A Guide to Type AB Blood’s Personality Traits & Compatibility

You’ve heard friends say “I’m an Aries” or “I’m an ENFJ” before, but have you ever heard someone say “I’m an AB blood type” to describe themself? In some Asian cultures, your blood type is said to have major implications for your personality traits and love compatibility. In this article, we’ll explore blood type AB’s strengths, weaknesses, best love matches, and more, plus fill you in on where this personality theory comes from and what the other blood types are like. Let’s dive in!

Things You Should Know

Blood type AB people share a mix of type A and type B traits, which makes them adaptable to many social situations. Some view this as being unpredictable.
Their strengths include high intelligence, rationality, optimism, and creativity, while their weaknesses include being indecisive, critical, and aloof.
Type ABs are most compatible with other type ABs, followed by type B. They’re the least compatible with blood type O people.

Section 1 of 7:

Blood Type AB Personality Overview

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Blood type AB people are intelligent, aloof, and a little unpredictable. They combine traits from blood type A (the quiet, sensitive, meticulous worker) and blood type B (the outgoing, independent, self-centered explorer). This means that type AB folks are adaptable to any social situation and may present themselves differently based on their circumstances. Overall, type AB people are incredibly smart, have a can-do attitude, and are known for their uniqueness, positivity, and empathy.^{[1]
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- Because they’re so intelligent but quirky, type AB people are stereotypically known to be either “geniuses” or “insane.”
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In popular perception, AB is the least favored blood type. On one hand, AB is the rarest blood type in Asia and the world. This opens the door for prejudice simply because it’s not in the majority. On the other hand, the mix of traits from blood types A and B—considered polar opposites—makes type AB people hard to read or understand at first. This leads others to mistakenly believe they’re two-faced, cold, or deceptive.^{[2]
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- In this regard, the duality of blood type AB is often compared to the zodiac sign Gemini, represented by the Twins—two distinct “personalities” combined into one person.

Section 2 of 7:

Blood Type AB Personality Strengths

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Blood type AB people use their logical and analytical skills to chase their goals methodically and with precision (which is a good thing, because these folks tend to be visionaries with cool and helpful ideas).^{[3]
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Research source} They pull these traits from their hardworking and meticulous blood type A side.^{[4]
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Type AB folks are very smart and self-aware, both intellectually and emotionally. They’re often considered “crazy geniuses” because of their enthusiastic pursuit of their areas of interest, but they’re also be quite empathetic and emotionally capable because of their introspective tendencies. They tend to spend a lot of time looking inward to think and reflect.^{[5]
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Type AB people tend to be optimistic. Because they’re so rational, they can weigh a situation’s possible outcomes or compare pros and cons without getting too emotional or distressed. While this can make their decisions seem cold at times, they generally tend to keep calm and expect the best (or most likely) outcome because they don’t let anxious or frightened thoughts twist their perception.
Since AB is the rarest blood type in the world, there aren’t many people around that are quite like a type AB person. About 7% of people in Asian cultures have AB-positive blood, while only 0.1% have AB-negative.^{[6]
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Research source} In the U.S., blood type AB people make up less than 4% of the population.^{[7]
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Red Cross Blood Donation Services
Website run by the Red Cross Organization providing information about how and where to donate blood safely

Go to source} Combine this rarity with a type AB person’s unique mix of contrasting traits and you get someone who’s truly one of a kind!
Blood type AB folks often have a healthy sense of self-control—they fall in the middle of the sometimes impulsive type B and the overly cautious and held-back type A. They don’t often make impulsive or emotional decisions because they’re so rational, although they do allow their feelings to come into play sometimes. On the rare occasion they do act impulsively, they’re likely to make choices that directly benefit themselves over others.
Blood type AB people are dreamers with lofty ideas who come up with unconventional (and sometimes downright hare-brained) ways to make their thoughts a reality. Their creativity and drive to pursue their passions might be the reason other people consider them to be “crazy” sometimes, but for a type AB person, there’s rarely a rational reason not to make your dreams come true.

Section 3 of 7:

Blood Type AB Personality Weaknesses

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Unpredictable or difficult to trust People in this blood category adapt to their surroundings—they might seem sociable and outgoing one day, and reserved and closed-off the next. In the best case scenario, this comes off as moody, but sometimes, people might view them as two-faced or deceptive.^{[8]
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- In reality, a type AB person is just expressing the duality of their type A and type B traits. Once you get to know a type AB person, you’ll start to see more consistency in who they really are.
AB types have lots of interests and ideas, and they tend to jump around from one thing to the next.^{[9]
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Research source} This makes them seem indecisive, unsure of what they want, or plain non-committal.^{[10]
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Research source} Add in how much they shift their personality based on their surroundings and it’s not hard to see how a type AB person might not always know exactly what they want.
Though they’re often sociable, AB types tend to keep things close to the chest. They like to avoid drama or complex social or political situations, so they hide some of their personal thoughts and feelings to get by without conflict. This makes them seem disloyal or even self-serving at times since they’re likely to hide their opinions in order to finagle an outcome that’s favorable to them.
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Critical and unforgiving Combine type A’s meticulous eye for detail and type B’s outspoken tendencies and you get a type AB person who can be overly critical or abrasive when it comes to giving feedback. Their intentions aren’t usually mean spirited—often, they’re just trying to relay constructive comments in an efficient way, but it can come off cold or rude if they don’t watch their words.
- AB types are also slow to forgive, probably because they borrow some sensitivity from their type A side and may hurt easily.

