Year of the Rat
Quick-witted, resourceful, charming. Years, personality, love, work and compatibility of the Rat.
The Rat is the first sign of the Chinese zodiac and the start of every twelve-year cycle. Folklore describes people born in a Rat year as quick, observant and adaptable, with a talent for spotting an opportunity before anyone else does.
Quick answer. You are a Rat if you were born in 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032 or any other year in the cycle (every 12 years), from that year’s Chinese New Year to the day before the next one. The latest Rat year began on 25 January 2020 and ended on 11 February 2021.
| Order in the zodiac | 1 of 12 |
| Earthly branch | Zi |
| Own element and polarity | Water, yang |
| Recent years | 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032 |
| Harmonious with | Dragon, Monkey, Ox |
| Challenging with | Horse, Goat |
| Lucky numbers (traditional) | 2, 3 |
| Lucky colours (traditional) | blue, gold, green |
Find your Chinese zodiac sign
Rat years: are you a Rat?
You are a Rat if you were born in a Rat year, from its Chinese New Year to the day before the next. Recent Rat years are 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032. The table lists every Rat year from 1900 to 2100 with its exact dates. A January or early February birthday often belongs to the previous animal: Chinese New Year in 2020 was on 25 January 2020, for instance, so anyone born earlier that January was a Pig.
| Year | Sign | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | Metal Rat | 31 January 1900 | 18 February 1901 |
| 1912 | Water Rat | 18 February 1912 | 5 February 1913 |
| 1924 | Wood Rat | 5 February 1924 | 23 January 1925 |
| 1936 | Fire Rat | 24 January 1936 | 10 February 1937 |
| 1948 | Earth Rat | 10 February 1948 | 28 January 1949 |
| 1960 | Metal Rat | 28 January 1960 | 14 February 1961 |
| 1972 | Water Rat | 15 February 1972 | 2 February 1973 |
| 1984 | Wood Rat | 2 February 1984 | 19 February 1985 |
| 1996 | Fire Rat | 19 February 1996 | 6 February 1997 |
| 2008 | Earth Rat | 7 February 2008 | 25 January 2009 |
| 2020 | Metal Rat | 25 January 2020 | 11 February 2021 |
| 2032 | Water Rat | 11 February 2032 | 30 January 2033 |
| 2044 | Wood Rat | 30 January 2044 | 16 February 2045 |
| 2056 | Fire Rat | 15 February 2056 | 3 February 2057 |
| 2068 | Earth Rat | 3 February 2068 | 22 January 2069 |
| 2080 | Metal Rat | 22 January 2080 | 8 February 2081 |
| 2092 | Water Rat | 7 February 2092 | 26 January 2093 |
Check a birth year
Rat age chart for 2027
How old are people born in Rat years in 2027? The age depends on the birthday, so each row gives two ages: the lower one if the birthday in 2027 has not yet come, and the higher one after it.
| Year | Sign | Chinese year | Age in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Earth Rat | 10 February 1948 – 28 January 1949 | 78 or 79 |
| 1960 | Metal Rat | 28 January 1960 – 14 February 1961 | 66 or 67 |
| 1972 | Water Rat | 15 February 1972 – 2 February 1973 | 54 or 55 |
| 1984 | Wood Rat | 2 February 1984 – 19 February 1985 | 42 or 43 |
| 1996 | Fire Rat | 19 February 1996 – 6 February 1997 | 30 or 31 |
| 2008 | Earth Rat | 7 February 2008 – 25 January 2009 | 18 or 19 |
| 2020 | Metal Rat | 25 January 2020 – 11 February 2021 | 6 or 7 |
The legend of the Rat
In the legend of the Great Race, the Rat won first place by riding on the Ox's back and jumping off just before the finish line. Many tellings use the story to explain why the Rat is seen as clever and resourceful, and why it comes first in the order.
Rat personality
Rats are traditionally described as sociable, curious and good with people. They read a room quickly, make friends easily and tend to be good at finding practical shortcuts. They are thrifty and careful with resources, which is why the Rat is also linked with savings and with looking after the household.
Strengths
- Quick thinking and adaptability
- Charm and easy sociability
- Resourcefulness under pressure
- Careful with money and detail
- Eye for opportunity
Weaknesses
- Restlessness and nervous energy
- A tendency to worry
- Over-saving or hoarding
- Opportunism that others can read as calculating
Rat at home and in the family
At home the Rat is described as a resourceful provider who keeps the household running and worries quietly about everyone in it. Rats are thought to be affectionate parents who teach by example, and sometimes anxious ones who overplan.
