also: ねのとし
year of the Rat
Refers to the year of the Rat in the Chinese zodiac. Used in contexts like astrology, birth years, and traditional calendar references.
See also: 子年
Next year is the year of the Rat.
He was born in the year of the Rat.
Standard kanji spelling for 'year of the Rat'.
Alternate reading using the on'yomi ね for 子. Less common but recognized.
From 子 (rat, first sign of the Chinese zodiac) + の (possessive particle) + 年 (year).