Section 4 of 7:

Blood Type AB Personality Compatibility

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Type AB is most compatible with type AB and least compatible with type O. It makes sense that type AB people get along best with other type ABs—who else would understand their unique mix of traits? This pairing is fairly uncommon since type AB is so rare, however. The next most compatible pairing is with type B—an adaptable type AB person can easily learn to get along with this boisterous blood type.^{[11]
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- Type O is AB’s worst match. Though successful and popular, type Os are fairly traditional and can be a bit cutthroat when it comes to achieving their goals. This doesn’t mesh well with type AB’s quirky, more aloof nature.
- Type AB men are typically reserved and may seem cold at first despite being quite caring, honest, and romantic. They tend to give up on people easily, so their partners may have to fight to maintain a relationship.^{[12]
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- Type AB women are generally curious, caring, and considerate. They appear very confident, though they may struggle with insecurity and even jealousy inside.

Section 5 of 7:

Career & Health Advice for Blood Type AB

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Blood type AB is suited for careers like teaching and social work. While type A and type O are generally the most sought-after employees, type AB’s unique mix of intelligence, creativity, and rationality makes them a valuable asset to any team. Their practicality makes them level-headed in any situation, and they often excel as teachers, lawyers, social workers, salespeople, or public relations managers.^{[13]
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- Blood type B is seen as the most abrasive personality type and is thought not to fit in well in many structured work or office environments.
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AB types should eat dairy, tofu, lamb, fish, grains, fruit, and vegetables. According to some theories, your blood type influences what kind of diet you should eat. While there’s not much scientific evidence to support this, there’s little harm in trying the AB diet for most people since it consists of healthy produce, whole grains, and lean protein. To lose weight, type AB people should focus on tofu, seafood, green vegetables, and kelp while avoiding chicken, corn, buckwheat, and kidney beans.^{[14]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

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- If you have specific nutritional needs or simply don’t like some of the foods recommended for blood type AB, follow the diet that suits your lifestyle and needs.
- Consult a dietician or your healthcare provider if you have questions about improving your diet or what to eat for weight loss.
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AB folks need exercise that calms their mind and works their body. Since type AB contains elements of types A and B, balance is the name of the game. Try a calming yoga session, then mix it up with a run, bike ride, or rousing game of tennis to get your blood pumping. Or, try going for long walks or hikes—they’ll give you time to clear your head and get in touch with your spiritual side while feeling at home in your body.^{[15]
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- Since type ABs can be fairly social when they feel like it, consider joining an exercise group to keep your mind and wit engaged while you workout.

Section 6 of 7:

What is blood type personality theory?

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In some cultures, blood type supposedly influences your personality traits. In many Asian countries, including Japan and South Korea, asking “What’s your blood type?” is comparable to asking “What’s your zodiac sign?” in Western countries.^{[16]
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Research source} It’s largely considered a fun way to get to know people and suss out romantic compatibility, although some hardcore believers use this idea to make important decisions about their careers, social and love lifes, political alignments, and more.^{[17]
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- The 4 blood types are A, B, AB, and O. Physiologically, your blood type refers to the types of antigens (protein molecules that trigger immune responses) found on your red blood cells.
- There’s no scientific evidence that blood type has a measurable effect on personality, although some researchers recognize that physiology can have a slight impact on mood.
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Blood type personality gained popularity in Asia in the 1920s. Austrian physician Karl Landsteiner discovered how to determine blood types in 1901. Unfortunately, his work was soon twisted by eugenicists and Nazis in the early 20th century to fit their ideas of racial supremacy. The idea that blood determined your behavior, traits, and abilities spread to Japan in the 1920s when social psychologist Takeji Furukawa published “The Study of Temperament through Blood Type” (a very scientifically flawed paper promoting eugenic ideologies).^{[18]
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- Blood type personalities faded in popularity for a while, but surged again in the 1970s when Japanese journalist Masahiko Nomi revisited the idea (just without the ethno-racial discrimination). The concept spread to several Asian countries and evolved into a more lighthearted personality theory by the 2000s.

Section 7 of 7:

Other Blood Type Personalities at a Glance

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Blood type A people are sensitive and introverted, yet friendly. It takes time to build a bond with a type A—they tend to seclude themselves sometimes when they feel insecure, which makes some people mistakenly think they’re snobby or cold. Blood type A people are hardworking, meticulous perfectionists with an eye for detail, but this doesn’t stop them from being humble, kind folks at heart.^{[19]
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- This blood type is most compatible with type O or other type As. They get along the least with type B.^{[20]
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Type B people are outgoing, independent, and sometimes self-centered. They’re the antithesis to type A people—type B folks are generally sociable, confident, and prefer to do things their own way rather than follow someone else’s lead. While this leads to great innovation and creativity, it can also rub others the wrong way in a work environment and make type B people seem difficult. This blood type is unafraid to take risks and pursues their goals passionately.^{[21]
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- Blood type B’s best match is another type B, followed by type AB or type O. Basically, they can make romance work with anyone but a type A.
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Blood type O people are natural leaders with drive and charisma. Type O folks are personable and exude confidence, which compels other folks to follow their direction (especially at work). They have a contagious and motivating spirit, but at times, they may come off as arrogant or cutthroat. This is because they have a deep desire to be the best that can alienate others if they don’t reign it in every once in a while.^{[22]
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- Type Os are most compatible with type As or type Bs. They’re the least compatible with type AB.

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Whether a person’s blood type is positive or negative for the Rh factor (a protein found on the surface of red blood cells) does not have a huge impact on their personality traits. The underlying ABO blood type is what’s most important.

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