It is the year of the ox (ushidoshi). Like the astrological zodiac there are all sorts of things which influence individual people. The Japanese believe that people who are born in the same animal year share similar personality and character. People born in the year of the ox are patient, mentally alert and when required to speak are skillful. Click here to check what year you were born in and what kind of personality your animal sign has.

The Japanese word for an ox is "ushi （?）" or "oushi （??）". The onomatopoeia for a cow is "moo-moo".

Like the other zodiac animals such as the snake (hebi), horse (uma), rooster (tori) dog (inu) or rat (nezumi), there are many expressions including the word ox.

??????????? (Ushi ni hikarete zenkouji mairi)	to be led to do good by some fortuitous occurrence
????????? (Ushi o uma ni norikaeru)	to be led to do good by some fortuitous occurrence
???? (Gyuuin bashoku)	heavy eating and drinking
????????? (Tsuno o tamete ushi o korosu)	The solution is worse than the problem. You shouldn't burn a house to roast a pig.
????? (Gyuuji o toru)	to take the lead; to control
?????????? (Ushi wa ushizure uma wa umazure)	Birds of a feather flock together.
?????????????? (Keikou to naru mo gyuugo to naru nakare)	It is better to be a great noble than a petty monarch.
??????? (Ushi no ayumi mo senri)	Even at a snail’s pace, if you try hard, you will succeed in the end.
???? (Ushi no issan)	somebody who is usually slow but suddenly decides to do something without much thought
????????? (Ushi no shouben to oya no iken)	too long and not useful or effective