{"id":1072,"date":"2026-06-05T19:58:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T11:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/?page_id=1072"},"modified":"2026-07-03T17:28:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T09:28:51","slug":"earth-rat-chinese-zodiac","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/fr\/earth-rat-chinese-zodiac\/","title":{"rendered":"Earth Rat Chinese Zodiac: Meaning, Years and Element Symbolism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- Rank Math Fields\nTitle: Earth Rat Chinese Zodiac: Meaning, Years and Element Symbolism\nPermalink: \/earth-rat-chinese-zodiac\/\nDescription: Explore the Earth Rat in the Chinese zodiac, including the \u620a\u5b50 w\u00f9 z\u01d0 stem-branch, Earth Rat years, Chinese New Year boundaries, Rat symbolism, element meaning, and 2008 context.\nFocus Keyword: earth rat chinese zodiac\n\u53d1\u5e03\u7c7b\u578b\uff1a\u9875\u9762\n-->\n\n<div class=\"tzl-page\">\n  <link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\">\n<link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.gstatic.com\" crossorigin>\n<link rel=\"preload\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Archivo:wght@400;500;600;700;800;900&#038;family=Noto+Sans+SC:wght@400;500;700&#038;family=Spline+Sans+Mono:wght@400;500&#038;display=swap\" as=\"style\" onload=\"this.onload=null;this.rel='stylesheet'\"><noscript><link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Archivo:wght@400;500;600;700;800;900&#038;family=Noto+Sans+SC:wght@400;500;700&#038;family=Spline+Sans+Mono:wght@400;500&#038;display=swap\"><\/noscript>\n<script src=\"https:\/\/unpkg.com\/@phosphor-icons\/web@2.1.1\" defer><\/script>\n<style>\n\/* The Zodiac Lore \u2014 Year\/Animal\/Compat page style \u2014 BRAND-UNIFIED to new homepage (Style B). 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and Element Symbolism\",\"description\":\"Learn the Earth Rat in the Chinese zodiac, including \u620a\u5b50 w\u00f9 z\u01d0, Earth Rat years, Chinese New Year boundaries, Rat symbolism, element meaning, and 2008 context.\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":\"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/earth-rat-chinese-zodiac\/\",\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Zodiac Lore\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"The Zodiac Lore\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-05\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-05\"}\n  <\/script>\n\n  <script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n  {\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Element Combinations\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/zodiac-element-combinations\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Earth Rat\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/earth-rat-chinese-zodiac\/\"}]}\n  <\/script>\n\n  <div class=\"tzl-wrap\">\n    <section class=\"tzl-hero rat\">\n      <div class=\"tzl-mark\">\u571f<\/div>\n      <div class=\"tzl-kicker\">\u620a\u5b50 \u00b7 w\u00f9 z\u01d0 \u00b7 Earth Rat<\/div>\n      <h2>Earth Rat Chinese Zodiac: <em>Meaning, Years and Element Symbolism<\/em><\/h2>\n      <p><strong>Earth Rat combines the Earth element with the Rat zodiac sign.<\/strong> Its formal stem-branch name is <span class=\"tzl-cn\">\u620a\u5b50<\/span> <em>w\u00f9 z\u01d0<\/em>.<\/p>\n      <p>Rat gives alertness, timing, adaptability, and resourcefulness. Earth adds grounding, practicality, patience, caution, and a stronger sense of steady accumulation.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n    \n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"quick-facts\">\n      <h2>Earth Rat <em>quick facts<\/em><\/h2>\n      <div class=\"tzl-table-wrap\">\n        <table class=\"tzl-table\">\n          <thead><tr><th>Item<\/th><th>Answer<\/th><th>Careful note<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n          <tbody>\n            <tr><td>Element-animal type<\/td><td>Earth Rat<\/td><td>Animal + element year label.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Chinese<\/td><td><span class=\"tzl-cn\">\u571f\u9f20<\/span> t\u01d4 sh\u01d4<\/td><td>Popular element-animal wording.