2020 Chinese zodiac —
the Metal Rat
| Animal sign | Rat 子 — the Metal Rat |
|---|---|
| Element | Yang Metal (庚) |
| 2020 Rat year | Jan 25, 2020 – Feb 11, 2021 |
| Born Jan 1 – Jan 24, 2020 | Earth Pig of 2019 |
| Korean saju year | Starts at Ipchun, Feb 4, 2020 |
| Best matches | Ox, Monkey, Dragon |
| Next Rat year | 2032 (Water Rat), from Feb 11, 2032 |
| Age in 2026 | 6 (Korean age 7) |
People born between Jan 25, 2020 and Feb 11, 2021 are a Metal Rat. The Metal Rat is ambitious and exacting, with firm opinions and a strong instinct for security.
Born in January or early February 2020?
The 2020 Rat year began at Chinese New Year on Jan 25, 2020. If you were born from January 1 to Jan 24, 2020, your sign is the Earth Pig of 2019. The year ended on Feb 11, 2021, so birthdays in early 2021 up to that date still count as Rats.
The Korean saju year starts at Ipchun
In Korean saju (the Four Pillars), the year pillar changes at Ipchun, the start of spring — Feb 4, 2020 at about 18:07 Korea time — not at Lunar New Year. A birthday from Jan 25 to Feb 3, 2020 is already a Rat by Lunar New Year but still 己亥 (Earth Pig) in a saju chart. Why saju starts the year at Ipchun →
The Metal Rat personality
The Metal Rat is ambitious and exacting, with firm opinions and a strong instinct for security. Metal brings resolve, standards and clean decisions.
Rats read a room in seconds and quietly look after their own. They are warm with the people they trust and quick to leave any table where they are being short-changed. Strengths: sharp instincts for people and opportunity; resourcefulness when money or time is tight; loyalty and generosity inside their circle. Watch for: worry that delays decisions; sensitivity to small losses; a habit of keeping score.
Compatibility
Best matches for the Rat: Ox (84/100), Monkey (84/100), Dragon (72/100). Hardest: Horse (32), Goat (33). All twelve Rat matches →
Age
People born in the 2020 Rat year turn 6 in 2026 (7 in Korean age) and 7 in 2027. The same Metal Rat returns every sixty years — 1960 and 2080.
Rat years
1924 Wood · 1936 Fire · 1948 Earth · 1960 Metal · 1972 Water · 1984 Wood · 1996 Fire · 2008 Earth · 2020 Metal
The Rat in 2027
The Year of the Fire Goat gives the Rat 66/100 — a year for care. Read the 2027 forecast →
Questions about the 2020 zodiac
What Chinese zodiac animal is 2020?
2020 is the Year of the Rat — the Metal Rat (庚子). The Rat year runs from Jan 25, 2020 to Feb 11, 2021: it starts at Chinese New Year, not on January 1.
Is someone born in January 2020 a Rat?
Only if the birthday falls on or after Jan 25, 2020, when the Rat year began. From January 1 to Jan 24, 2020, the sign is still the Earth Pig of 2019.
What element is the 2020 Rat?
Metal. The year stem 庚 is yang metal, so everyone born in the 2020 Rat year is a Metal Rat. Metal brings resolve, standards and clean decisions.
When is the next Year of the Rat?
2032, starting Feb 11, 2032 — the Water Rat. The Metal Rat itself comes back every sixty years — 1960 and 2080.
Who is the Rat most compatible with?
The Rat’s best matches are the Ox (84/100), the Monkey (84/100) and the Dragon (72/100); the hardest are the Horse (32) and the Goat (33).
Nearby years
← 2019 Earth Pig · 2021 Metal Ox → · All years and the calculator
