Chinese Zodiac Sign
The Rat.
The Mastermind. In Gary's GG33 system the Rat is razor-smart and always three moves ahead. Even at rest, a Rat is reading the board, the quiet strategist who sees the play before anyone else.
How Gary reads the Rat
Gary reads the Rat as the Mastermind of the zodiac, the sharpest strategic mind at the table, always three moves ahead and constantly reading the board even when it looks like nothing is happening.
This is the sign that wins by thinking, not by force. A Rat is resourceful, calculating, and patient, the one who has already mapped the exits while everyone else is still walking in.
"Razor-smart and always three moves ahead. Even at rest, a Rat is reading the board."
Gary Grinberg, GG33
Rat years
Rat years come around every twelve years. Remember the sign turns over at Chinese New Year, so an early-year birthday can still be a Rat.
The Rat's enemy and friends
Every sign has an enemy, and the Rat's is the Horse. Gary's example is right here in LA: Shaq the Rat and Kobe the Horse famously clashed, and Kobe, a Horse, died in 2020, a Rat year. The Rat's best matches are its trine, the Dragon and the Monkey.
Famous Rats
The Rats Gary actually names:
- Shaquille O'Neal: Gary's go-to Rat, the dominant force.
- LeBron James: a Rat at the top of his game.
- Buster Douglas: the Rat who upset Mike Tyson, a Horse. Rat and Horse are enemy signs.
The Rat in 2026
2026 is the Year of the Horse, and the Horse is the Rat's enemy sign. Gary's advice for a Rat in 2026 is simple: lay low. This is an enemy year, the kind where things tend to push back, so protect your position and pick your battles instead of forcing big moves. See what the Horse year means for everyone on the 2026 forecast.
Are you a Rat?
Your sign shapes who you clash with and which years carry you. Get your Chinese sign and element free, then learn to read your timing the way Gary does.
The Rat: common questions
What does the Rat mean in the Chinese zodiac?
In Gary's GG33 system the Rat is the Mastermind, the sharpest strategic mind of the twelve signs, always three moves ahead and reading the board. It wins by thinking, not by force.
What years are Rat years?
Recent Rat years are 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, and 2020, repeating every twelve years. The sign starts at Chinese New Year, so an early-year birthday can belong to the Rat even when the calendar year does not.
What is the Rat's enemy sign?
The Rat's enemy sign is the Horse. Gary points to Shaq the Rat and Kobe the Horse, who clashed, and notes Kobe died in a Rat year. The Rat's best matches are its trine, the Dragon and the Monkey.
How do I find my Chinese zodiac sign?
It is set by your birth year, counted from Chinese New Year. The free GG33 reading finds your sign and element and handles the new-year boundary so an early-year birthday is read correctly.