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Stem-branch<\/td><td><span class=\"tzl-cn\">\u620a\u5b50<\/span> w\u00f9 z\u01d0<\/td><td>The formal 60-cycle label.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Element<\/td><td>Earth <span class=\"tzl-cn\">\u571f<\/span><\/td><td>Stability, practicality, support, caution, grounding.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Animal sign<\/td><td>Rat <span class=\"tzl-cn\">\u9f20<\/span><\/td><td>Adaptability, timing, resourcefulness, alertness.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Repeats every<\/td><td>60 years<\/td><td>Rat repeats every 12 years; Earth Rat repeats every 60 years.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Example years<\/td><td>1888 \u00b7 1948 \u00b7 2008 \u00b7 2068<\/td><td>Use Chinese New Year boundaries for exact birthdays.<\/td><\/tr>\n          <\/tbody>\n        <\/table>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"tzl-note\">\n        <strong>Boundary note:<\/strong><br>\n        An Earth Rat year does not begin on January 1. For ordinary birth-year lookup on The Zodiac Lore, the year begins at Chinese New Year. January and February birthdays need exact boundary checking. You can also use the <a href=\"\/chinese-zodiac-element-calculator\/\">Chinese Zodiac Element Calculator<\/a> to check your animal and element by birth year.\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"meaning\">\n      <h2>What does Earth Rat mean?<\/h2>\n      <p>Earth Rat is Rat resourcefulness with a more grounded and practical tone. The Rat sign is often linked with observation, timing, adaptability, and clever use of opportunity. Earth gives that quickness more caution, patience, and a stronger sense of real-world results.<\/p>\n      <p>In symbolic reading, Earth Rat can suggest practical intelligence, steady planning, careful accumulation, and the ability to turn small advantages into something more durable.<\/p>\n\n      <div class=\"tzl-mini-grid\">\n        <div class=\"tzl-mini\"><strong>Earth layer<\/strong><span>Element<\/span><p>Earth adds grounding, patience, support, practicality, caution, and steady accumulation.<\/p><\/div>\n        <div class=\"tzl-mini\"><strong>Rat layer<\/strong><span>Animal<\/span><p>Rat adds alertness, timing, adaptability, resourcefulness, curiosity, and survival sense.<\/p><\/div>\n        <div class=\"tzl-mini\"><strong>Combined tone<\/strong><span>Earth Rat<\/span><p>Earth Rat is strongest when quick thinking becomes practical planning and steady progress.<\/p><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"rat-symbolism\">\n      <h2>Rat symbolism is not simply cunning<\/h2>\n      <p>Rat is sometimes reduced to cleverness or calculation, but the symbol is broader. In Chinese zodiac symbolism, Rat can also suggest timing, observation, adaptability, practical awareness, curiosity, and the ability to survive by reading conditions quickly.<\/p>\n      <p>Earth Rat gives that alertness a grounded direction. It does not only notice openings; it asks whether an opening can become something stable, useful, and lasting.<\/p>\n\n      <p>For more context, read <a href=\"\/year-of-the-rat\/\">Rat Chinese Zodiac<\/a> and <a href=\"\/chinese-zodiac-symbols\/\">Chinese Zodiac Symbols<\/a>.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n        <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"born-in-1948\">\n      <h2>Born in 1948? <em>Check the exact boundary<\/em><\/h2>\n      <p>If you were born in 1948, your zodiac sign depends on your exact birth date. Earth Rat begins on <strong>February 10, 1948<\/strong> \u2014 Chinese New Year. Anyone born between <strong>January 1 and February 9, 1948<\/strong> falls under the previous year, which is Fire Pig.<\/p>\n      <p>This matters because 1948 is the most searched Earth Rat year on this site. The 1888 and 2008 Earth Rat years also exist in the 60-year cycle, but most readers here are checking their own 1948 birthday.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"years\">\n      <h2>Earth Rat years and Chinese zodiac date ranges<\/h2>\n      <p>The same animal-element combination returns once every 60 years. These ranges help with January and February birthdays.