2008: the year of the Earth Rat (戊子)
In Korean saju, 2008 is the year of 戊子 (Mu-ja). The top character, 戊, is yang Earth, and the bottom character, 子, is the Rat. Together they make 2008 the year of the Earth Rat. The saju year starts at Ipchun on February 4, 2008 at 20:00 Korea time and runs until February 4, 2009.
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2008 at a glance
- Year pair
- 戊子 · Mu-ja
- Element
- Earth (yang)
- Animal
- Rat
- Old poetic name
- 霹靂火 · Thunderbolt fire
- Saju year starts
- February 4, 2008 20:00
- Ends
- February 4, 2009
- Age in 2027
- turns 19
Born in January or early February 2008?
The saju year changes at Ipchun, February 4, 2008 at 20:00 Korea time. If you were born before that moment, your year pair is 丁亥: you belong to 2007, the year of the Fire Pig.
Many zodiac sites switch the animal at Lunar New Year instead, which fell on February 7 in 2008, after Ipchun. So for birthdays from Ipchun until the day before February 7, saju already says Rat while those sites still say Pig.
The two characters of 戊子
- 戊Mu · a solid hill of earth — earth that holds things steady
- 子Ja · Rat · a cold spring in deep winter
The Earth element of 2008
The top character decides the year’s element, so 2008 is a Earth year. When Earth energy is strong, it tends to feel like this: You feel grounded, patient, and able to hold things together for everyone.
- Color
- Yellow
- Food
- Sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and whole grains
- Direction
- Center
- Activity
- Tidying your room or gardening
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 2008 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 戊子 with their start dates (Korea date). Your birth month’s pair is one of your four pillars.
| Month pair | Starts |
|---|---|
| 甲寅Gap-in | February 4 |
| 乙卯Eul-myo | March 5 |
| 丙辰Byeong-jin | April 4 |
| 丁巳Jeong-sa | May 5 |
| 戊午Mu-o | June 5 |
| 己未Gi-mi | July 7 |
| 庚申Gyeong-sin | August 7 |
| 辛酉Sin-yu | September 7 |
| 壬戌Im-sul | October 8 |
| 癸亥Gye-hae | November 7 |
| 甲子Gap-ja | December 7 |
| 乙丑Eul-chuk | January 5, 2009 |
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
- 1984甲子 · Wood Rat
- 1996丙子 · Fire Rat
- 2020庚子 · Metal Rat
The exact pair 戊子 returns every 60 years: 1948 and 2068.
Read 戊子 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 2008? 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 2008
What Chinese zodiac animal is 2008?
2008 is the year of the Rat, and more exactly the Earth Rat (戊子). In saju the year runs from Ipchun on February 4, 2008 to February 4, 2009.
What element is 2008?
Earth. The top character 戊 is yang Earth, and that is the year’s element. The bottom character 子 adds Water.
I was born in January 2008. What is my sign?
Before Ipchun (February 4, 2008, 20:00 Korea time) you belong to the year before: 丁亥, the Fire Pig of 2007. 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.