Those born under the year of the Rat are seen to be cunning, intelligent, quick-witted and alert. They are charismatic and can charm their way into success with ease. As social characters, they are known to climb the career ladder very quickly and win plenty of respect while doing so. So, with that, learn about the best careers, vacations and chinese zodiac matches with the Rat and understand why this creature is so special within the Chinese zodiac wheel.
Our comprehensive guide will cover:
- What Sign am I in Chinese Astrology?
- Year of the Rat Spiritual Meaning
- Year of the Rat Strengths
- Year of the Rat Weaknesses
- Year of the Rat Career
- Year of the Rat Vacations
- Chinese Astrology Matches with the Rat
What Sign am I in Chinese Astrology?
The last time it was the Year of the Rat, it was 2020. Before this, 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960 and 1948 were all Years of the Rat too. The next time will be 10 years from now, on February 11th, 2032.
Year of the Rat Spiritual Meaning
Leading all of the animals in the Chinese zodiac, the Rat is a quick-witted, shrewd pioneer. In Chinese mythology, the zodiac animals were ordered according to their order of arrival at the Jade Emperor’s party. In this story, the Ox was leading the way, until the Rat tricked him at the last minute and hopped on his back. After jumping down and surpassing the Ox, the Rat ended up being the first arrival at the Emperor’s party. As such, it’s not surprising that the Rat is considered one of the more stealthy and cunning animals in the Chinese zodiac. However, this is not to say that the Rat doesn’t have any softer qualities. In fact, the Rat can be incredibly sensitive and has a high level of emotional intelligence. They connect with people incredibly well, it’s just up to the Rat in question whether or not they use this ability for good or for bad. That said, when it comes to communication, Rats are known to think quickly and speak without restraint. They can upset others simply by forgetting to filter what they say. Rarely do Rats intend to cause pain, but they would benefit from biting their tongue once in a while. Alongside his character traits, the Rat belongs to the Earth elemental group and bears ‘Yang’ energy, in terms of the Yin and Yang.
Year of the Rat Strengths
Those born under the Year of the Rat have many fantastic qualities. Of course, from person-to-person these qualities may differ, but the positive characteristics outlined down below are most typically associated with Rat people when looking at the Chinese zodiac as a whole.
Social Intelligence
In the Chinese Zodiac, Rats have many strengths. They have an incredibly sharp memory, and are extremely insightful. Because they want to extract as much information from people as possible, they ask the perfect questions in social situations and build rapport with others remarkably quickly. Due to these traits, Rats will find that they are often at the center of a social whirl, and climb the social ladder quicker than most.
Thirsty for Knowledge
Not only this, but Rats also have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, constantly seeking to better understand the world around them. Immersing themselves in different cultures and customs is a great love to the Rat, and as in turn, earns them great respect from the wider community. These people truly are incredible at forming bonds with others and reaping success as a result.
Year of the Rat Weaknesses
Like all of the animals in the Chinese zodiac, Rats have their fair share of shortcomings. While every person born under the Year of the Rat is unique in their own way, there are a few common less-than-favorable personality traits that Rat people are more likely to possess than others…
Laziness
As rats are nocturnal, those born under the Year of the Rat are prone to laziness. They are night owls through and through and have great difficulty getting up to be productive early in the day. This can cause the Rat some issues when it comes to school and work schedules, although when the Rat finds a timetable that suits his bodyclock, he will excel in everything that he does.
Vanity
Rat people can be far too image-focused sometimes. The way they look, what they’re wearing and who they are seen out with are usually at the forefront of their minds. As such, many others may find the Rat to be performative or false, especially when in the presence of people they’re trying to impress. Not only this, but once the Rat has gained whatever it is he wishes to gain, he is quick to drop the charismatic act.
Year of the Rat Career
Generally speaking, Rat people are very talented in their careers. They possess a sense of motivation and drive that few other zodiac animals do, and apply 100 percent of themselves when the right job comes along. Outlined below are two careers that Rat people are especially successful in;
Finance
As Rat people are astute and analytical, they do very well in careers that involve money and finance. While carefully studying graphs and deciphering exact calculations is a complete bore to most, to the Rat, this sense of precision is exactly what they’re after in a career. Not only this, but Rats thrive socially, meaning client facing roles in this field come incredibly naturally to them. As such, it’s not unusual to see a Rat person climbing the career ladder at an incredible speed.
Creative
Interestingly, Rat people are also very successful when it comes to working in creative industries. This is because they are free-thinking and are confident in making bold decisions. While understanding the importance of fitting in socially, rat people know that striving for one’s own success is ultimately more important. This leads them to creating abstract and innovative pieces of work and being a trailblazer in the industry. They command a lot of respect from their peers and are more likely than most other zodiac animals to achieve fame for their talents in the long run.
Entrepreneurs
As rat people are remarkably talented at concealing their emotions and putting on a front, they excel in entrepreneurial fields that require lots of resilience. While social enough to schmooze and win over potential clients, Rat people still possess a lone wolf streak about them, meaning they can face the world on their own with no problem at all. Taking big, bold risks is also what separates the best from the rest in the entrepreneurial world, and this comes as second nature to the Rat.
Year of the Rat Vacations
People born under the Year of the Rat are curious, broad-thinking adventurers. When it comes to their ideal vacation destination, Rat people seek out bustling cities full of diverse people and unique histories. They want to leave a place feeling they have met all the people they possibly could, and know its backstory better than most. When planning their next big trip, Rats hate nothing more than fine dining and luxury retreats. They want to use their vacation to build on their knowledge and expand their cultural understanding, not to overindulge or while away the hours doing very little at all. As such, trips to ancient, yet buzzing cities like Athens is a top choice for this zodiac animal.
Chinese Astrology Matches with the Rat
If you’re wondering which Chinese zodiac signs are compatible, all zodiac animals are either compatible or incompatible with the rest of the zodiac animals. The levels to which these animal pairings are compatible varies greatly, but can pretty much all be divided into one of these two camps. Outlined below are both the most and least compatible zodiac animals with those born under the Year of the Rat.
Rat and Ox Compatibility
The Rat and the Ox are remarkably well-paired, but mostly due to their differences. By working through their differences as a team, and learning to understand how one another operates, these two individuals are able to form a truly profound spiritual connection with each other. While Pig and Rat compatibility, or even Rat and Tiger compatibility may spring to mind first when we think of strong zodiac pairings, Ox Rat compatibility is very much special and underrated.
Rat and Rabbit Compatibility
The bond between Rats and Rabbits is jarring. At both of their cores, they are fundamentally different people, so rarely can these two see eye-to-eye or even appreciate the lens through which they both view life. For one, Rats are driven and ambitious creatures, using their stealth to achieve what they want. On the other hand, Rabbits are sensitive and passive, meaning both prioritize very different elements to a relationship. Similarly, Rat and Rooster compatibility is also fairly strained, but it has nothing on the discordance between the Rat and Rabbit.
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