Chinese zodiac · 鼠 · 子 Zi
The Rat
Clever, Resourceful, Quick-witted, Charming: the Rat is the 1st sign of the Chinese zodiac.
About the Rat
- Fixed element
- Water
- Yin or yang
- Yang
- Hours
- 23:00–01:00
- Month
- December
- Direction
- North
- Lucky colours
- Blue, gold, green
- Flowers
- Lily, African violet
Good and bad traits
Good traits
- Clever
- Resourceful
- Quick-witted
- Charming
- Thrifty
- Adaptable
Bad traits
- Opportunistic
- Greedy
- Nervous
- Critical
- Secretive
Years of the Rat
1924 (Wood) · 1936 (Fire) · 1948 (Earth) · 1960 (Metal) · 1972 (Water) · 1984 (Wood) · 1996 (Fire) · 2008 (Earth) · 2020 (Metal)
A Chinese year starts at the lunar new year, between 21 January and 20 February, so people born early in a calendar year belong to the year before.
Rat compatibility
- Rat and OxNatural match · Six harmonies (Liu He)
- Rat and DragonNatural match · Trine (San He)
- Rat and MonkeyNatural match · Trine (San He)
- Rat and RatWorkable · Same sign
- Rat and TigerWorkable · Neutral
- Rat and SnakeWorkable · Neutral
- Rat and RoosterWorkable · Neutral
- Rat and DogWorkable · Neutral
- Rat and PigWorkable · Neutral
- Rat and RabbitChallenging · Punishment (Xing)
- Rat and GoatChallenging · Harm (Liu Hai)
- Rat and HorseCombustible · Clash (Liu Chong)
Famous people born in a Rat year
William ShakespeareEnglish playwright and poet (traditional birthday; baptised 26 April 1564)23 April 1564 – 16167TaurusGeorge WashingtonFounding Father and first U.S. president22 February 1732 – 17991PiscesBasshunterSwedish singer, record producer, and DJ22 December 198411masterCapricornGalileo GalileiItalian polymath15 February 1564 – 16426AquariusLeo TolstoyRussian author9 September 1828 – 19101VirgoCristiano RonaldoPortuguese association football player5 February 19853AquariusNaruhitoEmperor of Japan23 February 19605PiscesPope Francis266th pope of the Catholic Church from 2013 to 202517 December 1936 – 20253SagittariusJimmy Carterpresident of the United States from 1977 to 19811 October 1924 – 20249LibraAlan TuringEnglish computer scientist23 June 1912 – 19546CancerPyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyRussian composer7 May 1840 – 18937TaurusCharles IIIKing of the United Kingdom since 202214 November 194811masterScorpio
Questions and answers
What years are the Year of the Rat?
1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Who is the Rat compatible with?
Ox, Dragon, Monkey