2008 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Rat
The 2008 Year of the Rat (鼠) officially starts on February 7, 2008 (Lunar New Year) and ends on January 25, 2009. People born between January 1, 2008 and January 25, 2009 are actually of the Pig zodiac sign, Because it still falls within the Chinese Lunar Year 2007 during this period. You can find your Chinese zodiac sign by your Gregorian birth date: Find Your Zodiac.
Year Details
Gregorian Year
2008
Zodiac Sign
Rat (鼠)
Ganzhi Calendar
Wu Zi (戊子)
Five Elements
Earth (土)
Start Date
February 7, 2008
End Date
January 25, 2009
Lucky Numbers
5, 0
Lucky Colors
Yellow, Brown
Compatible Zodiacs
Dragon, Monkey, Ox
Incompatible Zodiacs
Horse
Positive Traits
Smart, practical, cautious, adaptable, diligent, detail-oriented, planner, loyal
Negative Traits
Conservative, hesitant, overly cautious, possessive, rigid, too realistic, stubborn
Personality
The 2008 Wu Zi Earth Rat is smart, practical, cautious, adaptable and diligent, combining the wit of the Rat with the stability of the Earth element. They are thoughtful, detail-oriented, good at planning and saving, with strong intuition and survival skills. They value security, stability and efficiency, and pursue steady progress. However, they can be conservative, hesitant, overly cautious, possessive and sometimes too realistic.
Folk Meaning
In Chinese zodiac culture, the Rat symbolizes wisdom, wealth, agility, opportunity and new beginnings. The 2008 Earth Rat combines earth's stability with rat's cleverness, representing a life of steady accumulation, wisdom, security and long-term prosperity.
Fortune
People born in 2008 have stable overall fortune, with strong planning and practical abilities. They are suitable for careers in finance, accounting, management, research, technology and analysis. Wealth fortune is steady and accumulative, good at financial management, but need to be more open-minded. Emotionally loyal and reliable, yet need to be more expressive and less rigid. Health should pay attention to digestive system, skin, fatigue and stress.
Historical Events in 2008
- 1. Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games held (August 8–24)
- 2. Apple released the first iPhone 3G (July 11, 2008)
- 3. Global financial crisis intensified in September 2008
- 4. Bitcoin concept and principle first proposed
- 5. Large Hadron Collider (LHC) started operating
- 6. Shenzhou VII manned space mission completed (only one Chinese event)