Rat as a friend
As a friend the Rat is the one with the contacts, the news and the clever idea. Tradition says Rats keep a wide circle but only a few close confidants, and that they are loyal to those few.
Rat in love and relationships
In love, the Rat is described as attentive, affectionate and protective of the people it chooses. It enjoys conversation and shared plans. The usual friction is anxiety and a habit of keeping score, which can make a partner feel watched. Tradition suggests that a Rat does best with partners who are steady and generous with reassurance.
Rat career and work style
Traditional descriptions place the Rat in roles that reward quick thinking and contacts: business, sales, writing, journalism, research and entrepreneurship. Rats are said to be good planners with money, though they can be too cautious to take a big risk.
In a team the Rat is described as the quick, flexible problem-solver who sees the angle others miss. It prefers variety, copes well with change and can be impatient with slow processes.
Rat and money
Rats are traditionally seen as careful with money and good at finding a bargain or a safe place to put savings. The risk named in folklore is anxiety about scarcity, which can make a Rat hold on too tightly.
Rat under stress
Under stress a Rat is said to become restless and sharp-tongued, to overthink and to take on too much at once. Rest, routine and a trusted friend to talk to are the usual suggestions.
Advice for the Rat
The traditional advice for a Rat is to trust people a little more, to finish what it starts and to remember that being clever is not the same as being right.
Rat compatibility
In the traditional system the Rat is harmonious with Dragon, Monkey (its trine) and with Ox, its secret friend. Its opposite sign, which tradition calls a clash, is the Horse, and the Goat forms a harm pair with it. Every other pairing has no special relationship. These are conversation starters and not predictions.
| Sign | With the Rat | What tradition says |
|---|---|---|
| 🐀 Rat | Same sign | Two Rats share the same strengths and the same blind spots, so they understand each other quickly and can also repeat each other’s habits. |
| 🐂 Ox | Secret friend | Secret friends. The Rat’s quick-witted is balanced by the Ox’s diligent, a bond described as close and complementary. |
| 🐅 Tiger | No special relationship | No classical link. The Rat’s quick-witted and the Tiger’s brave meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐇 Rabbit | No special relationship | No classical link. The Rat’s quick-witted and the Rabbit’s gentle meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐉 Dragon | Trine: the same group of three | Natural allies in the same trine. The Rat’s quick-witted goes well with the Dragon’s ambitious, and the two tend to share an outlook. |
| 🐍 Snake | No special relationship | No classical link. The Rat’s quick-witted and the Snake’s wise meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐎 Horse | Clash: opposite sign | Opposite signs. The Rat’s quick-witted meets the Horse’s energetic, which attracts and irritates in equal measure. |
| 🐐 Goat | Harm pair | A harm pair. The Rat’s quick-witted and the Goat’s gentle can misread each other, so honesty and patience matter. |
| 🐒 Monkey | Trine: the same group of three | Natural allies in the same trine. The Rat’s quick-witted goes well with the Monkey’s clever, and the two tend to share an outlook. |
| 🐓 Rooster | No special relationship | No classical link. The Rat’s quick-witted and the Rooster’s observant meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐕 Dog | No special relationship | No classical link. The Rat’s quick-witted and the Dog’s loyal meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
| 🐖 Pig | No special relationship | No classical link. The Rat’s quick-witted and the Pig’s generous meet without a built-in match or clash, so character counts for more. |
Compare two Chinese zodiac signs
The five kinds of Rat
The element of the year adds a second layer to the animal. Wood is described as growth and creativity, Fire as passion and leadership, Earth as stability, Metal as discipline and Water as adaptability. Here are the Rat years of each element, with how tradition describes each kind. Read more in our guide to the Chinese zodiac elements.
