or carvings of their patron Buddhist-Zodiac deity。