1984 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Wood Rat
甲子 · 鼠 Shǔ
1984 is the Year of the Wood Rat. The Chinese year ran from Feb 2, 1984 to Feb 19, 1985, so anyone born in that span is a Wood Rat. Born in January or early February? Lunar New Year fell on Feb 2, 1984, and earlier births belong to the Water Pig year.
- Rat
- Wood
- Yang
Born in 1984?
Enter your birth date to check, down to the exact Lunar New Year.
Month and day are optional. Add them if you were born in January or February. See January and February Chinese zodiac.
1984 at a Glance
- Animal
- Rat 鼠 shǔ
- Element
- Wood
- Yin or Yang
- Yang
- Year name
- 甲子 · sound element 海中金
- Begins
- Thursday, Feb 2, 1984
- Ends
- Feb 19, 1985
- Age in 2026
- 41 or 42
- Next Rat year
- 1996
1984 Wood Rat: First Name of the Cycle
1984 is 甲子, the first of the sixty year names, pairing the first heavenly stem with the first animal. The cycle will return to 甲子 in 2044.
The year began on Feb 2, 1984 and ran all the way to Feb 19, 1985, because Lunar New Year 1985 came as late as it can. So a birthday from January 1 to Feb 19, 1985 is a Wood Rat, not an Ox. 1984 Rats turn 42 in 2026.
Born in January or Early February 1984?
The Chinese year does not start on January 1. Lunar New Year 1984 was on Thursday, Feb 2, 1984, so births before that date belong to the year before.
| Born | Sign | Year name |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 to Feb 1, 1984 | Water Pig | 癸亥 |
| Feb 2, 1984 to Feb 19, 1985 | Wood Rat | 甲子 |
So someone born on Feb 1, 1984 is a Water Pig, and someone born on Feb 2, 1984 is a Wood Rat. Dates are in China Standard Time.
What Is a Wood Rat?
A Wood Rat combines the Rat with the element of the birth year. 1984 ends in 4, which gives Wood. The element repeats every 60 years, so other Wood Rat years include 1924.
How Old Is a 1984 Rat, and When Is the Next Rat Year?
Someone born in 1984 turns 42 in 2026 and 43 in 2027. The last Rat year was 1972, and the next is 1996. Your own sign year, called 本命年 (běnmìngnián), comes every 12 years. These are the Rat years a 1984 Rat lives through:
- 1984Wood RatBornThis page
- 1996 Chinese zodiacFire RatTurns 12
- 2008 Chinese zodiacEarth RatTurns 24
- 2020 Chinese zodiacMetal RatTurns 36
- 2032Water RatTurns 48
1984 Rat Compatibility: Best and Hardest Matches
Compatibility follows the animal, not the element. Tradition favors the signs in the Rat's trine group and its Secret Friend, and is cautious about the opposite sign and the harm pair.
The 1984 Rat in 2026 and 2027
How the traditional rules link the Rat to the next two years, and how old a 1984 Rat will be.
2026, the Fire Horse Year: Needs Care
Turns 42. Link to the Horse: Clash (冲太岁).
2027, the Fire Goat Year: Needs Care
Turns 43. Link to the Goat: Harm (害太岁).
Nearby Years
The years just before and after 1984, and the other years of the decade.
- 1982 Chinese zodiacWater DogJan 25, 1982 to Feb 12, 1983
- 1983 Chinese zodiacWater PigFeb 13, 1983 to Feb 1, 1984
- 1984Wood RatFeb 2, 1984 to Feb 19, 1985
- 1985 Chinese zodiacWood OxFeb 20, 1985 to Feb 8, 1986
- 1986 Chinese zodiacFire TigerFeb 9, 1986 to Jan 28, 1987
Want every year on one sheet? Download the Chinese zodiac years chart PDF (A4, 1900 to 2035, with Lunar New Year dates).
1980 Chinese zodiac1981 Chinese zodiac1982 Chinese zodiac1983 Chinese zodiac19841985 Chinese zodiac1986 Chinese zodiac1987 Chinese zodiac1988 Chinese zodiac1989 Chinese zodiacAll Chinese zodiac years
1984 Chinese Zodiac FAQ
What Chinese zodiac is 1984?
1984 is the Year of the Wood Rat. The Chinese year ran from Feb 2, 1984 to Feb 19, 1985.
What element is the 1984 Chinese zodiac?
Wood. A year's element follows its last digit: 4 gives Wood. The Rat's own fixed element is Water, which is a different thing.
What Chinese zodiac is January 1984?
Lunar New Year 1984 fell on Thursday, Feb 2, 1984. Born from January 1 to Feb 1, 1984, you are a Water Pig. From Feb 2, 1984, you are a Wood Rat.
How old is someone born in 1984?
In 2026 they turn 42, or are 41 before their birthday. In 2027 they turn 43. Chinese tradition often counts age differently, adding one year at birth.
When is the next Rat year after 1984?
1996, the Year of the Fire Rat, begins on Feb 19, 1996.