Year of the Rat: Personality, Years, and Compatibility

沉浸 TeamAugust 8, 20264 min read

The Year of the Rat is the first year in the Chinese zodiac's 12-year cycle. Recent Rat years are 2020, 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, and the next one starts in 2032. In Chinese the rat is 鼠 (shǔ), and someone born in a Rat year says 我属鼠 (wǒ shǔ shǔ), "I'm a Rat."

People born in a Rat year are quick-witted, resourceful, and observant. They spot opportunities before anyone else, save for a rainy day, and charm their way through rooms they weren't invited into. The flip side: they can be restless, and they don't always let others in on the plan.

Year of the Rat years and dates

Each zodiac year starts at Chinese New Year, not January 1, so the exact dates matter for January and February birthdays:

1960: Metal Rat (January 28, 1960 to February 14, 1961)
1972: Water Rat (February 15, 1972 to February 2, 1973)
1984: Wood Rat (February 2, 1984 to February 19, 1985)
1996: Fire Rat (February 19, 1996 to February 6, 1997)
2008: Earth Rat (February 7, 2008 to January 25, 2009)
2020: Metal Rat (January 25, 2020 to February 11, 2021)

2032 will be the next Rat year after that, beginning on February 11, 2032.

Click your birth year above for that year's full profile. Born in early January or February? You may belong to the previous animal, the Year of the Pig; check the start date of your year.

The Rat personality

Strengths:

Sharp and quick-thinking
Resourceful with money
Sociable and charming
Adaptable under pressure

Weaknesses:

Restless and easily bored
Can be guarded or secretive
Prone to overthinking

Rats do well in fast-moving work: strategy, trading, writing, tech, anywhere quick judgment beats brute force.

Not every Rat is the same: the five elements

The zodiac runs on a 60-year cycle: 12 animals times five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water). Each Rat year carries a different element, which shades the core personality:

Metal Rat (1960, 2020): adds discipline, high standards, and real persistence.
Water Rat (1972): adds adaptability, intuition, and quiet persuasion.
Wood Rat (1984): adds curiosity, generosity, and a builder's patience.
Fire Rat (1996): adds charisma, boldness, and a taste for the spotlight.
Earth Rat (2008): adds patience, reliability, and a practical, grounded streak.

Rat compatibility

Traditional matchmaking groups the animals into trines (three signs with a shared temperament) and gives each sign a secret friend and a clash:

Best matches: the Dragon and Monkey, the Rat's trine partners, plus its secret friend the Ox.
Most challenging: the Horse, directly opposite the Rat on the zodiac wheel.

It's folk wisdom, not destiny, but it still shapes wedding dates, business partnerships, and a lot of good-natured family teasing across the Chinese-speaking world.

Lucky numbers and colors

Lucky numbers: 2, 3
Lucky colors: blue, gold, green

In a Rat person's own zodiac year (本命年 běnmìngnián), tradition calls for wearing red, especially red given to you by someone else, to ward off bad luck.

The Rat in the Great Race

The order of the 12 animals comes from the legend of the Great Race, in which the Jade Emperor invited all the animals to cross a river. The Rat finished first. It won the Great Race by riding the Ox across the river and hopping off at the finish line.

How to say it in Chinese

鼠 (shǔ): rat
鼠年 (shǔ nián): Year of the Rat
生肖 (shēngxiào): Chinese zodiac sign
我属鼠 (wǒ shǔ shǔ): "I'm a Rat"

Want to go beyond the zodiac? Create a free Chenjin account to hear words like 鼠 and 生肖 pronounced by native-quality audio, save them as flashcards, and start reading real Chinese stories at your level.

Year of the Rat FAQ

When is the next Year of the Rat?

The next Rat year is 2032, starting on February 11, 2032.

What years are Year of the Rat?

1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, and next 2032. Remember that each zodiac year starts at Chinese New Year, in late January or early-to-mid February.

Who should a Rat marry?

By tradition, the Dragon, Monkey, or Ox. The Horse is the classic "difficult" pairing. Real compatibility, of course, is written by people rather than calendars.