The rat holds the first place in the Chinese zodiac, and it got there by wit rather than strength. In folk art it stands for cleverness, adaptability, and the knack of thriving anywhere — a small animal with a large reputation.
This page offers a traditional folk rat pattern as a free printable template. Download the PDF below, print it at 100% scale, and cut your own rat.
A traditional folk pattern, restored for printing. Free for personal and classroom use. Print at 100% scale.
What the rat means in paper cutting
The rat's first place in the zodiac is explained, in the best-known folk tale, by a race. The Jade Emperor called the animals to cross a river, promising to name the year cycle in the order they arrived. The rat, too small to swim well on its own, rode across on the ox's back and leapt off just before the far bank, finishing first. The story is told with affection: the rat wins by cleverness, not muscle, and cleverness is exactly what the sign celebrates. People born in rat years are traditionally thought quick-witted, adaptable, and resourceful.
An older legend gives the rat an even grander role. Folk saying holds that at the beginning the world lay sealed in chaos, until the rat gnawed an opening through it and let in the first light — "the rat bites open the sky" (鼠咬天开). A creature that survives anywhere, finds food in every season, and raises large litters became a natural emblem of survival and plenty. Where rats gather, the old logic runs, grain must be plentiful, so the rat also carries a quiet wish for a well-stocked household.
In the zodiac the rat is paired with the earthly branch Zi (子), and the character often appears beside the animal in cut designs, as it does in this template. At Spring Festival — above all in a rat year — rat patterns turn up as window flowers, the bright-eyed animal set among blossoms and scrolling vines. To give a rat cut is to wish someone a sharp mind and the good sense to make the most of every chance.
About this template
This template is a single-piece traditional folk pattern in red. The rat is shown alert among scrolling flowers inside a rounded frame, and the design includes the character Zi (子), the rat's earthly branch, at the top of the composition.
The pattern is approachable for patient beginners. The outer frame is a single smooth contour, and most interior cuts — the vine spirals and small blossom shapes — are open curves rather than tight corners. Take the fine cuts slowly and the design is very manageable. The template is a traditional folk pattern restored for printing, and it is free for personal and classroom use.
How to print and cut
Print the template at 100% scale, with no fit-to-page or shrinking. Two PDF versions are included — A4 and US Letter — so you can pick the one that matches your paper. For the traditional look, print straight onto red paper; alternatively print on white and mount the finished cut on a red backing sheet.
Work the outside edge first with small, sharp scissors, following the rounded frame. Then move to a craft knife on a cutting mat for the interior details. Remember the rule of this red-on-white pattern: the red parts stay, the white parts come out. Cut the interior from the middle outward so the surrounding paper keeps its strength until the end.
More zodiac templates
The rat belongs to our full set of twelve Chinese zodiac paper-cutting templates, each a free printable PDF with its own meaning and cutting notes:
- Chinese zodiac paper-cutting templates — the complete set of all twelve signs
- Pig paper-cutting template — the twelfth sign, a symbol of wealth and contentment
- Ox paper-cutting template — the second sign, steady and hardworking
FAQ
Can I sell items made with this template? The pattern is free for personal and classroom use. If you plan to use it in commercial work, please contact us first to discuss licensing terms.
What paper should I print on? Thin red paper is the traditional choice, but ordinary printer paper, origami paper, or light craft paper all work well. The thinner the paper, the cleaner the cut.
Do I need a craft knife, or will scissors do? Scissors alone will handle the outer frame and the larger vine curves. A craft knife gives a neater finish on the smallest spiral cuts, but a patient beginner can complete the whole pattern with scissors.
Why is the rat first in the zodiac? According to the folk tale of the Great Race, the rat crossed the river on the ox's back and jumped ahead at the last moment to finish first. The zodiac's order honors that cleverness: the smallest animal leads the cycle.
Author
This article was prepared by the team at ChineseFolkCrafts.com. We are not intangible-cultural-heritage inheritors or museum researchers. Our job is to find authoritative Chinese sources, understand them, and explain them clearly for international readers.
If you spot an error — a date, a translation, a misattributed custom — please let us know and we will correct it. Last updated 2026-08-02.
