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Chinese New Year 2032
Wednesday, 11 February 2032. It opens the Year of the Water Rat, 壬子, which runs until 30 January 2033.
- New Year's Eve10 February 2032
- New Year's Day11 February 2032
- Lantern Festival25 February 2032
- Animal and elementWater Rat 水鼠, Yang
- Year ends30 January 2033; the next new year is 31 January 2033
What the Rat year carries
The Rat
Quick, resourceful and sociable. The Rat opens the cycle: it is the sign of beginnings, of noticing the opening before anyone else and slipping through it.
In the race that fixed the order of the zodiac, the Rat rode across the river on the Ox's back and leapt ahead at the bank to finish first.
Water 水
Water years are associated with adaptability and depth: rivers finding their way. Water years favour adaptability: plans that bend, conversations that flow, patience with the long way round.
The pairing of stem and branch, 壬子, returns once every sixty years; the last Water Rat year was 1972, the next is 2092.
How the festival is kept
New Year's Eve, 10 February 2032
The reunion dinner (年夜饭): the whole family at one table, dumplings in the north, fish everywhere because 鱼 sounds like "surplus". Red couplets go up on the door, and the house is already cleaned so bad luck is not swept out in the new year.
New Year's Day, 11 February 2032
Red envelopes (红包) from elders to children, visits to relatives in order of seniority, new clothes, and the first words of the year chosen with care: 新年快乐, happy new year, and 恭喜发财, wishing you prosperity.
Lantern Festival, 25 February 2032
The fifteenth night, the first full moon of the year: lanterns, riddles hung on them, and sweet rice balls (汤圆) whose round shape stands for the family together. It closes the season.
Chinese New Year in other years
The second new moon after the winter solstice, so it moves between 21 January and 20 February.
- 202410 February 2024, Wood Dragon
- 202529 January 2025, Wood Snake
- 202617 February 2026, Fire Horse
- 20276 February 2027, Fire Goat
- 202826 January 2028, Earth Monkey
- 202913 February 2029, Earth Rooster
- 20303 February 2030, Metal Dog
- 203123 January 2031, Metal Pig
- 203331 January 2033, Water Ox
- 203419 February 2034, Wood Tiger
- 20358 February 2035, Wood Rabbit
Questions
When is Chinese New Year 2032?
Wednesday, 11 February 2032. New Year's Eve is 10 February 2032, and the Lantern Festival that closes the celebrations is 25 February 2032.
What animal is 2032 in the Chinese zodiac?
The Rat. From 11 February 2032 to 30 January 2033 it is the year of the Water Rat (壬子). Before 11 February 2032, the year still belongs to the previous animal.
Why does the date change every year?
The festival falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, so it moves between 21 January and 20 February on the Western calendar.
How long does Chinese New Year last?
Fifteen days, from New Year's Day to the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth of the first lunar month. Most people have a week of public holiday in mainland China.
Born in a Rat year?
Your animal depends on the exact date, not the calendar year.
Find your animal
Enter your birthday and we count it by the lunar calendar: the animal, its element, your lunar birth date and your next zodiac year.
Chinese zodiac calculatorWant the Rat in ink on your wall? The zodiac poster sets the animal above your name and lunar birthday. Giving a Chinese name this new year? Three real names, free.