<\/p>\n\n      <div class=\"tzl-table-wrap\">\n        <table class=\"tzl-table\">\n          <thead><tr><th>Year<\/th><th>Type<\/th><th>Chinese zodiac date range<\/th><th>Boundary note<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n          <tbody>\n            <tr><td>1888<\/td><td>Earth Rat<\/td><td>Feb 12, 1888 \u2013 Jan 30, 1889<\/td><td>Birthdays before Feb 12, 1888 belong to the previous year.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>1948<\/td><td>Earth Rat<\/td><td>Feb 10, 1948 \u2013 Jan 28, 1949<\/td><td>Early 1948 birthdays before Feb 10 are not Earth Rat.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>2008<\/td><td>Earth Rat<\/td><td>Feb 7, 2008 \u2013 Jan 25, 2009<\/td><td>Early 2008 birthdays before Feb 7 are not Earth Rat.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>2068<\/td><td>Earth Rat<\/td><td>Feb 3, 2068 \u2013 Jan 22, 2069<\/td><td>Use the exact Chinese New Year boundary.<\/td><\/tr>\n          <\/tbody>\n        <\/table>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <p>For a focused year guide, read <a href=\"\/2008-chinese-zodiac\/\">2008 Chinese Zodiac: Earth Rat Year<\/a>.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"earth-rat-vs-rat\">\n      <h2>Earth Rat vs Rat: what changes?<\/h2>\n      <p>Rat is the animal sign. Earth Rat is a specific animal-element combination. A person or year can be Rat without being Earth Rat.<\/p>\n\n      <div class=\"tzl-table-wrap\">\n        <table class=\"tzl-table\">\n          <thead><tr><th>Reading<\/th><th>What it means<\/th><th>Example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n          <tbody>\n            <tr><td>Rat<\/td><td>The animal sign in the 12-year zodiac cycle.<\/td><td>Rat years include 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Earth Rat<\/td><td>The Rat animal combined with the Earth element.<\/td><td>1888, 1948, 2008, 2068.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Earth Rat interpretation<\/td><td>Rat adaptability read through Earth\u2019s grounding and practicality.<\/td><td>More patient, cautious, practical, and steady than a generic Rat label.<\/td><\/tr>\n          <\/tbody>\n        <\/table>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <p>For the broader animal sign, read <a href=\"\/year-of-the-rat\/\">Year of the Rat<\/a>.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"other-rat-elements\">\n      <h2>Earth Rat compared with other Rat elements<\/h2>\n      <p>Rat repeats every 12 years, but Earth Rat repeats every 60 years. Comparing Rat elements helps show why the element layer changes the reading.<\/p>\n\n      <div class=\"tzl-table-wrap\">\n        <table class=\"tzl-table\">\n          <thead><tr><th>Rat type<\/th><th>Example year<\/th><th>Element tone<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n          <tbody>\n            <tr><td>Wood Rat<\/td><td>1984<\/td><td>Growth, planning, cooperation, flexible development.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Fire Rat<\/td><td>1996<\/td><td>Warmth, visibility, quick action, expressive drive.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Earth Rat<\/td><td>1948, 2008<\/td><td>Grounding, practicality, caution, steady accumulation.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Metal Rat<\/td><td>1960, 2020<\/td><td>Clarity, discipline, standards, sharper strategy.<\/td><\/tr>\n            <tr><td>Water Rat<\/td><td>1972<\/td><td>Flow, communication, adaptability, subtle timing.<\/td><\/tr>\n          <\/tbody>\n        <\/table>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <p>For the full system, read <a href=\"\/zodiac-element-combinations\/\">Chinese Zodiac Element Combinations<\/a>, <a href=\"\/chinese-zodiac-elements\/\">Chinese Zodiac Elements<\/a>, and <a href=\"\/60-year-chinese-zodiac-cycle\/\">60-Year Chinese Zodiac Cycle<\/a>.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"symbolism\">\n      <h2>Earth Rat personality symbolism<\/h2>\n      <p>Earth Rat symbolism is often described as practical, observant, careful, resourceful, patient, and steady. It can suggest a Rat style that still notices chances quickly, but prefers useful results over restless movement.