Year of the Rat (子 Ja)
Chinese zodiac · 쥐띠 · water
The Rat is the earthly branch 子 — Ja in Korean, Zi in Mandarin — the first of the twelve zodiac animals.
Which years are Rat years?
Rat years are 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032. Each begins at Ipchun, around February 4, so if you were born in January or early February, check the calculator — you may belong to the previous year’s animal.
What element is the Rat in saju?
The Rat is the branch 子, and it carries water. It also stands for the depth of winter and the two hours of 23:00–01:00.
What does the Rat mean in a saju chart?
子 can appear in any of the four pillars — year, month, day or hour — and each time it adds its water to the chart’s balance. As the year branch, it tends to speak to your background and generation more than your personality, which saju reads from the Day Master.
What are people born in the year of the Rat like?
In folklore, Rat-year people are said to tend to be quick-witted, resourceful and adaptable. Saju treats that as a light sketch at most: the year animal is one character of eight, and two people born in the same year can come across very differently.
Which zodiac animals get along with the Rat?
Traditionally, the Rat forms a trine with the Dragon and the Monkey, and a pairing with the Ox; its classic clash is with the Horse. These describe how single characters meet, so real compatibility depends on both whole charts.
How do I check my animal if I was born in January or February?
Enter your birth date in the calculator on this page. It uses the same engine as PAL:JA charts, counts from Ipchun, and tells you if the Lunar New Year convention would give a different animal.
Find your zodiac animal
FAQ
Is the Rat year counted from Lunar New Year or Ipchun?
Both conventions are in common use. Saju and BaZi count from Ipchun, around February 4; many calendars count from Lunar New Year.