Year of the Rat
The rat (鼠, shǔ) is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac's 12-year cycle — the position it won, legend says, by cleverness rather than speed. Recent rat years include 1984, 1996, 2008 and 2020; the most recent ran from Jan 25, 2020 to Feb 11, 2021, and the next begins on Feb 11, 2032. Like every zodiac year, a rat year starts on Chinese New Year, not on January 1.
Exact rat year dates
Each rat year starts on Chinese New Year and ends the day before the next Chinese New Year.
| rat year | Gregorian date range |
|---|---|
| 1948 | Feb 10, 1948 – Jan 28, 1949 |
| 1960 | Jan 28, 1960 – Feb 14, 1961 |
| 1972 | Feb 15, 1972 – Feb 2, 1973 |
| 1984 | Feb 2, 1984 – Feb 19, 1985 |
| 1996 | Feb 19, 1996 – Feb 6, 1997 |
| 2008 | Feb 7, 2008 – Jan 25, 2009 |
| 2020 | Jan 25, 2020 – Feb 11, 2021 |
Born in January or February? Check the boundary
The 2020 rat year began on Jan 25, 2020: anyone born between January 1, 2020 and Jan 24, 2020 is a pig, not a rat. The rat year also outlasted the calendar year — babies born between January 1, 2021 and Feb 11, 2021 are rats rather than oxen. For any January or early-February birthday, rely on the exact Chinese New Year dates in the table above, not the calendar year.
This site uses the Chinese New Year boundary convention — read how the zodiac year boundary works on the calculator page.
Am I a rat?
Enter your full birth date and the calculator will apply the exact Chinese New Year boundary for your birth year.
Check my zodiac animalThe rat in Chinese culture
Why does the smallest animal lead the cycle? The best-known answer is the legend of the Great Race: the Jade Emperor ranked the animals by their finish in a river crossing, and the rat rode across on the ox's back, then leapt ahead at the bank to claim first place. The rat also opens the Earthly Branches system as 子鼠, paired with 子时, the hours around midnight when rats were said to be most active.
The rat's cultural image is honestly mixed. It symbolizes cleverness, adaptability and — because rats reproduce quickly — was once a blessing for many children; yet many idioms cast it as short-sighted or timid. People born in rat years are traditionally described as quick-witted and resourceful — these are cultural beliefs about the sign, not facts about any individual.
Rat idioms (成语) featuring 鼠
鼠目寸光 shǔ mù cùn guāng
Literally: a rat's eyes see only an inch.
short-sighted; unable to see beyond immediate gain — one of several idioms where the rat plays the villain.
投鼠忌器 tóu shǔ jì qì
Literally: throw at the rat, but fear for the vase.
to hold back from dealing with a wrongdoer because the cure might damage something valuable nearby.
胆小如鼠 dǎn xiǎo rú shǔ
Literally: a gallbladder as small as a rat's.
timid as a mouse; overly cautious.
Year of the Rat FAQ
Was 2020 the year of the rat?
Yes, from Jan 25, 2020. The rat year ran from Jan 25, 2020 to Feb 11, 2021. Anyone born in January 2020, before Chinese New Year, is a pig rather than a rat.
Why is the rat first in the Chinese zodiac?
Legend says the Jade Emperor ordered the animals by their finish in a Great Race across a river. The rat rode on the ox's back and jumped ahead at the far bank, taking first place and leaving the ox second. In the Earthly Branches system the rat likewise opens the cycle as 子鼠, matched to the midnight hours when rats were most active.
I was born in February 2008 — am I a rat or a pig?
It depends on the day. Chinese New Year 2008 fell on Feb 7, 2008: born on or after it you are a rat, born between February 1 and Feb 6, 2008 you are a pig. The calculator on this site applies the exact boundary for you.
When is the next year of the rat?
The next rat year is 2032, beginning on Chinese New Year, Feb 11, 2032, and running until Jan 30, 2033. Rat years repeat every 12 years: 1984, 1996, 2008 and 2020.