<\/p>\n      <p>These are cultural-symbolic traits, not fixed personality facts. Real people are shaped by family, language, education, culture, choices, and lived experience.<\/p>\n\n      <ul>\n        <li>Practical, observant, and cautious.<\/li>\n        <li>More grounded and steady than a purely quick-moving Rat reading.<\/li>\n        <li>Good at turning small advantages into lasting results.<\/li>\n        <li>Can become overly cautious if security is overvalued.<\/li>\n        <li>Needs flexibility so practical planning does not become rigidity.<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"cycle\">\n      <h2>Earth Rat in the 60-year cycle<\/h2>\n      <p>Earth Rat comes from the stem-branch pairing <span class=\"tzl-cn\">\u620a\u5b50<\/span> <em>w\u00f9 z\u01d0<\/em>. <span class=\"tzl-cn\">\u620a<\/span> is an Earth Heavenly Stem, and <span class=\"tzl-cn\">\u5b50<\/span> is the Rat Earthly Branch.<\/p>\n      <p>This formal label explains why Earth Rat repeats every 60 years. Rat alone repeats every 12 years, but the exact Earth Rat pairing returns only when the Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch cycles meet again.<\/p>\n      <p>For the structural explanation, read <a href=\"\/heavenly-stems-earthly-branches\/\">Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches<\/a> and <a href=\"\/60-year-chinese-zodiac-cycle\/\">60-Year Chinese Zodiac Cycle<\/a>.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"common-mistakes\">\n      <h2>Common mistakes about Earth Rat<\/h2>\n      <ul>\n        <li><strong>Assuming every Rat year is Earth Rat.<\/strong> Rat repeats every 12 years; Earth Rat repeats every 60 years.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Starting the year on January 1.<\/strong> Use the Chinese New Year boundary for ordinary birth-year lookup.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Reading Earth as literal earth or soil.<\/strong> In this context, Earth is a symbolic element or phase of grounding and support.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Reading Rat as only cunning.<\/strong> Rat symbolism can also mean timing, observation, adaptability, and resourcefulness.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Treating Earth Rat traits as fixed personality facts.<\/strong> These are cultural interpretations, not scientific categories.<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"go-deeper\">\n      <h2>Want it for your own chart?<\/h2>\n      <p>Everything above is the general Earth Rat picture. If you \u2014 or the person you\u2019re reading this for \u2014 were born in a Earth Rat year, two things go a step past what a public page can give you:<\/p>\n      <div class=\"tzl-links\">\n        <a class=\"tzl-link\" href=\"\/product\/personalized-reading\/\"><strong>Personalized Reading<\/strong>Your full Earth Rat stem-branch write-up \u2014 element balance, the signs and years it traditionally clashes or harmonizes with, and the 2026 outlook \u2014 as a printable report.<span>See the reading \u2192<\/span><\/a>\n        <a class=\"tzl-link\" href=\"\/product\/couple-chinese-zodiac-compatibility-report\/\"><strong>Couple Compatibility Report<\/strong>How a Earth Rat and a partner\u2019s sign read together \u2014 both charts side by side, not a generic match-score list.<span>See the report \u2192<\/span><\/a>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card tzl-faq\" id=\"faq\">\n      <h2>Earth Rat FAQ<\/h2>\n      <details><summary>What is an Earth Rat in the Chinese zodiac?<\/summary><p>Earth Rat combines the Earth element with the Rat zodiac sign. Its formal stem-branch name is \u620a\u5b50, pronounced w\u00f9 z\u01d0.<\/p><\/details>\n      <details><summary>What years are Earth Rat years?<\/summary><p>Earth Rat years include 1888, 1948, 2008, and 2068. The same animal-element combination repeats every 60 years.<\/p><\/details>\n      <details><summary>What does Earth add to the Rat sign?<\/summary><p>Earth adds stability, caution, practicality, patience, grounding, and steady accumulation to Rat symbolism.