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The Chinese Zodiac | 5 Min. Reading Duration

The Chinese Zodiac sign Rat

The Rat is the first sign in the Chinese zodiac. Being a Rat may have negative connotations in the Western context, but a Rat does not have to look negative at all – quite the opposite! 

In this article, we will take a closer look at the zodiac sign Rat and tell you what your health is like, what your career opportunities are and which partner suits you particularly well. Let's go on a little expedition into the Rat’s horoscope together!

The Personality of the Rat

Rats are considered true survival artists in nature: They can cope even under the most difficult conditions – the same applies to the Chinese zodiac sign. Rats have a sharp mind, a quick perception and can thus quickly adapt to a wide variety of situations. 

They usually have many friends, but they are not great at keeping secrets. For Rats, however, family has top priority. 

By the way, you can also find some people with the Chinese zodiac sign Rat in the world of celebrities: For example, the world-famous actor Gérard Depardieu is a Rat. Former US president George Bush and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg also belong to the Chinese zodiac sign Rat.  

Rat-Born and Their Elements

The Chinese five-element teachings combine the zodiac sign with one of the five elements. This creates five constellations, each with special and unique characteristics.

Certain personality traits are common to all bearers of the star sign Rat. Differences therefore crystallise within the zodiac sign with the five elements.

You can find out which type of Rat you are from the following overview:

YearElement
1960, 2020Metal
1972, 2032Water
1924, 1984Wood
1936, 1996Fire
1948, 2008Earth

The Different Traits of Rats

Depending on the element, the character traits that can describe the zodiac sign Rat also differ. Here we show you the more detailed descriptions of the respective constellations of the zodiac sign and the elements: 

Metal-Rat: Robust and reliable – that's how metal is described. And it is precisely these characteristics that Metal Rats also exhibit. They are self-confident, have a strong character and are not easily upset. 

Since they pursue their goals in a straightforward manner and are rarely dissuaded, they are often described as stubborn.

Water-Rat: You surely know the famous saying by Bruce Lee: “Be like water.” This means being adaptable and “shapeless”. It is the same with Water Rats. They are – quite in contrast to the Metal Rat – very adaptable and flexible.

This enables them to adapt to new situations very quickly. At the same time, they are considered sociable and communicative, but sometimes they also need some peace and quiet and time for themselves. The Water Rat has a constant urge for further education.

Wood-Rat: Like a sturdy construct made of Wood, Rats firmly stand on the ground with this element. They long for security and achieve it by preferring to hoard material goods and despite this, Wood Rats are always open to new developments. They love to educate themselves and, especially because of this, they can finish things they touch with determination.

Fire-Rat: Fire Rats are literally “on fire”, be it for innovative projects or smaller undertakings. They are considered true fighters among Rats. They are strong and dominant, but sometimes they offend others as a result. Their dominant – and sometimes selfish – behaviour makes them reluctant to be shaped. They would rather tell others what to do.

Earth-Rat: Almost a contrast to the Fire Rat: The Earth Rat is considered a type of Rat that tends to avoid high risk or adventure. It plans new ventures carefully and does not simply plunge into the unknown without having thought through all the possibilities beforehand. Earth Rats achieve their goals through a high level of comprehension combined with an excellent logical mind.

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Career Prospects for the Zodiac Sign Rat

If you were born under the Chinese zodiac sign Rat, you will certainly wonder about your career prospects. Generally, rats are excellent career people. 

All element constellations take their job seriously and are very careful and prudent in doing so. Therefore, Metal Rats are considered particularly career-conscious. 

Water Rats are particularly perceptive. They are said to be particularly good at writing down their thoughts. That’s why Water Rats often are good writers. 

Wood Rats also work their way up the career ladder quickly. But they are somewhat slower than Fire Rats, who want to climb to management level at lightning speed. 

By nature, Earth Rats are a little less profit-seeking than the other constellations, but their excellent, prudent work ethic usually means that the next promotion beckons them quickly. 

Particularly suitable career paths for Rats may be, for example: 

  • Manager
  • Author
  • Politician
  • Lawyer
  • Racing driver
  • Scientist

Your Love Horoscope – Which Partner Suits You Best

In the following overview, you will learn which combinations with Rats are advisable and which could turn out to be rather critical:

IdealDragon, Monkey and Ox
GoodSnake, Rat and Dog
AverageTiger, Rabbit, Goat and Pig
DifficultHorse, Rooster

Don't panic – these things are not set in stone, of course, because even unfavourable zodiac sign combinations can lead stable and loving relationships. 

Nevertheless, a combination of the Rat with a Dragon, Monkey and Ox is considered particularly ideal. With the Dragon, for example, Rat-borns can find a great deal in common in terms of sociability and attitudes to life, while Monkeys are the optimal partner for travel and adventure. 

The Rat Woman

The special thing about a Rat woman above all is her seemingly endless energy. As a result, she is considered particularly lively and, at the same time, is very curious and always wants to try new things. In the relationship, however, a Rat woman is always loving and faithful.

When she has found the right man, she will do everything she can to keep the relationship stable and happy for as long as possible. At the same time, she always knows exactly what she wants and what she can do. 

A Rat woman does not necessarily need a partner, but is also interested in having a secure and stable relationship. Above all, her domesticity and distinctive sense of family stand out among all Chinese zodiac signs. 

The Rat Man

A real Rat man is very impetuous. Especially in matters of love, this can often be disadvantageous. His repertoire does offer time for a slow approach. In the relationship itself, however, a Rat man is faithful and has a strong sense of family. 

This sense of family is especially evident in the fact that a Rat man acts responsibly and reliably so that no one lacks anything. Even when problems or disputes arise, he will not abandon family and friends. Only his desire for small flirtations could lead to tensions in a relationship. 

Health of Rats

Good news first: Rats are considered to be extremely robust and healthy. Only in dry times, bearers of this zodiac sign should be particularly careful not to be defenceless against respiratory and skin diseases.

But generally, Rat-born people don't have to worry much about their health. Above all, they know how to pick out only the best from all aspects of life. In doing so, they rarely slip into extremes.