When is the Year of the Rat? - briefly
The Rat year recurs every twelve years in the Chinese zodiac; the most recent occurrence began on 25 January 2020 and ended on 11 February 2021. The next cycle starts on 10 February 2032 and runs until 3 February 2033.
When is the Year of the Rat? - in detail
The Rat year recurs every twelve lunar cycles in the Chinese zodiac. Each cycle begins on Chinese New Year, which follows the lunisolar calendar and therefore shifts between late January and mid‑February.
Recent and forthcoming Rat years are:
- 1924 – February 5 to January 24 1925
- 1936 – January 24 to February 10 1937
- 1948 – February 10 to January 28 1949
- 1960 – January 28 to February 14 1961
- 1972 – February 15 to February 2 1973
- 1984 – February 2 to February 19 1985
- 1996 – February 19 to February 6 1997
- 2008 – February 7 to January 25 2009
- 2020 – January 25 to February 11 2021
- 2032 – February 11 to January 30 2033
The pattern repeats every twelve years; thus, after 2020, the next Rat year begins on 11 February 2032 and ends on 30 January 2033. The exact start date depends on the lunar month that contains the new moon closest to the beginning of spring (the "Beginning of Spring" solar term). Consequently, any reference to a Rat year must include both the Gregorian year and the specific Chinese New Year dates to avoid ambiguity.