The Tiger is the third animal of the Chinese zodiac and the king of the mountain. Brave, magnetic and a little unpredictable, it has protected Chinese homes, temples and babies for centuries.
In this guide you'll find the exact dates of every Tiger year, what the Tiger means in Chinese culture, the personality traits tradition gives it, its lucky signs and best matches, famous people born in Tiger years, and the Mandarin you need to talk about it.
Key takeaways
- The next Year of the Tiger runs from 19 February 2034 to 7 February 2035 (a Wood Tiger year).
- Tiger years: 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034. Each starts on Chinese New Year.
- The Tiger stands for courage, power and protection against evil.
- Tradition describes Tigers as brave, confident and natural leaders, but also impatient.
- Best matches: Pig, Horse and Dog. Classic clash: Monkey.
When is the next Year of the Tiger?
The most recent Tiger year ran from 1 February 2022 to 21 January 2023. The next one starts on 19 February 2034 and ends on 7 February 2035.
The zodiac year starts on Chinese New Year, which moves between 21 January and 20 February. Born in January or early February? Check the start date below. A baby born on 31 January 2022 is an Ox, while one born the next day is a Tiger. And someone born on 10 February 1999 is still a Tiger, because the 1998 Tiger year lasted until 15 February 1999.
Year of the Tiger dates
Year | Starts | Ends | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
1926 | 13 Feb 1926 | 1 Feb 1927 | Fire Tiger |
1938 | 31 Jan 1938 | 18 Feb 1939 | Earth Tiger |
1950 | 17 Feb 1950 | 5 Feb 1951 | Metal Tiger |
1962 | 5 Feb 1962 | 24 Jan 1963 | Water Tiger |
1974 | 23 Jan 1974 | 10 Feb 1975 | Wood Tiger |
1986 | 9 Feb 1986 | 28 Jan 1987 | Fire Tiger |
1998 | 28 Jan 1998 | 15 Feb 1999 | Earth Tiger |
2010 | 14 Feb 2010 | 2 Feb 2011 | Metal Tiger |
2022 | 1 Feb 2022 | 21 Jan 2023 | Water Tiger |
2034 | 19 Feb 2034 | 7 Feb 2035 | Wood Tiger |
Each Tiger year also carries one of the Five Elements (五行 wǔxíng), which change every two years. The Tiger's own natural element is Wood, so a Wood Tiger year like 2034 is considered the most "Tiger" of all.
What does the Tiger mean in Chinese culture?
虎 hǔ · tiger
In the Great Race, the Tiger fought the river's currents on pure strength and finished third. Strength is the Tiger's whole identity in China: it's the 百兽之王 bǎi shòu zhī wáng, the king of all beasts. Look at a tiger in Chinese art and you'll often see the character 王 wáng, "king", drawn in the stripes on its forehead.
The tiger is above all a protector. Parents dress babies in tiger-head hats and tiger shoes (虎头鞋 hǔtóu xié) to scare away evil spirits, and tiger images guard doors at New Year. In Chinese cosmology, the White Tiger (白虎 Bái Hǔ) is one of the Four Symbols, guardian of the west.
The tiger also has a darker side in Chinese stories: it's powerful and dangerous, a reminder not to provoke what you can't control. Many idioms play on this, from riding a tiger you can't get off to drawing a tiger that ends up looking like a dog.
Personality traits of people born in the Year of the Tiger
In Chinese tradition, your zodiac animal is said to shape your character. It's cultural heritage, not science, but Tigers usually enjoy what it says about them.
Strengths
Brave. Tigers take on challenges that make others hesitate.
Confident. They trust their instincts and aren't easily intimidated.
Protective. A Tiger will stand up fiercely for family and friends.
Energetic. Tigers bring momentum to any project or group.
Natural leaders. People tend to follow a Tiger, sometimes without being asked.
Challenges
Impatient. Waiting is hard for a Tiger, whether for results or for other people.
Short-tempered. Their reactions can be quick and loud.
Reckless. The love of risk sometimes skips the planning stage.
Bossy. Leadership can turn into wanting control over everything.
Strong start, weak finish. Tigers launch things with huge energy and can drop them halfway. Chinese has an idiom for it: 虎头蛇尾, a tiger's head and a snake's tail.
Tiger quick facts
Position | 3rd of 12 |
Earthly branch | 寅 yín |
Hours of the Tiger | 3 am to 5 am |
Fixed element | Wood |
Yin or yang | Yang |
Zodiac trio (三合 sānhé) | Tiger, Horse, Dog |
Lucky signs for the Tiger
These are folk beliefs, not science, and sources don't always agree. We use the list published by China Highlights for all twelve animals, so the guides stay consistent.
