The Tiger is the third of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Recent and coming Tiger years include 1998 (from 28 January 1998), 2010 (from 14 February 2010) and 2022 (from 1 February 2022). A Tiger year begins on the lunar new year and not on 1 January, so a Tiger birthday in January or February may belong to the animal before.
Folklore, not science, is the right frame: a Tiger year says nothing certain about the people born in it. This page sets out the Tiger as the tradition describes it, with every Tiger year and its exact start date, and you can check a birth date with the Chinese zodiac calculator.
Years of the Tiger
These Tiger years run from 1948 to 2047, with dates from the Hong Kong Observatory’s table, as in the calculator. Each Tiger year begins on the lunar new year in China and Hong Kong and ends the day before the next. The element column is the element of that particular year, and the last column names it in the sixty-year cycle, where the Tiger is always paired with the branch yin.
| Chinese year | Begins | Ends | Element | Stem and branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 17 February 1950 | 5 February 1951 | Yang Metal | Geng-yin |
| 1962 | 5 February 1962 | 24 January 1963 | Yang Water | Ren-yin |
| 1974 | 23 January 1974 | 10 February 1975 | Yang Wood | Jia-yin |
| 1986 | 9 February 1986 | 28 January 1987 | Yang Fire | Bing-yin |
| 1998 | 28 January 1998 | 15 February 1999 | Yang Earth | Wu-yin |
| 2010 | 14 February 2010 | 2 February 2011 | Yang Metal | Geng-yin |
| 2022 | 1 February 2022 | 21 January 2023 | Yang Water | Ren-yin |
| 2034 | 19 February 2034 | 7 February 2035 | Yang Wood | Jia-yin |
| 2046 | 6 February 2046 | 25 January 2047 | Yang Fire | Bing-yin |
For example, someone born on 4 February 2010 was born before the lunar new year of 2010, which began on 14 February 2010, so that person is an Ox and not a Tiger. If a Tiger birthday falls within a day of the new year, check the family date, since the time zone can move it.
Its place in the zodiac
In the Great Race the Tiger fought the current of the river, and the story says it reached the far bank third, tired but proud. Its strength is the point of the tale. As with the other animals, the account varies from teller to teller and is not a record of events.
In the older calendar of earthly branches the Tiger is yin (寅), branch number 3. It is Yang, its fixed element is Wood, its double-hour is 3 am to 5 am and its compass direction is east-north-east. That fixed element stays the same in every Tiger year, whereas the year element changes.
What the tradition says
The Tiger is described as brave, competitive, charismatic and restless, drawn to a challenge and quick to take the lead. It is a symbol of courage and of protection in Chinese folklore, and children have traditionally been given tiger imagery on clothes and hats. The shadow side described is impulsiveness.
- Courage. Willingness to take the first step into a risky situation.
- Charisma. An easy presence that draws others along.
- Drive. Energy for a goal once it is chosen.
- Protectiveness. Standing up for people who are vulnerable.
Growth edges
Descriptions of the Tiger point to rashness: acting before checking, and finding it hard to take advice or to wait. A restless nature can also leave projects half finished. The suggested practice is to sleep on large decisions and to name one person whose view you will always hear before you act.
In relationships
In close relationships the Tiger is pictured as passionate, generous and loyal, and as someone who needs room to be independent. The growth point is listening during disagreements, since a strong will can crowd out a quieter partner. It is a prompt for reflection, not a ruling on any pair.
In work
Traditional descriptions link the Tiger with leadership, sport, entrepreneurship, the military, advocacy and any role that rewards boldness. These describe a style, not a destiny, and plenty of people in every animal year work in those fields.
The Tiger with each element
The Tiger returns every twelve years while the elements turn in a cycle of ten, so Tiger years carry five different year elements, and the tradition reads each as a variation on the Tiger. Across 1948 to 2047 they fall as follows.
- Wood Tiger, in 1974 and 2034: the Tiger’s bold drive with a year that the tradition calls cooperative, idealistic and growth-minded. Read about Wood.
- Fire Tiger, in 1986 and 2046: the Tiger’s bold drive with a year that the tradition calls energetic, enthusiastic and expressive. Read about Fire.
- Earth Tiger, in 1998: the Tiger’s bold drive with a year that the tradition calls patient, practical and loyal. Read about Earth.
- Metal Tiger, in 1950 and 2010: the Tiger’s bold drive with a year that the tradition calls determined, precise and self-disciplined. Read about Metal.
- Water Tiger, in 1962 and 2022: the Tiger’s bold drive with a year that the tradition calls intuitive, adaptable and thoughtful. Read about Water.
Compatibility in the tradition
The tradition compares animals by a handful of old pairings. For the Tiger the list is:
- Trine allies: Horse and Dog, with the Tiger in the spirited and independent trine.
- Secret friend (six harmonies): Pig.
- Opposite (a clash): Monkey.
- Harm: Snake.
- Penalty: Snake and Monkey.
None of these is a verdict on a Tiger’s relationships. The compatibility overview explains each pairing, and the Chinese zodiac compatibility tool compares a Tiger with anyone, from two birth dates.
Names and variations
In Chinese the Tiger is hu, and it takes the third place in every East Asian version of the cycle that this site knows of. In the older calendar of earthly branches it is yin, the branch that opens the Chinese solar year in the traditional reckoning.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Which years are Years of the Tiger?
Recent and upcoming Tiger years are 1998, 2010, 2022. The next one begins on 19 February 2034 and is a Yang Wood year (Jia-yin). Every Tiger year to 2047 is in the table above, with its end date.
↳ I was born in January or February: am I A Tiger?
Only if your birth date falls on or after the lunar new year that opens a Tiger year. For the Tiger year 2010 the new year was 14 February 2010, so a birth before that date counts as the Ox. The calculator checks a Tiger birthday, or any date from 1901 to 2100.
↳ Is the Year of the Tiger lucky?
The Tiger is a symbol of courage and of warding off harm, so its year is often seen as bold. That is a symbolic reading, and the evidence does not support the idea that a year's animal changes anyone's fortunes.
↳ Who is the Tiger most compatible with?
By the traditional pairings, the Tiger's trine allies are Horse and Dog, and its secret friend is Pig. The tradition gives no score, and a Tiger can do well or badly with any animal.
Return to the Chinese zodiac hub, or read about the Ox and the Rabbit.