1984: the year of the Wood Rat (甲子)
In Korean saju, 1984 is the year of 甲子 (Gap-ja). The top character, 甲, is yang Wood, and the bottom character, 子, is the Rat. Together they make 1984 the year of the Wood Rat. The saju year starts at Ipchun on February 5, 1984 at 00:18 Korea time and runs until February 4, 1985.
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1984 at a glance
- Year pair
- 甲子 · Gap-ja
- Element
- Wood (yang)
- Animal
- Rat
- Old poetic name
- 海中金 · Gold in the sea
- Saju year starts
- February 5, 1984 00:18
- Ends
- February 4, 1985
- Age in 2027
- turns 43
Born in January or early February 1984?
The saju year changes at Ipchun, February 5, 1984 at 00:18 Korea time. If you were born before that moment, your year pair is 癸亥: you belong to 1983, the year of the Water Pig.
Many zodiac sites switch the animal at Lunar New Year instead, which fell on February 2 in 1984. So for birthdays from February 2 until just before Ipchun, those sites already say Rat while saju still says Pig.
The two characters of 甲子
- 甲Gap · a tall, straight tree — wood that keeps reaching upward
- 子Ja · Rat · a cold spring in deep winter
The Wood element of 1984
The top character decides the year’s element, so 1984 is a Wood year. When Wood energy is strong, it tends to feel like this: You feel a push to grow, start new things, and move forward with purpose.
- Color
- Green
- Food
- Leafy greens and fresh herbs
- Direction
- East
- Activity
- Walking in a park or caring for a plant
This is your birth-year element. In saju, your core element comes from your birth day instead (the day master), and it can be different. A free saju card shows yours.
Month pillars of the 1984 saju year
In saju, each month also has a pair, and it starts on a solar term, not on the 1st. These are the twelve months of 甲子 with their start dates (Korea date). Your birth month’s pair is one of your four pillars.
| Month pair | Starts |
|---|---|
| 丙寅Byeong-in | February 5 |
| 丁卯Jeong-myo | March 5 |
| 戊辰Mu-jin | April 4 |
| 己巳Gi-sa | May 5 |
| 庚午Gyeong-o | June 5 |
| 辛未Sin-mi | July 7 |
| 壬申Im-sin | August 7 |
| 癸酉Gye-yu | September 7 |
| 甲戌Gap-sul | October 8 |
| 乙亥Eul-hae | November 7 |
| 丙子Byeong-ja | December 7 |
| 丁丑Jeong-chuk | January 5, 1985 |
The Rat in zodiac compatibility
By the branch tables, the Rat’s closest match is the Ox (six harmony). Its team of three adds the Monkey and Dragon. Its opposite sign, the Horse, is a clash pair, read as different rhythms rather than bad luck.
The Rat in 2027
Your Water controls Fire. The year reads like something to manage: money, tasks, results. Planning tends to beat grabbing.
Ties with 丁未: Harm (害) · Wonjin (怨嗔)
2027 outlook for the Rat →Other Rat years
The Rat comes back every 12 years, but the element on top changes each time:
- 1948戊子 · Earth Rat
- 1960庚子 · Metal Rat
- 1972壬子 · Water Rat
- 1996丙子 · Fire Rat
- 2008戊子 · Earth Rat
- 2020庚子 · Metal Rat
The exact pair 甲子 returns every 60 years: 1924 and 2044.
Read 甲子 as a day pillar →How to read this
Your birth year is one pillar out of four. Your birth month, day and hour usually say more about you than the year does. Use this page for facts and fun, then check the full chart.
Born in 1984? See your whole chart
Your year is one pillar. Add your birthday for a free saju card with all four, worked out on your device.
Questions about 1984
What Chinese zodiac animal is 1984?
1984 is the year of the Rat, and more exactly the Wood Rat (甲子). In saju the year runs from Ipchun on February 5, 1984 to February 4, 1985.
What element is 1984?
Wood. The top character 甲 is yang Wood, and that is the year’s element. The bottom character 子 adds Water.
I was born in January 1984. What is my sign?
Before Ipchun (February 5, 1984, 00:18 Korea time) you belong to the year before: 癸亥, the Water Pig of 1983. Check your exact time if you were born that day.
Is my birth-year element my saju element?
Not exactly. The year element describes your birth year. Saju reads your core self from your birth-day character (the day master), which needs your full birth date.