People born in 1996 are Year of the Sick, which means Red Rat. Heavenly Stem Yang Fire corresponds to Five Elements and Fire, so they are called red-colored rats.
As of 2026, those born in 1996 will be 30 years old if their birthday has passed, or 31 years old.
People born in the year of the Rat are like this. Clever, witty and quick to spot opportunities. They are sociable and have a good sense of reality.
However, there is one thing to note. In Myungri, the standard for the Chinese Zodiac sign is not January 1st but Ipchun (立春, around February 4th every year) . So, people born in January 1996 and early February may actually be from the previous year, 1995, under the Year of the Pig. It is safe to check your exact zodiac sign by your date of birth.