Chinese zodiac · sign 1 of 12 · 子 · Hong Life
You are a Rat if you were born in 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 — counting from Lunar New Year, not January 1. The Rat is the first sign of the Chinese zodiac, a yang sign whose fixed element is Water, known in Korea as 쥐띠 and in Vietnam as Tý (Chuột, rat).
Each Rat year begins at Lunar New Year (China, UTC+8). Birthdays in January or early February before the start date belong to the previous sign, the Pig. Click a year for its own page with the exact boundary, Korean Seollal and Ipchun times.
| Year | Sign | Stem-branch | Dates | Korean ddi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 | Water Rat | 壬子 | Feb 18, 1912 – Feb 5, 1913 | 검은 쥐띠 |
| 1924 | Wood Rat | 甲子 | Feb 5, 1924 – Jan 23, 1925 | 푸른 쥐띠 |
| 1936 | Fire Rat | 丙子 | Jan 24, 1936 – Feb 10, 1937 | 붉은 쥐띠 |
| 1948 | Earth Rat | 戊子 | Feb 10, 1948 – Jan 28, 1949 | 황금 쥐띠 |
| 1960 | Metal Rat | 庚子 | Jan 28, 1960 – Feb 14, 1961 | 흰 쥐띠 |
| 1972 | Water Rat | 壬子 | Feb 15, 1972 – Feb 2, 1973 | 검은 쥐띠 |
| 1984 | Wood Rat | 甲子 | Feb 2, 1984 – Feb 19, 1985 | 푸른 쥐띠 |
| 1996 | Fire Rat | 丙子 | Feb 19, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997 | 붉은 쥐띠 |
| 2008 | Earth Rat | 戊子 | Feb 7, 2008 – Jan 25, 2009 | 황금 쥐띠 |
| 2020 | Metal Rat | 庚子 | Jan 25, 2020 – Feb 11, 2021 | 흰 쥐띠 |
Rat years are traditionally read as alert, curious and quick to spot an opportunity. Rats are said to be good with money and planning, comfortable in social settings and able to land on their feet when circumstances change.
In folk readings the Rat is the sharp observer of the zodiac: charming in company, careful with resources and always half a step ahead in working out how a situation will unfold.
In the folk tale of the Great Race, the Rat rode on the Ox’s back and jumped ahead at the finish line, which is why it opens the twelve-year cycle. The story is a neat summary of how tradition sees the sign: clever, opportunistic and good at using whatever resources are at hand.
Affectionate and attentive once committed, but cautious at the start; Rats like a partner who is clever and who shares their interest in building security together.
Strong in roles that reward speed and resourcefulness: business, sales, research, finance, writing and anything that involves spotting patterns early.
These are traditional folk associations, not psychological findings.
The year’s heavenly stem adds one of five elements, so there are five kinds of Rat that repeat every 60 years. The Rat’s own branch element is Water, so the Water Rat is the “purest” form of the sign.
| Type | Years | Traditional flavour |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Rat | 1924, 1984 | cooperative, principled, keeps growing; watch for overcommitting, stubborn about ideals |
| Fire Rat | 1936, 1996 | enthusiastic, expressive, inspiring; watch for impatient, prone to burnout |
| Earth Rat | 1948, 2008 | reliable, patient, grounded; watch for slow to change, worries quietly |
| Metal Rat | 1960, 2020 | disciplined, loyal, decisive; watch for rigid, can sound blunt |
| Water Rat | 1912, 1972 | perceptive, diplomatic, adaptable; watch for indecisive, keeps feelings hidden |
| Partner | Rating | Relation | Traditional reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ox | Excellent | Six Harmony | A Six Harmony pair: tradition calls these "secret friends" who quietly complete each other. |
| Dragon | Very good | Three Harmony | Both belong to the Water trine (Monkey, Rat, Dragon), sharing goals and a similar pace. |
| Monkey | Very good | Three Harmony | Both belong to the Water trine (Monkey, Rat, Dragon), sharing goals and a similar pace. |
| Rat | Neutral | Same sign | Same sign: easy understanding and shared habits, with the risk of shared blind spots. |
| Tiger | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Snake | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Rooster | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Dog | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Pig | Neutral | — | No special classical relationship: compatibility depends on the rest of the chart and on the people themselves. |
| Rabbit | Challenging | Punishment | Part of a Punishment group: each can trigger the other’s stubborn side. |
| Goat | Challenging | Harm | A Harm pair: small misunderstandings can pile up; regular honest talk helps. |
| Horse | Most difficult | Clash | Directly opposite on the zodiac wheel: different rhythms and priorities, so compromise is essential. |
Korean gunghap adds the wonjin (원진) pair, Rat–Goat. Compare every pair on the 12×12 compatibility chart.
2027 is the Yin Fire Goat year Jeongmi (丁未), from Feb 6, 2027 to Jan 25, 2028 in the Chinese calendar (Korean Seollal: Feb 7). For the Rat: Harm with Tai Sui (害太岁).
Rat and Goat form a Harm pair (and a Korean wonjin pair), so folk readings warn of misunderstandings, gossip or small setbacks in 2027. Over-communicate, double-check messages and avoid taking sides in other people’s quarrels.
Each Rat year also meets the Fire stem differently:
| Born | Sign | Age in 2027 | Element vs. 2027 Fire |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Earth Rat | 79 | Fire feeds Earth |
| 1960 | Metal Rat | 67 | Fire controls Metal |
| 1972 | Water Rat | 55 | Water controls Fire |
| 1984 | Wood Rat | 43 | Wood feeds Fire |
| 1996 | Fire Rat | 31 | Fire meets Fire |
| 2008 | Earth Rat | 19 | Fire feeds Earth |
| 2020 | Metal Rat | 7 | Fire controls Metal |
See the full 2027 Year of the Goat guide.
| Branch | 子 Ja (Zǐ / ne) |
|---|---|
| Yin-yang | Yang |
| Fixed element | Water |
| Trine | Water trine: Monkey, Rat, Dragon |
| Double-hour | 23:00–01:00 |
| Solar month | about Dec 7 – Jan 5 |
| Direction | North |
| Korean / Japanese / Vietnamese | 쥐띠 / ne (子, nezumi) / Tý (Chuột, rat) |
| Lucky numbers / colours | 2, 3 / blue, gold, green (popular modern list; varies by source) |
Recent Rat years are 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020. Each starts at Lunar New Year, not on January 1, so check the exact dates in the table.
Tradition favours the Ox (Six Harmony) and the Monkey and Dragon (Three Harmony). The Horse is the clashing sign. This is folklore for entertainment; real relationships depend on the people.
Depending on the year’s stem, a Rat is Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water: Water Rat 1972; Wood Rat 1984; Fire Rat 1996; Earth Rat 1948, 2008; Metal Rat 1960, 2020.
Harm with Tai Sui (害太岁): Rat and Goat form a Harm pair (and a Korean wonjin pair), so folk readings warn of misunderstandings, gossip or small setbacks in 2027. Over-communicate, double-check messages and avoid taking sides in other people’s quarrels.
The Rat is 쥐 (子) in Korean, and people born in its years are called 쥐띠.
In Korean Saju the year animal is one of four pillars. The free calculator shows all of them, plus your five-element balance and a 2027 outlook.
Open the free Korean Saju calculator →Everything on this page about personality, compatibility and luck is cultural tradition for entertainment.