1 of 12 · Zi 子
Chinese zodiac Rat: year of the Rat
Chinese zodiac Rat: years, element, personality traits and compatibility for people born in the year of the Rat.
- Position
- 1 of 12
- Earthly branch
- Zi 子
- Polarity
- Yang
- Fixed element
- Water
- Hours
- 11 pm – 1 am
- Solar month
- Dec 7 – Jan 5
- Next year
- 2032
Chinese zodiac Rat years
The year of the Rat returns every 12 years. It begins at Lunar New Year, so people born in January or early February belong to the previous animal if they were born before the new year.
| Year | Element | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Wood Rat | Feb 5, 1924 – Jan 23, 1925 |
| 1936 | Fire Rat | Jan 24, 1936 – Feb 10, 1937 |
| 1948 | Earth Rat | Feb 10, 1948 – Jan 28, 1949 |
| 1960 | Metal Rat | Jan 28, 1960 – Feb 14, 1961 |
| 1972 | Water Rat | Feb 15, 1972 – Feb 2, 1973 |
| 1984 | Wood Rat | Feb 2, 1984 – Feb 19, 1985 |
| 1996 | Fire Rat | Feb 19, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997 |
| 2008 | Earth Rat | Feb 7, 2008 – Jan 25, 2009 |
| 2020 | Metal Rat | Jan 25, 2020 – Feb 11, 2021 |
| 2032 | Water Rat | Feb 11, 2032 – Jan 30, 2033 |
Rat personality
The Rat comes first in the cycle. In the best-known legend it won the Jade Emperor’s Great Race by riding on the Ox’s back and jumping ahead at the finish, so Rat years are associated with cleverness and seizing opportunities.
Traditional traits: quick-witted, resourceful, adaptable, charming.
Traditional descriptions suit Rats to business, research and any role that rewards quick thinking and good networks.
Rat compatibility
Element variations
Each Rat year also carries one of the five elements, so there are five kinds of Rat: Wood Rat, Fire Rat, Earth Rat, Metal Rat, Water Rat. The element is set by the last digit of the year.
Other animals
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