The Rat represented the Chinese zodiac year that began on February 7, 2008. It was the Year of the Earth Rat, lasting until the start of the Ox year in January 2009.
The Chinese zodiac assigns an animal to each lunar year, but the transition date changes from year to year because the calendar is lunisolar. Therefore, the Gregorian year 2008 contains portions of both the Pig year and the Rat year.
The Rat is first in the traditional 12-animal sequence. In the well-known zodiac race legend, the Rat reaches the finish first after using cleverness and strategy, while the Ox arrives immediately afterward. The story is folklore explaining the order, not a historical account.
Traditional interpretations associate the Rat with resourcefulness, adaptability, and intelligence. The 2008 animal was combined with Earth, creating an Earth Rat pairing that recurs every 60 years.