明けましておめでとうございます！ (Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu!, Happy New Year!) It’s 2024, the year of the 辰 (tatsu, dragon) — the lone mythical creature among the 十二支 (jūnishi, 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac).

The reason why the fictional dragon made the cut into the 十二支 is a mystery, but the prevailing belief goes that is because it has a profound connection to us.

The variety of the kanji characters representing dragons partly explains their popularity. While the kanji 辰 (shin, tatsu, toki, hi) is generally used for the description of the 十二支, two other characters — 龍 (ryū, ryō, tatsu) and 竜 (ryū, ryō, tatsu) — also signify dragons. Although the kanji 龍 represents the old form and 竜 is the more broadly employed version today, both are still standard and frequently used for boys’ names (龍平 [Ryūhei], 竜也 [Tatsuya]) and those of sumo wrestlers (朝青龍 [Asashōryū], 豊昇龍 [Hōshōryū]).

Dragons have long been regarded as a god of 水 (mizu, water), often categorized as a 霊獣 (reijū, sacred beast) or 神獣 (shinjū, divine beast). That’s why you’re likely to find a dragon-shaped statuette at the 手水舎 (chōzuya [temizuya], purification fountain) located at the entrance of a shrine. By washing our hands and rinsing our mouths with the holy water that comes from the 龍神 (ryūjin, dragon god)’s mouth, we can purify our bodies before entering the shrine.

If you were born in a previous 辰年 (tatsu doshi, Year of the Dragon) — 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 or 2012 — you are known as a 年男 (toshi otoko) or 年女 (toshi onna). These terms, referring to men and women, respectively, both suggest 生まれた年と同じ干支の年を迎えた人 (umareta toshi to onaji eto no toshi o mukaeta hito, those who have reached the same zodiac animal year as the one they were born in).

So what happens to 年男 and 年女? One folk belief is that they receive more blessings from 年神様 (toshigami-sama, the god of the new year) since this moment comes only once every 12 years. Traditionally, 年神様 is thought to visit Japanese homes during お正月 (o-shōgatsu, the new year period), which motivates them to adorn their entrances with bamboo and straw rope decorations. While some theories hint at significant life changes for 年男 and 年女 — and not necessarily positive ones — the Year of the Dragon is thought to bring the best luck out of the 十二支. (A friend tells me that, according to Chinese custom, wearing the color red to bed the night before the year changes will help ward off any significant bad luck, but adds that it needs to be done in accordance with the Chinese New Year, which begins Feb. 10.)

From the animated film “Spirited Away” to “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” which features Marvel’s first Asian superhero, dragons are frequently portrayed as a creature capable of soaring through the sky and unleashing 自然現象 (shizen genshō, natural phenomenon) such as 竜巻 (tatsumaki, tornadoes), 稲妻 (inazuma, lightning ) and 雷鳴 (raimei, thunder). The ascending dragon is also a symbol of 成功 (seikō, success) and 昇進 (shōshin, promotions) at work or, in other words, 立身出世 (risshin shusse, attaining a high rank and prestige). That means there are many idioms and expressions that include the word.

One of the most common terms that has 竜 in it is 登竜門 (tōryūmon, gateway to success). The word originated in an old adage that says only a carp that can climb a rapid stream can transform into a dragon. Today, it suggests critical trials and important exams, such as, このオーディションは役者への登竜門だ (Kono ōdishon wa yakusha eno tōryūmon da, This audition is a pivotal opportunity to my becoming an actor).

You may also have heard of the proverb, 画竜点睛を欠く (Garyō tensei o kaku). This literally translates to “the drawn dragon is missing its eyes,” suggesting something lacks a crucial finishing touch. Here, the dragon kanji reads as “ryō,” and 睛 (sei, hitomi) refers to the eyes — though it looks similar to 晴 (sei, ha[reru], ha[rasu]), which suggests a clear sky. If you find that a much-anticipated movie lacks something critical, you can express your frustration by saying, あの映画は画竜点睛を欠いたね (Ano eiga wa garyō tensei o kaita ne).

竜頭蛇尾 (Ryūtō dabi) is another well-known expression that refers to a dragon’s powers. As the kanji 蛇 (ja, da, hebi) means snakes, it depicts something that begins with a dragon’s 頭 (atama, head) and ends with a snake’s thin 尾 (o[bi], tail). For example, if your favorite sports team kicks off a new season with consecutive wins but later experiences a series of losses, you may want to describe the run as 竜頭蛇尾. Alternatively, if you’ve only witnessed an unbeatable momentum so far, it can be defined as 昇竜の勢い (shōryū no ikioi, momentum unstoppable like a rising dragon). 飛ぶ鳥を落とす勢い (Tobu tori o otosu ikioi) and 破竹の勢い (hachiku no ikioi), which refer to a flying bird (飛ぶ鳥) and broken bamboo (破竹), respectively, also convey unstoppable velocity and they’re more common than 昇竜の勢い, but you may prefer to draw a dragon-related analogy this year.

The expression 逆鱗に触れる (gekirin ni fureru, to infuriate one’s superior) doesn’t seem like it would be about dragons at first glance, but the beast is there in the 鱗 (uroko, scale). The dragon is said to have 81 鱗, with a unique one growing upside-down under its chin. When this particular 鱗 is touched, the usually calm dragon flies into a rage. Thus, 逆鱗に触れる signifies provoking someone important to you.

Last but not least, you may hear the term 辰巳天井 (tatsumi tenjō) in the context of the Japanese stock market this year. There’s an old maxim that asserts stock prices will hit a 天井 (tenjō, ceiling) in dragon and snake years. There’s even a saying, 戌亥で仕込み、辰巳で売る (Inui de shikomi, tatsumi de uru, Buy in the Year of the Dog/Boar, sell in the Year of the Dragon/Snake).

No matter what Chinese zodiac sign you were born under, here’s hoping that your 2024 is safe, successful and joyful.