| Sign | Years (1900–2100) | Described as |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Rat | 1924, 1984, 2044 | The Wood Rat is described as the most creative and idealistic Rat, warm, cooperative and full of ideas, though it can spread itself too thin. |
| Fire Rat | 1936, 1996, 2056 | The Fire Rat is described as bold and energetic, a natural leader with a quick temper and a restless wish for the next challenge. |
| Earth Rat | 1948, 2008, 2068 | The Earth Rat is described as the steadiest Rat, practical and cautious with money, with a calmer manner and a risk of being too conservative. |
| Metal Rat | 1900, 1960, 2020, 2080 | The Metal Rat is described as determined and disciplined, ambitious and exact, though sometimes stubborn and hard to persuade. |
| Water Rat | 1912, 1972, 2032, 2092 | The Water Rat is described as intuitive and adaptable, a good listener and negotiator who can be indecisive when emotions run high. |
Famous people born in Rat years
Based on publicly reported dates of birth, and using the exact Chinese New Year of each birth year, these well-known people belong to the Rat: Eminem (17 October 1972); Cristiano Ronaldo (5 February 1985); Mark Zuckerberg (14 May 1984); Dwayne Johnson (2 May 1972); LeBron James (30 December 1984); Diego Maradona (30 October 1960); Marlon Brando (3 April 1924); Zendaya (1 September 1996). Whether the sign says anything about them is a matter of interpretation.
The Rat in 2027, the Year of the Fire Goat
The Rat forms one of the six harm pairs with the Goat. Tradition describes a year of quiet friction and misunderstandings for the Rat, and the usual advice is to say things plainly and to check assumptions with the people close to you. This is folklore, not a forecast. See the Chinese New Year 2027 page for every sign.
Lucky numbers and colours
One commonly quoted list gives the lucky numbers 2, 3 and the lucky colours blue, gold, green for the Rat. Such lists differ between sources and belong to popular folklore, not to any fixed rule.
The neighbouring signs
The Pig comes before the Rat and the Ox comes after it. See all twelve in our guide to the Chinese zodiac.
Frequently asked questions
What years are the Rat years?
Recent Rat years are 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032. Each one runs from that year’s Chinese New Year to the day before the next. For example, the 2020 Rat year runs from 25 January 2020 to 11 February 2021. See the years chart for every date.
Am I a Rat if I was born in January or February?
Only if your birthday is on or after that year’s Chinese New Year. For example, Chinese New Year in 2020 was on 25 January 2020, so a person born on 10 January 2020 belongs to the previous animal, the Pig, and not to the Rat.
What is the personality of the Rat?
Quick-witted, resourceful, charming. Rats are traditionally described as sociable, curious and good with people. They read a room quickly, make friends easily and tend to be good at finding practical shortcuts. They are thrifty and careful with resources, which is why the Rat is also linked with savings and with looking after the household.
What are the Rat’s strengths?
Quick thinking and adaptability; Charm and easy sociability; Resourcefulness under pressure; Careful with money and detail; Eye for opportunity.
What are the Rat’s weaknesses?
Restlessness and nervous energy; A tendency to worry; Over-saving or hoarding; Opportunism that others can read as calculating. Every sign has both strengths and weaknesses in this tradition.
What are the best careers for the Rat?
Traditional descriptions place the Rat in roles that reward quick thinking and contacts: business, sales, writing, journalism, research and entrepreneurship. Rats are said to be good planners with money, though they can be too cautious to take a big risk.
How does the Rat behave in love?
In love, the Rat is described as attentive, affectionate and protective of the people it chooses. It enjoys conversation and shared plans. The usual friction is anxiety and a habit of keeping score, which can make a partner feel watched. Tradition suggests that a Rat does best with partners who are steady and generous with reassurance.
Which signs are compatible with the Rat?
Traditionally the Rat is harmonious with Dragon, Monkey and Ox, and challenging with Horse and Goat. See the full compatibility chart.
What is the Rat’s element?
The Rat is a Water animal and a yang sign. Each year also has its own element, so Rat years can be Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water. The table on this page lists them all.
How old is a Rat in 2027?
People born in 2020, 2008, 1996, 1984 turn 7, 19, 31, 43 in 2027, and are one year younger until their birthday. The table on this page gives the ages for every Rat year since 1940.
Which animal comes before and after the Rat?
The Pig comes before the Rat and the Ox comes after it.
What are the Rat’s lucky numbers and colours?
One commonly quoted list gives the numbers 2, 3 and the colours blue, gold, green. Such lists differ between sources and belong to folklore.
Other signs
For culture and entertainment. The Chinese zodiac is a traditional system of folklore and symbolism. It cannot predict events, and it is not medical, financial, legal or relationship advice. See the full disclaimer.