Lucky | Unlucky | |
|---|---|---|
Numbers | 1, 3, 4 (and numbers containing them, like 13 and 43) | 6, 7, 8 (and numbers containing them, like 67 and 87) |
Colours | Blue, grey, orange | Brown |
Flowers | Yellow lily, cineraria | |
Directions | East, north, south | Southwest |
Note that 8, the luckiest number for most Chinese people, is on the Tiger's unlucky list.
Tiger compatibility
Traditional compatibility comes from each animal's position on the zodiac wheel: trios four years apart (三合 sānhé) and pairs of "secret friends" (六合 liùhé) get along; opposites six years apart clash (六冲 liùchōng), and six pairs "harm" each other (六害 liùhài).
Sign | Why | |
|---|---|---|
Best match | Pig 猪 | Secret friends (六合). The easygoing Pig calms the Tiger and never competes for the spotlight. |
Best match | Horse 马 | Same trio (三合). Two adventurous, energetic signs who love freedom. |
Best match | Dog 狗 | Same trio (三合). The loyal Dog keeps the Tiger honest and grounded. |
Challenging | Monkey 猴 | Direct clash (六冲). The clever Monkey loves to tease, and the proud Tiger hates being teased. |
Challenging | Snake 蛇 | Harm pair (六害). The bold Tiger and the secretive Snake rarely trust each other. |
Zodiac compatibility is tradition, not a rule, but it's a classic topic at Chinese family dinners.
Famous people born in the Year of the Tiger
Name | Known for | Born |
|---|---|---|
Marilyn Monroe | Actor | 1926 |
Stevie Wonder | Musician | 1950 |
Tom Cruise | Actor | 1962 |
Leonardo DiCaprio | Actor | 1974 |
Penélope Cruz | Actor | 1974 |
Lady Gaga | Singer | 1986 |
Useful Chinese vocabulary for the Year of the Tiger
Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
虎 | hǔ | tiger (zodiac name) |
老虎 | lǎohǔ | tiger (everyday word) |
虎年 | hǔnián | Year of the Tiger |
属虎 (屬虎) | shǔ hǔ | to be born in a Tiger year |
马马虎虎 (馬馬虎虎) | mǎmǎhūhū | so-so, careless ("horse horse tiger tiger") |
纸老虎 (紙老虎) | zhǐ lǎohǔ | paper tiger: looks scary, isn't |
母老虎 | mǔ lǎohǔ | "tigress": a fierce woman (teasing) |
虎头蛇尾 (虎頭蛇尾) | hǔ tóu shé wěi | tiger's head, snake's tail: a strong start that fizzles out |
骑虎难下 (騎虎難下) | qí hǔ nán xià | riding a tiger, hard to get off: stuck in something you can't quit |
如虎添翼 | rú hǔ tiān yì | like giving wings to a tiger: an advantage on top of an advantage |
Example sentences
- 我属虎，你呢？ Wǒ shǔ hǔ, nǐ ne? I'm a Tiger, and you?
- 你最近怎么样？马马虎虎。 Nǐ zuìjìn zěnmeyàng? Mǎmǎhūhū. How have you been? So-so.
- 他学中文总是虎头蛇尾，每次学两个月就放弃了。 Tā xué Zhōngwén zǒngshì hǔ tóu shé wěi, měi cì xué liǎng ge yuè jiù fàngqì le. He always starts Chinese strong and gives up after two months.
Taiwan note: in many Taiwanese temples you'll find a small tiger statue under the main altar. This is 虎爺 Hǔyé, "Lord Tiger", a protector of children whom parents pray to when a child is sick or scared. Taiwan's classic bedtime threat is also tiger-themed: 虎姑婆 Hǔ Gūpó, "Grandaunt Tiger", who comes for children who won't go to sleep.
Frequently asked questions
Which years are Tiger years? 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 and 2034. Each one starts on Chinese New Year.
When is the next Year of the Tiger? From 19 February 2034 to 7 February 2035.
I was born on 31 January 2022. Am I a Tiger? No, you're an Ox. The Tiger year started the next day, 1 February 2022.
What element is my Tiger year? Fire (1926, 1986), Earth (1938, 1998), Metal (1950, 2010), Water (1962, 2022) or Wood (1974, 2034).
What are the Tiger's lucky numbers? 1, 3 and 4, and numbers containing them. 6, 7 and 8 are considered unlucky for Tigers.
What are the Tiger's lucky colours? Blue, grey and orange. Brown is the one to avoid.
Who is the Tiger most compatible with? The Pig (secret friends), the Horse and the Dog (the same trio).
Which sign clashes with the Tiger? The Monkey, its opposite on the zodiac wheel.
How do you say "I'm a Tiger" in Chinese? 我属虎 wǒ shǔ hǔ.
Why do Chinese babies wear tiger hats and shoes? The tiger is a protector, and its image is believed to keep evil spirits and illness away from small children.