This free printable worksheet gives you 田字格 (tián zì gé) tracing grids with pinyin above each character for all twelve Chinese zodiac animals. You can print the page directly or download it as a PDF — no signup needed — and start tracing right away.
The worksheet opens with 生肖 (shēng xiào), the Chinese word for the zodiac, followed by the twelve animal characters in order. You'll trace and write 牛 (niú), 虎 (hǔ), 兔 (tù), 龙 (lóng), and 蛇 (shé) — five of the zodiac animals — along with the remaining seven. Pinyin sits above every character so you can connect sound to shape as you write. These words come from the HSK 3.0 vocabulary lists and match SayMei's course weeks, so the worksheet pairs naturally with your lessons.
Start by tracing the guided strokes inside each grid. Once your hand is comfortable, move to the blank grids and write each character from memory. Say the word aloud as you write — pairing 生肖 (shēng xiào) or 牛 (niú) with its sound helps the character stick. Work through all twelve animals in one sitting, or split them across several short sessions.
If you want more handwriting practice, try the free printable Chinese worksheet generator for other vocabulary sets, or grab blank printable 田字格 writing grid paper for open-ended practice. You might also enjoy the printable "Chinese Food Classics" worksheet or the printable "Chinese New Year" worksheet for related cultural themes.
Words on this worksheet: 生肖; 牛 (niú) — cattle, ox, cow; 虎 (hǔ) — tiger; 兔 (tù) — rabbit, hare; 龙 (lóng) — dragon; 蛇 (shé) — snake; 马 (mǎ) — Horse; 羊 (yáng) — sheep; 猴 (hóu) — monkey; 鸡 (jī) — chicken; 狗 (gǒu) — Dog; 猪 (zhū) — pig. Hear these words in beginner Mandarin songs.The worksheet covers 生肖 (shēng xiào) — the word for the zodiac — plus all twelve animal characters: 牛, 虎, 兔, 龙, 蛇, 马, 羊, 猴, 鸡, 狗, and 猪. Each character appears in a 田字格 (tián zì gé) tracing grid with pinyin above it. The words come from HSK 3.0 vocabulary lists and match SayMei's course weeks.
You start by tracing the guided strokes inside each 田字格 grid. Once you're comfortable, you write each character from memory in the blank grids below. Saying words like 牛 (niú) and 虎 (hǔ) aloud as you trace helps connect the sound, meaning, and shape so the characters stick.
No. The Zodiac Animals worksheet is free to print directly or download as a PDF, and no signup is needed. You can start tracing characters like 兔 (tù) and 龙 (lóng) right away. Blank 田字格 grid paper is also available as a separate free tool if you want extra practice space.