Rat
Element Water · Yin / Yang Yang · This year: Red Fire Horse
1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
Years & ages
| Year | Cycle name | Starts (Lunar New Year) | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 庚子 White Metal Rat | — | 126 |
| 1912 | 壬子 Black Water Rat | — | 114 |
| 1924 | 甲子 Green Wood Rat | — | 102 |
| 1936 | 丙子 Red Fire Rat | — | 90 |
| 1948 | 戊子 Yellow Earth Rat | — | 78 |
| 1960 | 庚子 White Metal Rat | — | 66 |
| 1972 | 壬子 Black Water Rat | — | 54 |
| 1984 | 甲子 Green Wood Rat | 1984-02-02 | 42 |
| 1996 | 丙子 Red Fire Rat | 1996-02-19 | 30 |
| 2008 | 戊子 Yellow Earth Rat | 2008-02-07 | 18 |
| 2020 | 庚子 White Metal Rat | 2020-01-25 | 6 |
| 2032 | 壬子 Black Water Rat | — | — |
Age assumes your birthday has already passed this year; subtract one if not. The zodiac year begins on Lunar New Year, not January 1. If you were born in January or early February, check the start date — you may belong to the previous sign. Exact dates listed for 1980–2030; other years fall in late January to mid-February.
What is my zodiac sign?
Personality
Rats read a room fast and waste nothing. They turn small openings into real gains, land on their feet anywhere, and win people over with wit and easy conversation. The one caution: when the calculation shows, it can read as scheming — sometimes it pays to let a small loss slide.
Clashing sign
2026 — Year of the Red Fire Horse
2026 is a Horse year, the Rat’s opposite sign. Protect what you have rather than gambling, and keep your words few in tricky relationships.
All 12 signs
Which years are Year of the Rat?
Rat years are 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032. The sign returns every 12 years.
How old is someone born in 1996?
Born in 1996 (a Rat year), you turn 30 this year.
Which signs match the Rat best?
Signs in the same harmony triangle and the secret-friend sign get along best; the opposite sign tends to clash. Both are listed on this page.