Chinese zodiac · 子 · zǐ
Year of the Rat
Quick answer
Recent Rat years: 1996, 2008, and 2020; the next begins in 2032. Each one starts at Lunar New Year, between January 21 and February 20, so a birthday early in the year may belong to the year before. In the classical tables the best matches for the Rat are Ox (six harmony) and Monkey and Dragon (three harmony), and its clash is Horse.
Earthly branch
子 · zǐ
Fixed element
Water
Yin or yang
Yang
Double hour (時辰)
23:00–01:00
Personality
In the old story of the Great Race, the Rat rode across the river on the Ox’s back and leapt ashore first, which is why it opens the cycle. Tradition pictures Rat people as quick, resourceful and observant: the friend who notices the opportunity, the shortcut or the mood in the room before anyone else.
The Rat’s branch, 子, marks midnight and the depth of winter, the point where a new cycle quietly begins. Rats are often described as warm with the people they trust, careful with resources and happiest with a plan B in their pocket.
Strengths
- Quick-witted and adaptable
- A sharp eye for opportunity
- Loyal to their inner circle
- Good with resources
Growing edges
A mind that is always scanning can find it hard to rest. Rats are encouraged to trust that not every opening needs to be taken.
Love and friendship
Rats tend to show love through practical care: remembering, planning, providing. They often bond best with people who enjoy their wit and give them room to think out loud.
Compatibility
Chinese astrology pairs the twelve branches in a few classical ways. They describe tendencies between birth years, never a verdict on two real people: a full chart, and the people themselves, say much more.
Six harmony (六合)
Branches that combine as a pair. Traditionally the easiest, most complementary bond.
Animals four years apart that together form a frame of water. Traditionally read as kindred spirits and natural allies.
Clash (六沖)
The animal six years away, opposite on the circle. Traditionally read as different rhythms: friction for some pairs, a useful balance for others.
Harm (六害)
A subtler mismatch in the classical tables, often read as small misunderstandings that ask for patience.
Rat years, 1900–2099
Each year runs from Lunar New Year to the eve of the next. Its element comes from the year’s heavenly stem, so the same element and animal return every sixty years.
| Year | Dates | Stem and branch |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | Jan 31, 1900 – Feb 18, 1901Metal · Yang | 庚子gēng zǐ |
| 1912 | Feb 18, 1912 – Feb 5, 1913Water · Yang | 壬子rén zǐ |
| 1924 | Feb 5, 1924 – Jan 23, 1925Wood · Yang | 甲子jiǎ zǐ |
| 1936 | Jan 24, 1936 – Feb 10, 1937Fire · Yang | 丙子bǐng zǐ |
| 1948 | Feb 10, 1948 – Jan 28, 1949Earth · Yang | 戊子wù zǐ |
| 1960 | Jan 28, 1960 – Feb 14, 1961Metal · Yang | 庚子gēng zǐ |
| 1972 | Feb 15, 1972 – Feb 2, 1973Water · Yang | 壬子rén zǐ |
| 1984 | Feb 2, 1984 – Feb 19, 1985Wood · Yang | 甲子jiǎ zǐ |
| 1996 | Feb 19, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997Fire · Yang | 丙子bǐng zǐ |
| 2008 | Feb 7, 2008 – Jan 25, 2009Earth · Yang | 戊子wù zǐ |
| 2020 | Jan 25, 2020 – Feb 11, 2021Metal · Yang | 庚子gēng zǐ |
| 2032 | Feb 11, 2032 – Jan 30, 2033Water · Yang | 壬子rén zǐ |
| 2044 | Jan 30, 2044 – Feb 16, 2045Wood · Yang | 甲子jiǎ zǐ |
| 2056 | Feb 15, 2056 – Feb 3, 2057Fire · Yang | 丙子bǐng zǐ |
| 2068 | Feb 3, 2068 – Jan 22, 2069Earth · Yang | 戊子wù zǐ |
| 2080 | Jan 22, 2080 – Feb 8, 2081Metal · Yang | 庚子gēng zǐ |
| 2092 | Feb 7, 2092 – Jan 26, 2093Water · Yang | 壬子rén zǐ |
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