<\/p><\/details>\n      <details><summary>Does an Earth Rat year start on January 1?<\/summary><p>No. For ordinary birth-year lookup, The Zodiac Lore uses Chinese New Year as the boundary. For birth-year lookup, you can also use the Chinese Zodiac Element Calculator.<\/p><\/details>\n      <details><summary>Is 2008 an Earth Rat year?<\/summary><p>Yes, 2008 is an Earth Rat year after Chinese New Year begins on February 7, 2008.<\/p><\/details>\n      <details><summary>Are Earth Rat traits scientific?<\/summary><p>No. Earth Rat traits are symbolic and cultural, not scientific personality measurements.<\/p><\/details>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"next-steps\">\n      <h2>Next steps<\/h2>\n      <div class=\"tzl-links\">\n        <a class=\"tzl-link\" href=\"\/2008-chinese-zodiac\/\"><strong>2008 Chinese Zodiac<\/strong>Read the Earth Rat year guide.<span>Read 2008 \u2192<\/span><\/a>\n        <a class=\"tzl-link\" href=\"\/year-of-the-rat\/\"><strong>Rat Sign<\/strong>Understand Rat symbolism carefully.<span>Read Rat \u2192<\/span><\/a>\n        <a class=\"tzl-link\" href=\"\/chinese-zodiac-element-calculator\/\"><strong>Element Calculator<\/strong>Find your animal + element by birth year.<span>Open calculator \u2192<\/span><\/a>\n        <a class=\"tzl-link\" href=\"\/chinese-zodiac-elements\/\"><strong>Zodiac Elements<\/strong>Learn what Earth adds as an element.<span>Read elements \u2192<\/span><\/a>\n        <a class=\"tzl-link\" href=\"\/zodiac-element-combinations\/\"><strong>Element Combinations<\/strong>Compare animal + element labels.<span>Read combinations \u2192<\/span><\/a>\n        <a class=\"tzl-link\" href=\"\/january-february-zodiac\/\"><strong>January &amp; February Rule<\/strong>Check the Chinese New Year boundary.<span>Read boundary \u2192<\/span><\/a>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"tzl-card\" id=\"editorial-note\">\n      <h2>Editorial note<\/h2>\n      <p class=\"tzl-source-note\">This page explains Earth Rat as a Chinese zodiac animal-element combination in the 60-year cycle. It separates calendar facts from symbolic interpretation and does not present zodiac traits as scientific personality claims.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n  {\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[\n    {\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is an Earth Rat in the Chinese zodiac?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Earth Rat combines the Earth element with the Rat zodiac sign. Its formal stem-branch name is \u620a\u5b50, pronounced w\u00f9 z\u01d0.\"}},\n    {\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What years are Earth Rat years?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Earth Rat years include 1888, 1948, 2008, and 2068. 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Its formal stem-branch name is \u620a\u5b50 w\u00f9 z\u01d0. Rat gives alertness, timing, adaptability, and resourcefulness. Earth adds grounding, practicality, patience, caution, and a stronger sense of steady &#8230; <a title=\"Earth Rat Chinese Zodiac: Meaning, Years and Element Symbolism\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/fr\/earth-rat-chinese-zodiac\/\" aria-label=\"En savoir plus sur Earth Rat Chinese Zodiac: Meaning, Years and Element Symbolism\">Lire plus<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"rank_math_title":"Earth Rat Chinese Zodiac: Meaning, Years and Element Symbolism","rank_math_description":"Explore the Earth Rat in the Chinese zodiac, including the \u620a\u5b50 w\u00f9 z\u01d0 stem-branch, Earth Rat years, Chinese New Year boundaries, Rat symbolism, element meaning, and 2008 context.\n","rank_math_focus_keyword":"earth rat chinese zodiac","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1072","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1072"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1072\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3000,"href":"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1072\/revisions\/3000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thezodiaclore.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}